BBC to lose rights to the open golf champiosnhip

[number 6]

you would think some sporting events were too precious to be bought but obviously sky think not. I am not a massive fan of everything the bbc does but they cover the open brilliantly and to take this off terrestrial tv is a huge mistake. Is no sporting even sacred anymore???

[Peter]

The Open is a CAT B event, highlights must be shown free to air.

CAT A Sports, which must be broadcast live free to air are the olympics, FA cup final, Wimbledon, some Rugby and the Derby, plus some others.

Sky do a better job than the BBC at sports coverage anyway, they outsource a decent amount to sky and stick a BBC badge on it as it is.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Golf is a rich person's sport in the eyes of the lefty loving BBC so they won't be remotely arsed at losing it. Sad and the fact that SKY will bombard us with adverts and probably get their wanker in chief aka Monty to give us his inside knowledge of how not to win at 20+ attempts...

[David Johnson]

"Golf is a rich person's sport in the eyes of the lefty loving BBC so they won't be remotely arsed at losing it"

Good point yet again Argie. That is why the BBC carry on showing solid working class sports like tennis.

!wink!

[JamesW]

Not to mention the BBC's coverage of Equestrian events.

[Arginald Valleywater]

The only reason they show tennis is because SKY aren't interested in it. Eurosport has most of the tour events.

[David Johnson]

Another good point, Argie. Murray beating Djokovic at Wimbledon would have been a real ratings turn-off.

THank God they have kept hold of equestrianism. It's one of the great working class sports, along with rowing, of course.

[Arginald Valleywater]

The BBC cover sports because they have to. SKY, Eurosport and BT do it because they want to and it makes excellent business sense. The modern BBC would rather show a costume drama instead of the World Cup.
MOTD is still and excellent show.

[max_tranmere]

BBC to lose the rights to the open golf championship? Oh no, how will we cope? I think I'll end my life now! Lol. Maybe the BBC will lose the rights to screen cookery shows and flower arranging programmes too. If that occured it would be too much for me! If that happened I would book a train ticket to the south coast and throw myself off of Beachy Head. It could be the end of the world for me! Lol.

[David Johnson]

"The BBC cover sports because they have to. SKY, Eurosport and BT do it because they want to and it makes excellent business sense. The modern BBC would rather show a costume drama instead of the World Cup.
MOTD is still and excellent show."

Again, you miss the point completely. Yes, as a public service broadcaster the BBC has a requirement to provide sports coverage but increasingly they have to defend their expenditure to the usual critics like yourself spouting "bunch of lefties" shite wasting our money..

More and more, sports organisations are selling their TV rights for exorbitant amounts and the likes of the BBC would struggle to defend the huge expenditure needed to buy rights across the board for the full range of sports.