Newspaper Article

Sky given chance to capture the Open

TIM GLOVER MATHEW HORSMAN

1996

Overview

The Open Championship, one of the largest remaining jewels in the BBC's sporting crown, is courting satellite television. The Royal and Ancient, which runs the Open, has approached BSkyB through an intermediary and is discussing a deal worth pounds 25m over five years. The BBC is paying less than pounds 1m a year. The event is synonymous with the BBC but the television contract expires after the 125th Open at Royal Lytham in July. The Open is not one of the \"listed\" events - the Olympic Games, the World Cup, Test cricket, Wimbledon, the Grand National, the Derby, the FA Cup final and the Scottish FA Cup final - prevented by current legislation from being broadcast on pay-TV. The success of the Open, which makes a profit of pounds 3-4m a year, makes the R and A financially self-sufficient but it needs more to develop the game at grass roots. Through an intermediary, TWI, the television arm of Mark McCormack's International Management Group, it is testing the water with subscription television.

• Publisher: Independent Digital News & Media