Is the Open going to Sky Sports?

FixdePitchmark

PARlance wrote: »

Well... seeing that it's not moving until 2017, that mightn't be a bad bet to take you up on

Time for bed now, but you've convinced me.
It is the worst thing that has ever happened the world.
I'll call the RSPCC tomorrow and report Rupert.

Class - didn't know that.

I bet it will be reversed - this will gather pace.

This is the water charge of golf.

bailey99

Golfgraffix wrote: »

Part of the Sky deal will involve limiting the number of commercial breaks during its live coverage to a maximum of four minutes per hour, with each break running for just 60 seconds.

Adverts for 60 seconds, grand, but what about Monty droning on for another 3 or 4 minutes after every break telling us what players should and shouldn't be doing.

The question is "how much live golf" will be shown in an hour compared to adverts, analysis, swing tracer, studio chats etc

BoardsMember

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Exactly.

"Curling is one of the fastest growing sports in the world - and is enjoying a surge in popularity following the intense competition staged during the Olympic Winter Games in 2014"

That is the point.

Yes of course we all don't try curling.

But the facts are the facts.

But - if you want an opinion.

If BBC - did not cover the Olympics - would their Olympic Bid - Success - gold medal wins have happened, if it was never covered by BBC. BBC coverage of Athletics and minority sports , totally inspired a generation - the culmination was London 2012.

Would kids say - "I want to go to the Olympics".

Swimming is only on TV every 4 years in a major way , but the number of kids who want to swim in the Olympics from the short exposure is incredible.

You go to You Tube - because of things you are exposed to or inspired by. Yes you go to You Tube after you see Rory on tv. You need to see him on tv.

I don't think You Tube inspires you to play golf.

Anyway - we are dealing with opinions now.

I think it is a big mistake. Hopefully it is reversed - but very hard to rewind when things change.

They have been covering the Olympics for years. Was their coverage of previously Olympics the cause of their hopeless performance in them?

The fact is that massive financial investment in a selection of specifically targeted sports were responsible for their performance in 2012, it had nothing to do with who was broadcasting, either in 2012, or in any other year.

Nor is it proven that sports uptake is directly related to the television audience size. Hasn't there been numerous damning reports of sport on the decline in the UK post Olympics?

As for Sky taking over from BBC. Golf has its own issues, speed of play, access to courses for all demographics, all sorts of other stuff. I'm happy that the best broadcaster will be taking this over. Aliss is embarrassing, Lineker is awful, BBC coverage is a very poor second when compared to Sky. You cant really blame them when they only broadcast a handful of events each year. I dont like Sky, I dont like all the ads, but lets be realistic: Sky taking over the Open will mean better coverage, better analysis, and there's no reason to think that the game of golf will suffer. Sure it only relates to the UK and some of Ireland anyhow!!

bailey99

If Sky would take Peter Aliss and Ken Brown and get rid of Monty, I could probably live with this!

MisterAnarchy

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

You need your sport exposed to more people, than who will watch The Farmers.

Speaking of the Farmers I decided to watch a bit of Sky's coverage last night .

I havent watched much of the US golf in recent years due to the atrocious coverage so perhaps Skys "modernisation" may have improved matters.

Switched over; on an ad break, quelle surprise.
After ad break we get a close up shot of a bush with a tedious voiceover by Sarah Stirk ,then we get one shot of live coverage .

Then we switch to the Golf Channel commentators talking about Tigers back over a wide angled shot of the sea.
A couple of putts and then a look at the leaderboard followed by another ad break .

This loop continued about 3 times in succession.

How do they expect people to watch this crap.:mad:

Keano

As many have pointed out Sky do not control the US feed. The have to constantly apologise for the lack of actual golf being shown.

AGC

Jesus some of the reaction on here is comical.

'The end of golf as we know it' etc...

Personally if it was not for Sky's coverage of golf I would not have the obsession I do have with it (at times!) I do today.

For me it is a generational thing, since I was young Sky was in the house so the golf was always on 4 nights of the week.(Luckily) It is great getting up and watching it on the BBC all day for 12 odd hours but using the 'ad breaks' or 'Monty' as tool to bash is pointless. Sky will have their own cameras at the venue like the BBC have had, 4 1 minute ad breaks I would safely say you will see the same amount of golf in an hour on either station. The only difference being you have to listen to Monty talk ****e over ken brown rolling a ball off a green into a pot bunker or smelling flowers.

Yes some people won't subscribe out of principle and others just can't afford it but the over reaction on here towards the R&A is comical. BBC did F all to hold onto the event and it is inevitable the main golfing broadcaster is going to snap it up.

4 days of the Open being on BBC will not be the defining issue in the growth or decline of golf no matter how nostalgic people want to be about it.

AGC

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Speaking of the Farmers I decided to watch a bit of Sky's coverage last night .

I havent watched much of the US golf in recent years due to the atrocious coverage so perhaps Skys "modernisation" may have improved matters.

Switched over; on an ad break, quelle surprise.
After ad break we get a close up shot of a bush with a tedious voiceover by Sarah Stirk ,then we get one shot of live coverage .

Then we switch to the Golf Channel commentators talking about Tigers back over a wide angled shot of the sea.
A couple of putts and then a look at the leaderboard followed by another ad break .

This loop continued about 3 times in succession.

How do they expect people to watch this crap.:mad:

That is US TV

bustercherry

I'm baffled at the amount of Irish people here talking about the BBC Open coverage being an (British) institution. FFS large parts of the country never had more than the RTE channels for most of the time it has been covering it. Pure drivel and nonsense being spouted.

*mod edit*

Domo1982

agreed - mad stuff. Faux outrage by a bunch of hypocrites..... I hate Sky its wreaks everything but I have sky. I hate gamegolf/white drivers/lasers/skins/any new tech etc its wreaking the game! but I'll run off up to McGuirks and snap up a set a set of tech laden Mizunos in the sale.I'll rant now and think about it later...Ohhhh the outrage!Think of the kids!!.Ohhh the outrage....stinks the place out

I've issues with Sky but the golf coverage is brilliant

Harry Palmr

Keano wrote: »

As many have pointed out Sky do not control the US feed. The have to constantly apologise for the lack of actual golf being shown.

I remember when RTE used to show the American feed for the Masters (I think) and every other minute (it seemed) the mix would cut back to an increasingly distressed looking Myles Dungan.

Dayor Knight

bustercherry wrote: »

I'm baffled at the amount of Irish people here talking about the BBC Open coverage being an (British) institution. FFS large parts of the country never had more than the RTE channels for most of the time it has been covering it. Pure drivel and nonsense being spouted.

No wonder golf is fcuked in this country, it appears to only attract west Brits

Come into the 21st century, man, and get yourself a satellite dish, and a freesat receiver. I've been watching the Open free to air on the BBC from West Kerry, for years. And not a West Brit in sight.

Dayor Knight

Domo1982 wrote: »

agreed - mad stuff. Faux outrage by a bunch of hypocrites..... I hate Sky its wreaks everything but I have sky. I hate gamegolf/white drivers/lasers/skins/any new tech etc its wreaking the game! but I'll run off up to McGuirks and snap up a set a set of tech laden Mizunos in the sale.I'll rant now and think about it later...Ohhhh the outrage!Think of the kids!!.Ohhh the outrage....stinks the place out

I've issues with Sky but the golf coverage is brilliant

Faux outrage, my ar*se. If you have a different opinion, just give it without insulting those you disagree with. Otherwise don't bother. Faux means false btw. Who are you accusing of pretending to be outraged?

Kevinmarkham

bustercherry wrote: »

I'm baffled at the amount of Irish people here talking about the BBC Open coverage being an (British) institution. FFS large parts of the country never had more than the RTE channels for most of the time it has been covering it. Pure drivel and nonsense being spouted.

No wonder golf is fcuked in this country, it appears to only attract west Brits

Domo1982 wrote: »

agreed - mad stuff. Faux outrage by a bunch of hypocrites..... I hate Sky its wreaks everything but I have sky. I hate gamegolf/white drivers/lasers/skins/any new tech etc its wreaking the game! but I'll run off up to McGuirks and snap up a set a set of tech laden Mizunos in the sale.I'll rant now and think about it later...Ohhhh the outrage!Think of the kids!!.Ohhh the outrage....stinks the place out

I've issues with Sky but the golf coverage is brilliant

You two should get a room

BoardsMember

From the Guardian today in a God article about BBC losing the Open...


Alliss is a highly professional broadcaster who talks directly to a certain audience but the salient features of his style have only cemented the image of golf as a game for prosperous company directors who park their Jags outside the clubhouse on a weekday afternoon for a convivial round with a client before repairing to the bar for a pink gin.

Harry Palmr

That article by Richard Williams pretty pathetic really, you can tell he used to work for Murdoch!

Basically it says - throw the towel in and let SKY have it all.

FixdePitchmark

I was directed to this report by a guy in the industry.

http://www.sportseconomics.org/sports-economics/the-impact-of-pay-tv-on-sport-cricket-and-rugby-union-league


I actually agree with the argument competition is good - Sky have added innovation to coverage .

Not faux or even real outrage.

We just love our golf here - and anything damaging to the game will cause people to have strong feelings about it.

The "British Open" - as the general public call it, should be on The British Broadcasting Corporation.

Just to show how far this debate goes - see this part of report. Note how 175 MPs had sufficient faux outrage.



"The scale of the public outcry against the decision to sell cricket rights to Sky
drew critical motions in the House of Commons. Over 175 Members of
Parliament joined a motion calling for reversal of the decision and there were
numerous written and oral parliamentary questions asked of the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport. John Grogan MP led a political campaign to ensure that
cricket remained on free-to-air television, saying: “… cricket has completely sold
out to the Murdoch gold.” Grogan argued that the fact that so many households
did not have access to the Sky Sports package, would inevitably undermine the
future of English cricket by denying it critical exposure: “It’s bound to have an
impact that in a class of thirty 11-year olds, less than half will be able to watch
cricket.”27

HighLine

I can understand people's concerns about The Open moving away from free view but I was delighted to hear Sky got it. And below just confirms why I was. Their golf coverage really is top notch. A dedicated channel with the opening tee shot at 6:45am being shown live (so you can watch before going to work )

http://www.skysports.com/golf/the-open/news/14866/10300600/opening-tee-shot-of-the-open-to-be-shown-live-on-sky-sports

The opening tee shot of The Open will be shown live for the first time as part of Sky Sports' round-the-clock coverage of golf's pre-eminent Major.

Sky Sports will dedicate an entire channel to the Championship, offering 10 days of programming including live coverage of all four days' play and practice rounds, evening highlights of each day's play plus a host of documentaries and shows exploring the unique allure of The Open.

The channel launches on July 11, when Sky Sports 1 HD becomes 'Sky Sports The Open'. Sky's live coverage of The 145th Open at Royal Troon will begin on July 14, ahead of the opening tee shot at 6.35am which will be shown live for the first time on television in the UK and Ireland. The Championship continues until July 17.