USA Network and NBC have extended their agreement to
televise the Ryder Cup through 2005. In addition to designation
as the exclusive cable carrier of the Ryder Cup, USA also has the
rights to air Ryder Cup preview and highlight shows (USA).
Langdon Brockinton writes in INSIDE MEDIA that his sources
indicate USA plans 10 hours of coverage on each opening Friday of
the '99, 2001, 2003 and 2005 Cups. For those events, "it's also
possible" that the cable carrier will televise ancillary
programing, which could be produced independently, or in
conjunction with NBC. Brockinton's sources say that ESPN and
Turner also "expressed their respective interest" to NBC.
Sponsorship sales efforts for NBC's Saturday and Sunday coverage
of the '99 and 2001 Cups have begun and NBC is "delivering" the
two-Cup packages to advertisers who bought for '95 and '97: GM,
PepsiCo, Coopers & Lybrand, Ping and the U.S. Postal Service.
Some observers speculate NBC may try to sell seven packages as
"about a dozen non-incumbent sponsors have expressed a strong
interest." Sponsorship of the '95 and '97 events costs $2.6M,
but it is "unclear" what NBC will charge for '99 and 2001 (INSIDE
MEDIA, 11/13 issue).
