The BBC acquired the live broadcast rights to the U.S. PGA Championship in a "shock move that represents a seismic shift for the sport dominated by Sky's coverage," according to Tony Connelly of THE DRUM. All four days of August's tournament at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina will now be shown live on the BBC after the broadcaster "swooped in on the rights which Sky failed to secure." The multi-year agreement will be seen as a "huge coup" for the corporation which has seen its live sports coverage "dwindle in recent years as a result of Sky's financial dominance." The "winding down of its live sports coverage led the media industry to assume" the BBC's days as a "serious player" in golf were over with Sky holding the live rights to all four majors. However, last week, Sky, which has broadcast the U.S. PGA since '92, lost the rights to the tournament after the PGA of America announced it was "pursuing a different media model" (THE DRUM, 7/19). In London, James Corrigan reported the BBC was "quick to act." A source said, "It was too good a deal to pass by," revealing that BT Sport and Twitter were also "in the hunt." However, the PGA of America was "seduced by the reach of the BBC as a free-to-air terrestrial provider, as well as by its website and social media capabilities." It is understood that this will be "no one-off, but instead a multi-year deal," with the PGA of America "taking the financial hit to ensure it will be the most watched of any of the four majors this year." Apparently, the only "sticking point" was that this year's tournament "clashes with the World Athletics Championships in London," for which the BBC has the rights (TELEGRAPH, 7/18).
