USGA, R&A Early Coverage Headed To USA Network; Is Golf Channel's End Near?
Sports Business Journal's shocking reveal suggests the end is near for Arnold Palmer's bold vision.
SBJ’s John Ourand wisely stuck with the headline news—NBC’s Premier League coverage is moving to the home of Law and Order reruns—but golf fans will be in for a shock: Golf Channel is losing early round coverage of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, The Open and AIG Women’s Open to USA Network.
(Pausing here to let stateside Quad readers find USA on your cable menu. Unless you’re a big rerun or wresting viewer, or sentimental for the network that gave Peter Kostis his golf broadcasting start over thirty years ago, then finding USA may take a while.)
The Premier League shift Ourand led with is in response to the shuttering of NBC Sports Network, but the inclusion of USGA and R&A coverage opens up a number of questions about Comcast and NBC Universal’s commitment to Golf Channel and other non-PGA Tour golf coverage.
I can answer that question: the commitment is winding down.
The move of these events to USA marks another sad and twisted turn in Comcast’s overall destruction of Arnold Palmer and Joe Gibbs’ vision for Golf Channel since, coincidentally or not, Palmer’s passing in 2016.