Slumbers says BBC’S Open coverage was ‘tired and outdated’

Chief executive Martin Slumbers insists the R&A has no regrets about the decision to ditch terrestrial television after labelling the BBC’S Open coverage “tired and outdated”.

Sky Sports took over live broadcasting of the world’s oldest major championship last summer after the BBC exited its deal one year early to switch to a highlights package as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

Sky has introduced a number of innovations including Sky Zone (where players have their game analysed), 360-degree virtual hole graphics projected in the television studio and a zip-wire camera at Royal Troon last year.

The coverage won a BAFTA for best sports coverage and Slumbers believes that is justification enough.

“I think when we moved last year we took what was frankly a fairly tired and outdated broadcast and turned it into absolutely world class and raised the whole level of the way it was shown,” Slumbers said.

“I think that was a combination and a partnership of those organisations with the R&A that I think has truly improved how people are watching golf.

“A testament to that was that we won, or Sky and ETP (European Tour Productions) won, a BAFTA for sport and they were up against the BBC’S coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics, and also the Six Nations.

“It really shows what you can do with TV. We’re building on that this year. I don’t buy the argument around participation and reach (being improved by being on UK terrestrial television).

“It is clearly good to have more reach but the Open is a global product.

“It’s not just a UK product. We touched 600 million households last year with the Open Championship in multiple countries all around the world.”

Despite the plaudits for its coverage, Sky has lost the rights to next month’s US PGA Championship, which looks set to be shown on the BBC for the first time with organisers reported to be involving multiplatform outlets such as Twitter to maximise exposure.

However, Slumbers said that did not give the R&A any reason to change its thinking.