Is Fox Sports Really Paying $100 Million A Year In USGA Deal?

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Either I missed it in focusing on the classless announcement timing or it was added as a follow up to the original report, but Doug Ferguson is citing sources as saying the USGA-Fox Sports partnership is worth approximately $100 million a year for the 12 years, meaning Fox Sports is going to pay $1.2 billion for the right to lose money on everything but the U.S. Open?

Furthermore, with the many innovations the USGA is promising on the production end, combined with starting a team from scratch, the production costs are going to be higher than had ESPN or NBC/Golf Channel or a combination of the two landed the rights.

Though financial terms weren't disclosed, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said the Fox bid was in the neighborhood of $100 million a year, more than double the previous contract. The person wasn't authorized to release details and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ed Sherman has a strong roundup and commentary on the USGA's move, and also includes a Twitter comment from Scott Van Pelt of ESPN who is hearing the $100 million too.

Sorry, but both NBC and ESPN deserved better here.

The reality is that this decision wasn’t based on innovation. Here’s what Nager should have said in the release:

“Can you believe Fox is willing to give us $100 friggin’ million dollars per year for essentially one tournament?”

All in all, considering this announcement also was made on the eve of the PGA Championship, it was poor form by USGA.

Van Pelt's Tweet:

 

 

John Hawkins files a nice commentary on the ungentlemanly behavior of the organization that prides itself on the etiquette and dignity of our sport.

Golf swears by its etiquette, but this is a burp at the dinner table among heads of state. And from the bleating Bluecoats, no less, who never met a cause they couldn’t tackle without a ton of help.

Last time I checked, six-time PGA Tour winner Brandt Snedeker wouldn’t swing an axe at someone unless you handed him the hatchet and stuck out your neck. “Don’t know the relationship between @USGA and @ThePGAofAmerica but seems petty to announce new TV deal today USGA… Couldn’t wait??” Sneds tweeted.

Guess not, seeing how Fox won’t have a U.S. Open on its air for almost two years. When you drive 90 miles per hour to get somewhere an hour ahead of schedule, people are sure to ask why you’re in such a rush. That’s when you scratch your head and realize you could have caused a wreck.