SBD: CBS & Feherty Split Over His "Role" After 19 Years?

John Ourand's Sports Business Daily exclusive revealing a CBS and David Feherty break up after 19 years is intriguing on a number of levels.

Ourand writes that the two sides "could not reach an agreement on Feherty’s role on the network’s golf coverage."

He's been doing the same job for 19 years! What confusion could there be?

Perhaps Feherty asked to do less on course reporting or work fewer events. After all, it's hard to imagine CBS wanting to rid themselves of someone who is arguably their most recognizeable face and voice (just go to a PGA Tour event). Feherty's possible departure also leaves a huge void in their major championship coverage, where he always stepped up his game and somehow, some way, managed not to offend the Lords of Augusta from the 15th hole perch.

Then there is the timing.

CBS just wrapped their 2015 at The Barclays last weekend. If the two sides actually were wanting to work together going forward there was time to work things out. Or if this is actually an official split and not just a negotiation hiccup, leaking the news so soon after the last telecast of the year suggests a fatal blow in the partnership. After all, the next CBS golf telecast is not until late January 2016.

If this is not just a breakdown in talks, Feherty is a free agent at a good time: Fox is coming off a widely panned start to their 12-year USGA deal where Corey Pavin was their lead on-course announcer, while NBC/Golf Channel just added R&A events starting in 2017.