Ofcom has given its consent to a request from Sky to broadcast exclusive live coverage of the Open Golf Championship between 2025 and 2027.
Sky UK Limited (“Sky”) plans to broadcast live coverage of the Open Golf Championship (“the Open”) in 2025, 2026 and 2027 on its Sky Sports channels.
The BBC has acquired rights to broadcast television highlights of the Open, as well as rights to provide live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, among other stations, in these years.
The Open is designated as a Group B listed event for the purposes of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (“the Act”). Sky therefore requires Ofcom’s consent to broadcast exclusive live television coverage of the Open, in accordance with section 101 of the Act. However, where a second broadcaster, in this case the BBC, provides adequate secondary coverage of a Group B listed event, and rights to provide live national radio coverage have also been acquired, Ofcom can grant ‘automatic’ consent to broadcast without consultation.
Paragraphs 1.18 to 1.21 of Ofcom’s Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events set out that the services provided by the two broadcasters must be in different categories for the purposes of the Act and provide more information about what constitutes adequate secondary coverage. In this case, Sky’s Sky Sports channels are ‘non-qualifying services’ and the BBC’s channels are ‘qualifying services’. The BBC has confirmed that the rights it has acquired enable adequate secondary coverage to be provided, in line with the requirements of the Code.
Having considered the information supplied by Sky, and supplementary information provided by the BBC, Ofcom has decided to grant automatic consent to Sky’s request.