The U.S. Open is returning to NBC starting this year at Winged Foot after Fox Sports has asked to end its 12-year contract with the USGA, numerous people told The Associated Press on Sunday night.
Three people with direct understanding of the change state it came together in the last two weeks. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the offer has actually not been announced.
A statement was expected Monday.
The U.S. Open, originally arranged to be played recently, was held off to Sept. 17-20 at Winged Foot in New York when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf for 3 months.
NBC telecasted the U.S. Open from 1995 through 2014. That ended when the USGA signed a 12-year handle Fox Sports worth about $1 billion that began in 2015.
Fox broadcast its first U.S. Open from Chambers Bay south of Seattle, with Greg Norman as the lead expert. He was changed by previous PGA champion and Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger.
Someone stated NBC would spend for just under half of the rights cost through the rest of the agreement.
Two other individuals stated the offer started to take shape this month, particularly with the U.S. Open being transferred to September during the opening month of the NFL.
Someone said Fox was considering moving the U.S. Open to FS1, an idea that was rebuffed by Mike Davis, the CEO of the USGA. That led to much deeper discussions about the contract and how it could be dealt with.
Since the USGAs championships– primarily the Opens and Amateurs– were the only golf it produced, Fox Sports was constantly in a tough spot from the start of the contract.
The sources said NBC would have the final 7 years of the agreement through 2026. They did not state who would telecast the early rounds of the U.S. Open. Under the previous agreement with NBC, ESPN had the Thursday and Friday rounds.
ESPN now has the weekday rounds of the PGA Championship beginning this year, with the CBS doing the weekend.
The deal Comcast-owned NBC, in addition to Golf Channel, the U.S. Open and British Open, The Players Championship, three World Golf Championships, the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup. When the brand-new media rights deal with the PGA Tour starts, it also will have the FedEx Cup playoffs every other year.
NBC and Golf Channel also will have all the majors on the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
