Filed under: Ryder Cup, Sports Business and Media
The heavy rainfalls that forced delays in Ryder Cup play in Wales Friday may end up having a positive effect for golf viewers in the United States, as they will get to see live coverage on NBC rather than the taped package that was planned.NBC announced Friday that it will, as it had originally planned, carry Saturday coverage from 8 a.m. ET until 6 p.m. However, Saturday's telecast will be live rather than on tape, as the network had previously announced, which drew criticism from golf fans. NBC will carry Sunday's matches beginning at 4 a.m. ET and running until conclusion.
If Monday coverage is necessary, it would air on USA, beginning at 2 a.m. and continuing until the conclusion. USA, like NBC, is owned by NBC-Universal, and is available in over 100 million homes, making it the cable channel with the widest distribution. Airing Monday's matches on USA spares NBC having to pre-empt "The Today Show," the most popular morning show, or asking its affiliates to pre-empt morning news and syndicated shows that are lucrative cash cows.
ESPN, meanwhile, will air coverage Saturday morning beginning at 2:30 a.m. and running until NBC takes over at 8 a.m.
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