After losing the US Open and British Open, ESPN is regaining ground.
ESPN has acquired cable rights to the PGA Championship under an 11-year deal that runs from 2020-2030, it was announced Wednesday. The flagship ESPN network and ESPN+ will carry exclusive coverage of the first and second rounds and lead-in coverage on the weekend.
ESPN, which last aired the PGA Championship in 1990, replaces incumbent cable partner Turner Sports. Turner will carry the tournament one final time next year.
CBS Sports will remain the primary rights partner for the event, renewing its deal for the same 11-year length.
As recently as 2014, ESPN held rights to three of four major tournaments, including the complete British Open. It lost US Open rights to Fox Sports and the British Open to NBC, relinquishing the final two years of its contract with the latter.
CBS and ESPN have partnered together on the Masters for the past decade. Assuming no changes by Augusta National, which awards television rights in a series of one-year contracts, the networks will now carry the season’s first two majors. The PGA Championship moves to May starting next year.
