The PGA Tour is staying put, the ESPN-Top Rank marriage is official, and MLS is getting another NFL lead-in.
PGA Staying With CBS, NBC, Until End of Deal
The PGA Tour will not exercise the opt out clause in its rights deals with CBS and NBC next year, electing to remain with its current over-the-air partners until the deals expire in 2021, Golf Digest reported Sunday. Sports Business Journal reported last year that the PGA had kicked the tires on opting out of the deals, even going as far as to reach out to rival networks for preliminary meetings. [Golf Digest 9.2]
ESPN, Top Rank, Deal Official
ESPN last weekend announced a multi-year agreement with Top Rank Boxing to carry fights on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the soon-to-come ESPN over-the-top streaming service, a move that was first reported last month by Ring TV. The first year of the deal calls for 18 main events on the ESPN family of networks. [ESPN PR 8.25]
FOX to Air Another MLS-NFL Doubleheader
For the second time, Fox Sports will air a live MLS match on an NFL Sunday. The network will carry Los Angeles-Kansas City and Montreal-Atlanta on September 24, with the former airing in markets that receive the late 4 PM ET NFL game and the latter airing in markets that receive the early 1 PM game. Fox has frequently used the NFL to boost its soccer coverage, airing taped EPL and Bundesliga matches on singleheader Sundays from 2011-15. Last year’s first MLS-NFL doubleheader generated the soccer league’s largest English-language audience since 2004 (since surpassed by last year’s MLS Cup). [Fox Sports PR 8.31]
