ITC seeks responses to BBC request for exclusive golf coverage

The ITC has received a request from the BBC for consent to broadcast exclusive live coverage of The Open Golf Championships in July.
The request has been made as the event to be held on 17 to 20 July at Sandwich in Kent is a Group B Listed sports event and as such is covered by the ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events (revised January 2002).
The BBC’s main coverage will be on BBC1 and BBC2, with additional coverage on BBCi and under the Broadcasting Act, the ITC’s consent is needed for exclusive live coverage.
The test is whether Category B broadcasters, as defined in the Code have been given a genuine opportunity to acquire the rights to broadcast highlights of the events or deferred coverage. Consequently, the ITC has invited Category B broadcasters, rights holders and interested parties to comment on the BBC’s requests for consent.
Comments should be sent to Michael Redley, ITC Foley Street, London W1W 7TL email [email protected] by Friday 27 June 2003. All responses will be placed in the ITC Information Office unless confidentiality is specifically requested.
Under the rules on Listed Events contained in the Broadcasting Act 1996, as amended by The Television Broadcasting Regulations 2000, television services are divided into two categories: those which are provided free to air and are received by at least 95% of the UK population, and all other television services.
The services which currently fall into the first category are BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4.
For events listed in Group B in the Television Broadcasting Regulations 2000 (2000/54) exclusive live coverage on a service in one category is permitted if adequate provision has been made for secondary coverage (highlights or deferred coverage) by a broadcaster providing a service in the other category.
In the case of The Open Golf Championships, the BBC and rights holders have been unable to find broadcasters willing to provide such coverage on the terms offered.
The ITC must therefore consider whether to give consent for exclusive coverage on the basis that other broadcasters were given a genuine opportunity to acquire on fair and reasonable terms either the secondary coverage rights or the deferred coverage rights but declined to do so.
Further guidance on the rules and criteria are set out in the ITC Code which is available on www.itc.org.uk and from the ITC’s Viewer Relations Unit on tel. 0845 601 3608.
(SP)