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The 2020 U.S. Open already had a new date. Now it reportedly has a new broadcast partner.
Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press reported on Sunday night that Fox asked to end its 12-year contract with the USGA. Ferguson cited several sources confirming the news, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity. An announcement is expected on Monday.
One source told the AP that NBC would pick up the final seven years of the contract, which runs through 2026. NBC had broadcast rights to the U.S. Open until Fox Sports signed a 12-year deal in 2015. The first U.S. Open under Fox was at Chambers Bay in Washington, won by Jordan Spieth. Greg Norman was the lead analyst that year but was later replaced by Paul Azinger.
According to a Golf Digest story from 2017, the USGA-Fox relationship was a complicated one, with incidents that increased tensions on both sides. Their 12-year deal was reportedly worth more than $1 billion, and Fox lost “tens of millions” in the first two years.
The U.S. Open was originally scheduled for last week with its usual Father’s Day Sunday finish, but it was one of the many events rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s now set for Sept. 17-20 at Winged Foot in New York.