Apple TV eyes Open Championship rights as sports broadcasting push continues
Apple TV has reportedly held preliminary discussions with the R&A as it considers bidding for the next U.S. broadcast deal, with Netflix and Amazon also expected to enter the race.
Apple TV is looking to continue its move into sport by joining the battle to secure the U.S. broadcast rights to the Open Championship.
The streaming platform wants to add golf to its current portfolio as it continues to expand in the sports market. According to a report from The Guardian, Apple has “held preliminary discussions with the R&A about bidding for the Open.”
NBC currently holds the US broadcast rights to golf’s oldest major championship, but its deal expires in 2028. That would mark the end of an 11-year partnership that began in 2017, when NBC took over from ESPN.
Apple TV will not be the only bidder for the rights, however, with Netflix and Amazon also expected to enter the race when the process begins at the start of 2027.
Netflix has already made its mark in golf, having streamed four seasons of the Full Swing documentary, while Amazon has continued to expand its presence in live sport.
“We have an excellent partnership with NBC and Versant which has delivered significant benefits for The Open, the AIG Women’s Open and our other championships and international matches,” said an R&A spokesperson in response to The Guardian.
“As we look ahead to the next U.S. media cycle for the R&A’s rights, we expect to enter discussions with our incumbent partners NBC and Versant in due course. We will also continue to monitor the evolving broadcast landscape and the wider interest in our rights.”
NBC averaged 4.3 million viewers for the final round of the 2026 Open Championship, as Ryan Fox claimed his first major title. That represented a 6% increase on the 2025 edition and made it the most-watched final round since 2022.
Audience figures peaked at 6.1 million in Sunday's final round, but despite Apple TV’s recent expansion into sports rights, its previous experiences suggest the grass might not always be greener.
In 2022, Apple TV agreed a 10-year deal to broadcast MLS games, worth $2.5 billion.
That deal, however, did not last, with poor viewing figures contributing to its termination after just three years.
More recently, the streaming platform has moved into Formula One, securing a five-year deal to broadcast the sport worth $750 million.
Whatever happens, it looks increasingly likely that NBC’s 11-year relationship with the Open Championship could soon come to an end, with Apple, Netflix and Amazon potentially ready to battle it out for the next U.S. rights deal.
