Apple Eyes The Open U.S. Rights

Apple is circling the U.S. broadcast rights for The Open Championship, threatening to shake up NBC and Versant’s long hold on golf’s crown jewel. With streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon also sniffing around and the current deal up in 2028, the stakes couldn’t be higher: if Apple grabs exclusivity, Versant could lose the live-viewing backbone that keeps Golf Channel sticky with both advertisers and cable partners. The Open’s strong ratings give the R&A leverage to raise prices, but overbidding could put a serious dent in Versant’s bottom line—while losing the rights would force a major rethink of Golf Channel’s premium slate.

But here’s the catch: Versant faces a fork in the road. Do they go all-in to keep The Open, or spread their bets across a portfolio of other sports rights—like baseball, hockey, and soccer—as budgets at big networks tighten? Meanwhile, they’re doubling down on digital, buying Full Swing for $530 million and pushing harder to turn golf tech and first-party data into recurring revenue. The challenge now is converting simulator users and GolfPass signups into sustainable growth, not just flashy engagement numbers.

On the digital front, Fandango’s longtime streaming lead Cameron Douglas just exited, leaving a gap as Versant tries to unify its film and sports platforms. With the next R&A tender just a year away, every move now sets the tone for Versant’s future in live sports and digital—watch for early signs of renewal talks, sublicensing, and whether new tech bets actually pay off.

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