UK pay-television broadcaster Sky will continue to broadcast both the European Tour and Ryder Cup until 2022, but is facing competition from US media company Discovery for golf rights elsewhere in Europe.
Sky has sealed a new four-year deal, from 2019 to 2022, with the European Tour. Its current six-year deal, from 2013 to 2018, ends this year.
The Financial Times has reported that Discovery, which owns international sports broadcaster Eurosport, has secured European Tour rights in several markets across Europe, including Italy. This will further boost its golf portfolio after securing all PGA Tour rights outside the US earlier this year.
Discovery has not picked up European Tour and Ryder Cup rights in Germany: these were renewed by Sky Deutschland earlier this week.