Miles Bennett
Fox Sports has had a long history with golf, from its early partnership with Greg Norman in the 1990s to its recent exclusive rights agreement with LIV Golf in 2025. Golf coverage on Fox Sports properties has occurred occasionally since 1999, including sub-licensed early-round coverage of PGA Tour events and national open tournaments. In 2020, Fox opted out of its contract to cover USGA events, selling the rights to NBC Sports. However, with its new agreement with LIV Golf, Fox Sports is set to air live coverage of the LIV Golf League's global schedule, with events across the US, Asia, Australia, and more. This partnership brings a unique blend of individual and team competitions, captivating fans worldwide and attracting a younger, more tech-savvy audience.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Golf coverage on Fox Sports | Occurred occasionally since 1999 |
| Fox Sports Networks (FSN) | Sub-licensed early-round coverage of PGA Tour events from Golf Channel from 1999 to 2002 |
| Simulcast of Golf Channel coverage | Ended in 2002 when PGA Tour's cable rights were acquired by ESPN and USA Network |
| Fox's coverage of USGA events | From 2015 to June 2020 |
| Fox's first U.S. Open | Total of 38.5 hours of coverage, with 22 on Thursday and Friday, and 16.5 hours on Saturday and Sunday |
| Fox Sports 1 cable network coverage of first U.S. Open | Total of 16 hours of coverage on Thursday and Friday |
| Fox Sports agreement with LIV Golf | Multi-year media rights agreement announced in January 2025 |
| Half of LIV Golf events will air on | Fox or Fox Sports 1 |
| Remainder of LIV Golf events will air on | Fox Sports 2, Fox Business Network, or the Fox Sports app |
| LIV Golf's Club 54 pre- and post-round shows hosted by | Christian Crosby with analysis from Rachel Drummond, Jerry Foltz, Su-Ann Heng, and Dom Boulet |
| LIV Golf's Any Shot, Any Time technology | Available exclusively to LIV Golf+ subscribers, allowing fans to select which golfers, teams, or groups to watch |
| LIV Golf coverage on Fox Sports platforms | Nearly 210 hours of competition live across platforms, with more than 60% of the League's schedule on Fox or FS1 |
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What You'll Learn
Fox Sports and LIV Golf enter a multi-year media rights agreement
Fox Sports and LIV Golf have entered a multi-year media rights agreement, marking the broadcaster's return to golf after opting out of its USGA contract in 2020. The deal will see Fox Sports air live coverage of the LIV Golf League's 14-tournament global schedule, with events across the US, Asia, Australia, and more. The majority of the three-day tournaments will be carried by Fox and its primary cable sibling, FS1, with the remaining tournaments airing on FS2, Fox Business Network, and the Fox Sports app.
This partnership is a significant step for LIV Golf, as it brings the league's tournaments to a broader audience and aligns with a prominent broadcaster known for its world-class sports coverage. Brooks Koepka, captain of Smash GC, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating that Fox Sports knows "how to bring sports to life" and that this deal is a huge win for LIV Golf.
For Fox Sports, this agreement adds a prominent slate of big events and world-class names to their coverage. Jordan Bazant, Executive Vice President of Fox Sports, shared that the network is excited to showcase elite athletes competing at the top of their game and that LIV Golf is a natural fit for their premium sports coverage.
LIV Golf's Club 54 pre- and post-round shows will be hosted by Christian Crosby, with analysis provided by Rachel Drummond, Jerry Foltz, Su-Ann Heng, and Dom Boulet. These programs will be featured live on Fox Sports platforms or the LIV Golf+ app. Additionally, LIV Golf's innovative "Any Shot, Any Time" technology will be available exclusively to LIV Golf+ subscribers, allowing fans to select which golfers or teams they want to watch at any time.
The multi-year agreement between Fox Sports and LIV Golf is expected to elevate the viewing experience for fans and bring a fresh perspective to golf broadcasting.
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Fox Sports announces its 2025 LIV Golf schedule
Fox Sports has announced its 2025 schedule for the LIV Golf League, which will see the broadcaster air live coverage of the league's 14-tournament global schedule. The 2025 LIV Golf League is the fourth season of LIV Golf and will feature 54-hole tournaments with 54 players and no cut, culminating in a team championship event.
The season will kick off in February, with the first tournament taking place at the Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia. Other tournaments will be held at renowned golf clubs around the world, including the Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling, Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, Trump National Doral in the USA, and Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico.
Half of the events will air on Fox or Fox Sports 1, with the remainder on Fox Sports 2, Fox Business Network, or the Fox Sports app. Fox Sports' coverage will include pre- and post-round shows hosted by Christian Crosby, with analysis from Rachel Drummond, Jerry Foltz, Su-Ann Heng, and Dom Boulet.
Fox Sports' partnership with LIV Golf marks the return of golf coverage to the network, which previously aired USGA events from 2015 to June 2020. The addition of LIV Golf to Fox Sports' slate of live sports events has been well-received by both the network and golf enthusiasts, who anticipate the innovative and engaging coverage that Fox Sports is known for.
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Fox Sports' coverage of the USGA
Fox Sports has had an on-again, off-again relationship with golf since the early 1990s. In 1996, Fox acquired a minority stake in the Golf Channel, and in 1999, it began sub-licensing early-round coverage of PGA Tour events.
In 2011, Fox Sports gained the rights to the CVS Caremark Charity Classic, an unofficial money event on the PGA Tour. However, it did not renew its rights for 2012.
In 2013, Fox Sports announced a 12-year, $1.1 billion deal to broadcast the open tournaments and amateur championships of the USGA, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, and U.S. Women's Open, beginning in 2015. This deal saw Fox replace NBC and ESPN as the rightsholders of these events.
In 2018, Fox Sports aired more than 150 hours of live USGA championship coverage, including the U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Senior Open, and U.S. Amateur. Rolex was the exclusive presenting partner of coverage for these championships.
However, in June 2020, Fox announced that it would opt out of the remaining seven years of its contract with the USGA, selling the rights to NBC Sports. The rescheduling of the 2020 U.S. Open due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused conflicts with Fox's football coverage, and the USGA would not allow Fox to carry the event exclusively on cable.
In January 2025, Fox announced a new exclusive rights agreement with LIV Golf, with half of the events airing on Fox or Fox Sports 1, and the remainder on other Fox platforms. Fox Sports will also air live coverage of the LIV Golf League's 14-tournament global schedule.
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Fox Sports' partnership with Greg Norman in the 1990s
Golf coverage on Fox Sports has occurred occasionally since 1999. In the early 1990s, Fox Sports partnered with Greg Norman, an Australian former professional golfer, to create the World Golf Tour, consisting of six events televised on Fox. The tour would have launched in 1995 and consisted of eight limited-field tournaments, with winners receiving a $600,000 prize, double that of major U.S. tournaments at the time. The tour would be backed by Rupert Murdoch, with Fox Sports televising all events.
However, the proposed World Golf Tour events were met with legal issues, including threats by PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem to suspend any golfer who participated. Due to these challenges, the tour did not materialise as initially envisioned. Despite this setback, Fox Sports continued to explore opportunities in the world of golf. In 1996, Fox acquired a minority stake in the Golf Channel, demonstrating its ongoing interest in bringing golf content to its viewers.
In 2013, Fox Sports announced a significant development in its golf coverage by securing a 12-year, $1.1 billion deal to broadcast the open tournaments and amateur championships of the USGA, including prestigious events such as the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, and U.S. Women's Open. This deal marked a significant expansion of Fox Sports' involvement in golf and demonstrated its commitment to delivering premier golf events to its audience.
As part of its preparation for the USGA coverage, Fox Sports announced on April 23, 2014, that Greg Norman would join Joe Buck as its lead golf commentary team. Norman, known as "The Great White Shark" due to his blond hair, aggressive golf style, and Australia's native coastal animal, brought his expertise and insights to the commentary booth. Fox's first U.S. Open received mixed reviews, with critics noting technical issues and on-air chemistry challenges between Buck and Norman.
In 2016, Norman was replaced as the lead golf analyst by Paul Azinger following criticism of his performance at the 2015 U.S. Open. Despite this change, Fox Sports continued its golf coverage until 2020 when it opted out of the remaining years of its contract with the USGA due to scheduling conflicts with its football coverage. However, Fox Sports remains engaged in the world of golf, anticipating a return to golf coverage in 2025 through a partnership with LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed golf competition also led by Norman.
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Fox Sports' coverage of the World Golf Tour
Fox Sports has had a long history with Golf coverage, dating back to the early 1990s when they partnered with Greg Norman to create the World Golf Tour. This venture was short-lived due to legal issues and threats of suspension from the PGA Tour commissioner. From 1999 to 2002, Fox Sports Networks sublicensed early-round coverage of PGA Tour events from the Golf Channel, in which they were an early investor.
In 2011, Fox Sports gained the rights to the CVS Caremark Charity Classic, an unofficial PGA Tour money event, but they did not renew their rights for the following year. In 2013, Fox Sports announced a $1.1 billion, 12-year deal to broadcast the USGA's open tournaments and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open, beginning in 2015. This deal was cut short in June 2020 when Fox opted out of the contract, selling the rights to NBC Sports.
Despite this setback, Fox Sports remained committed to golf coverage and in January 2025, they announced an exclusive rights agreement with LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed golf competition. This partnership includes live coverage of the LIV Golf League's 14-tournament global schedule, with events across the U.S., Asia, and Australia, airing on Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, and other platforms. Fox Sports' coverage of the LIV Golf League has been met with enthusiasm from both parties, with the promise of innovative broadcasting and a focus on showcase the unique aspects of the sport.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Fox Sports has aired golf coverage since 1999.
From 1999 to 2002, Fox Sports sub-licensed early-round coverage of PGA Tour events. From 2015 to June 2020, Fox Sports was the broadcaster of the national open tournaments and amateur championships of the United States Golf Association (USGA), including the U.S. Open.
In January 2025, Fox Sports announced an exclusive rights agreement with LIV Golf. Half of the events will air on Fox or Fox Sports 1, with the remainder on Fox Sports 2, Fox Business Network, or the Fox Sports app.
In the early 1990s, Fox Sports partnered with Greg Norman to create the World Golf Tour, which would have consisted of six televised events. However, this venture faced legal issues and did not materialise. In 1996, Fox acquired a minority stake in the Golf Channel and bid for a portion of the PGA Tour's television rights starting in 1999. While Fox did not secure the broadcast package, it sub-licensed early-round coverage from the Golf Channel through its regional sports networks.
Fox Sports' coverage of the U.S. Open included the use of drone flyovers, a camera-equipped RC car for ground perspectives, and augmented reality graphics. Fox Sports also provides coverage of LIV Golf events, including the LIV Golf Team Championship and the LIV Golf League.
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