BSkyB and organisers of golf's
Ryder Cup have resolved a dispute over the television company's plans for
coverage of the tournament on non-terrestrial channels.
"We are extremely pleased that
our long-term relationship with Sky enabled this amicable agreement," European
Tour spokesman Mitchell Platts said on Tuesday.
Platts said the Ryder Cup will
now be shown free to subscribers on the usually pay-per-view Sky Box Office
channel but with three hours a day available on Sky Sports 2.
"This ensures that a minimum
of nine hours coverage of the Ryder Cup will be seen on Sky Sports 2 over
the three days, where golf is traditionally seen," he said.
The European Tour has a long-term
agreement with Sky.
The move will also enable subscribers
to pay-TV company and BSkyB competitor ONDigital to watch some of the tournament.
Ryder Cup Limited and the European
Tour announced on Wednesday they had started legal action against Rupert
Murdoch's pay television company after Sky decided to broadcast the Cup
only on Sky Box Office.
Subscribers to ONDigital receive
Sky Sports 1 and 2 but not Box Office.
"It would appear that Sky's principal
reason for wishing to omit the Ryder Cup from the Sky Sports channels is
to avoid the possibility of its competitor ONDigital having the right to
show the matches," Platts said on Wednesday.
