St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A and U-NEXT have agreed a new broadcast partnership for coverage of The Open and AIG Women’s Open in Japan, starting in 2024.
 
Founded in 2007, U-NEXT has grown to become a prominent provider of video distribution services in Japan, including live streaming of golf (PGA Tour) and sports such as baseball (providing MLB through SPOTV), football (La Liga) and mixed martial arts (Ultimate Fighting Championship) direct to consumers.
 
Both Major championships will be live-streamed exclusively in Japan for the first time and supplemented with access to archive content from past championships, including documentaries and highlights.
 
Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, said: “There are millions of fans who follow The Open and AIG Women’s Open with great interest each year and our new partnership with U-NEXT will provide them comprehensive live coverage of both championships through its innovative platform.

“Japan is an important market for us and we look forward to working with U-NEXT to engage both new and established audiences throughout the country with our Major championships.”
 
Tenshin Tsutsumi, President and Representative Director at U-NEXT, said: “We are delighted to provide complete live-stream coverage for The Open and AIG Women’s Open this year.

“Since 2022, we have been dedicated to enhancing the golf experience on our platform and creating an environment where our subscribers can enjoy a variety of Tours.
 
“Join us as we follow these top athletes on their challenges for the world’s highest peak, providing coverage of the highest level of the game in real time. We are committed to continually improving our platform to ensure an even more enjoyable golfing experience on U-NEXT.”