IMG lose Open Golf shop

IMG have lost the R&A contract to run The Open golf merchandising shop, which will put a large dent in their corporate wallet, and more money into the R&A’s coffers.

The R&A are taking everything in-house, starting with The Open at Carnoustie in 2018.

The decision is purely financially driven, as the R&A think they can make much more money without the help of IMG.

This decision is another blow for IMG, who have also lost the management of the retail outlets at Wimbledon.

An IMG spokesman said: ‘IMG has an excellent relationship with both the R&A and the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club) and we respect their decisions to take their retail operations in–house. We continue to work with the R&A across all their commercial activity.’

It’s not all–bad news for IMG, as they have just signed a multi–year deal the run retail at Royal Ascot.

The R&A is clearly out to squeeze every last penny out of The Open, as was demonstrated by their decision to ban readmission, a policy that effectively killed Southport.

If you told me that there was a global sporting event going on three miles down the road, I would have said that you were having a laugh.

Related:

BBC confirm broadcasting of US PGA