REPORT: US Open (tennis) Close to Moving to ESPN

[TMC]

http://fangsbites.com/2013/05/report-us-open-close-to-moving-to-espn/

From Sports Business Daily’s John Ourand, we learn that ESPN is close
to taking another Grand Slam tennis tournament away from network
television. In 2011, ESPN wrested Wimbledon away from NBC after the
network had broadcast the event dating back to 1968. The entire
tournament became an all-cable event last year.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/05/13/Media/USTA.aspx

Now, ESPN appears to have convinced the United States Tennis
Association to make the U.S. Open all-cable as well. CBS has broadcast
the U.S. Open since 1968. In the 1980′s, USA Network signed to air the
preliminary matches. In 2009, ESPN2 and Tennis Channel took over USA’s
portion of the event while CBS continued to air weekend coverage and
the semifinals and finals.

http://fangsbites.com/2008/05/espn2-and-tennis-channel-are-your-new-homes-of-the-u-s-open/

Ourand reports that CBS’ exclusive negotiation window with the USTA
ended earlier this year allowing ESPN to make a pitch to make the U.S.
Open all-cable. Under the ESPN proposal, the network would air the
tournament similar to how it produces Wimbledon with ESPN and ESPN2
simultaneously airing matches during the second week. And even though
ESPN and ESPN2 have college football commitments in the first week of
September, ESPN has promised to air both the men’s and women’s
semifinals and finals.

Over the last four years, rain delays have forced the men’s final to a
Monday afternoon finish. While CBS picked up the final under its
contract with the USTA, its affiliates have often moved the event to
secondary channels causing ratings to drop.

Another part of ESPN’s commitment to the US Open would be TV
Everywhere rights which would stream the entire tournament to
authenticated cable and satellite subscribers.

CBS still is negotiating with the USTA to keep a portion of the
tournament, but it appears ESPN has one foot in the door. It’s not
known if Tennis Channel will continue to be part of the U.S. Open.

ESPN has rights to all four Grand Slam Tournaments and air start-to-
finish coverage of the Australian Open and Wimbledon. It is the lead
cable rightsholder to the U.S. Open. However, for the French, ESPN is
the secondary cable rightsholder for the French Open as Tennis Channel
is the lead there.

If ESPN is successful in gaining the U.S. Open, the French Open would
remain as the only Grand Slam tennis tournament left on broadcast
television.