ESPN Joins Forces with The Tennis Channel for Landmark Coverage of Grand Slams
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Jan 30, 2007 | Print | Email | Bookmark | Free Subscription
ESPN and The Tennis Channel have just announced plans to form a major partnership for coverage of not only Roland Garros, but also the Australian Open until 2011.
ESPN has received a lot of criticism from tennis fans in the United States for their poor coverage over the last few years, but today’s landmark deal could revolutionize the way tennis is broadcasted live in America.
Through this unprecedented arrangement ESPN will share a portion of both the live window, delayed telecasts and new media coverage of Roland Garros with The Tennis Channel, continuing its five-year coverage run.
The networks also announced they will also share coverage of the Australian Open beginning in January 2008, with TTC adding 100 hours of live and prerecorded coverage to ESPN’s already extensive program offering.
As a result, both tournaments will receive unprecedented, virtually around-the-clock coverage on American television for the duration of the two-week Grand Slam events through 2011.
“This landmark deal is a win-win-win for fans, the sport and the networks, expanding the coverage of these two premiere events and keeping ESPN the Grand Slam Network,” said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content.
“ESPN, the leading sports brand, will team with The Tennis Channel, dedicated 24/7 to the sport, to build both the French Open and Australian Open brands and increase exposure on television, online and via broadband in a manner that hasn’t been seen before.”
The Tennis Channel will present more than 100 hours from Roland Garros. TTC programming will begin on opening Sunday May 27, continuing daily with one men’s semifinal on Friday, June 8. The network’s live coverage will start at 5 a.m. and continue to 12 noon. TTC’s coverage will then resume each day with an original, four-hour, nightly prime-time program tentatively titled Paris After Dark, encompassing the best of the day’s tennis events from both networks, previously unseen matches and other original features and coverage from in and around the streets of Paris. TTC will produce the French Open coverage for both networks and each network will utilize its own commentators.
ESPN2 will present 55 hours of action from Paris starting this year, also beginning the opening Sunday, May 27. The network’s schedule will resume Tuesday through Friday of the first week and Monday - Thursday the second week with noon - 6:30 p.m. ET time slots. ESPN2 will televise both women’s semifinals live and TTC the men’s semifinals. The unique combination will supply fans with around-the-clock continuous coverage of all Roland Garros-based events.
Both The Tennis Channel and ESPN will be employing advanced new media applications for the French Open, including highlights and live streaming for broadband ESPN360, ESPN.com and TheTennisChannel.com.
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piyush | Jan 30, 2007 | Reply
now how many getting the cable providers to move TTC to the basic channel line-up instead of the ‘pay extra-extra-extra’ package! im afraid some of us who don’t get the ‘extras’ will suffer as a result.