ESPN is "walking away from the French Open after 13 years," according to SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Kaplan & Ourand. ESPN execs said that the decision is "based on the network’s position as the second or third TV outlet covering the tournament -- behind NBC and Tennis Channel." That meant ESPN "did not always get the matches, or time slots, it wanted, which has led to meager ratings for its coverage." ESPN Senior VP/Programming Scott Guglielmino said, "Ratings generally speaking for the French were a bit lower than the U.S. Open. We are running a dynamic business, and it was a decision taken more as a strategic decision that had to do, at the heart of it, we were one of three distributors, or outlets if you will, for the French." Kaplan & Ourand note the matches are "likely to move over to NBC Sports Network, though NBC has not begun talks with Tennis Channel, which holds the event’s rights" through '23. NBC has "been the French Open’s primary U.S. broadcast TV home" since '75. Sources said that ESPN "paid Tennis Channel a sublicense fee in the low seven-figure range -- a figure that is the lowest of tennis’ four Grand Slam events, by far." The move "marks a slight shift for ESPN, which over the years has looked to increase its rights around tennis’ Grand Slam events to improve continuity" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/3 issue).
