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April 28, 2008
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ESPN Reportedly Agrees To Terms For TV Rights To U.S. Open

ESPN Eyeing U.S. Open
Cable Rights Beginning In '09

ESPN and the USTA have "come to terms on a contract that will give the network U.S. Open cable rights" beginning in '09, according to sources cited by TENNISWEEK.com. ESPN already "owns or shares" cable TV rights with Tennis Channel for the season's other three Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. USA Network's cable rights to the U.S. Open expire at the end of the '08 tournament and net execs have said that they "will not renew rights." ESPN has televised the U.S. Open Series since its inception in '04 and its "partnership with the USTA on the U.S. Open Series made its eventual acquisition of U.S. Open rights seemingly inevitable." The new deal should "exponentially expand both the tennis audience for the Open and the ad revenue for ESPN" (TENNISWEEK.com, 4/27). ESPN said in a statement, "We have said for months we're talking to the USTA about the U.S. Open but there is no update" (THE DAILY).

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