Tennis At A Critical Stretch With TV Rights, Online Activation
 |
Williams Sisters Final At Wimbledon Would
Likely Give NBC Healthy Boost In TV Ratings |
During the past 18 months, a "number of new rights deals have rezoned" tennis' TV landscape, and it is "not a stretch to say that televised tennis is at its most critical point in decades," according to Steven Zeitchik of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. There are "more programming hours today than ever," and part of "that charge is being led by" Tennis Channel, which has rights to the Australian and French Opens. ESPN "also has offered an unexpected boost." But Zeitchik writes the "real upside lies online," as tennis, "more than most sports, lends itself to digital distribution." But even with "new platforms and the choicest rivalries, some executives urge realism about the ability to grow the sport." NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer: "For the moment we're in a good place. But it's not going to be a quantum leap. What we can hope for is stabilization and then incremental improvement" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 7/3).
SISTER ACT: With both Venus and Serena Williams reaching the Wimbledon semifinals, NBC "might find out if [they] can still produce boffo TV box office." NBC's Mary Carillo said they both "absolutely" should reach Saturday's final. Carillo: "It absolutely helps ratings when the Williams are both on center court. Their rivalry is what created the primetime U.S. Open women's final" (USA TODAY, 7/3).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
Active Net Signs Sixth Round Led By ESPN
August 28, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
NFL Players Featured In New United Way Spots
August 28, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Big Ten Net, Charter Reach Multi-Year Deal
August 27, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
ESPN, SEC Announce TV Rights Deal
August 26, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
ESPN Paying $2.25B For SEC TV Rights
August 25, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
USTA Aims For Greener U.S. Open
August 28, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
U.S. Open's Fashionable Participants
August 27, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Nadal Will Not Wear New Duds At U.S. Open
August 26, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Nadal To Launch New Image At U.S. Open
August 25, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
ATP Chair De Villiers To Step Down
August 21, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
