U.S. Open players given ESPN logins to view matches

Disney is “quietly giving players at this week’s US Open direct access to tournament coverage via its ESPN channel” amid a heated dispute with pay-television provider Charter Communications that has “blacked out programming for millions of subscribers.” During his Monday press conference following his advancement into the quarterfinals, Daniil Medvedev said, “I don’t know if it’s legal or illegal, but I have to find a way because I cannot watch [the matches] on TV. I got internet -- how do you call it? -- pirate websites, I watch tennis there. I have no other choice.” Yesterday an ESPN spokesperson said that the network has “started providing secure logins to The Walt Disney Company app to some US Open players who have requested access, including Medvedev.” The company has also “provided logins to some members of the media in the US covering the tournament” (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/5).