After serving as an advisor to Tennis Channel, former Fox Sports exec ED GOREN has formally joined the network as an ongoing production consultant. Goren had been advising Tennis Channel for two months, offering network Chair & CEO KEN SOLOMON opinions on live and studio programming. Goren now will work directly with Solomon, as well as Senior VP/Production and Executive Producer BOB WHYLEY. A formal announcement is expected later today. Goren worked with Tennis Channel during the Australian Open, where he pushed the production crew to do things like use more graphics to identify players on the court during studio shows. “I come in with a fresh set of eyes,” Goren told THE DAILY. “You would think this is standard stuff. It took a few days of the Australian Open with me sending them notes each day, to where finally, we’re getting that. It’s little things like that.” Goren also said that he will push the network to attract a younger audience. Goren: “One of the things that I suggested was GenNext -- do pieces with 10 up-and-coming, young tour players and give them the same list of questions -- What’s your favorite rock group, music, movie, books, whatever. There’s a tendency when you do that, there are people in the audience who are going to say, ‘Hey. He likes the same television show that I like.’ In a small way, there’s a connection.” Sinclair Broadcast Group bought Tennis Channel last year for $350M, and since that time, the channel has become Nielsen-rated and seen its distribution footprint grow from 35 million homes to 52 million.
Goren was recently named to SBJ/SBD's eighth annual class of “Champions: Pioneers and Innovators in Sports Business.”
