Four broadcasters have emerged to bid on the U.S. Open Tennis Championships’ cable rights starting in 2009, with two stepping up as serious bidders, according to media industry sources.
ESPN, Versus, Tennis Channel and incumbent USA Network have talked with the U.S. Tennis Association about getting the rights, which will cost USA Network more than $20 million in 2008, the last year of its existing deal. The USTA, which owns and operates the Open, has an option to nullify that final year, sources said, though such a move is unlikely given the amount USA is contracted to pay.
The USTA and USA declined to comment.
Currently, USA has all weekday coverage except Labor Day and the second Friday, and evening sessions other than the women’s final. It also has the doubles and mixed doubles finals.
Versus and Tennis Channel look to be the most serious bidders so far. Arlen Kantarian, USTA’s chief executive of professional tennis, has met with Versus brass several times recently, including Comcast’s Jeff Shell and Versus’ Gavin Harvey. The Comcast-owned network is prepared to make a bid, according to a source close to the network.
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| The USA Network has Open cable coverage
now but has been moving away from sports. |
No formal timetable for submitting bids has been set.
Tennis Channel already shares with ESPN the U.S. cable rights to tennis’ three other Grand Slams, so that combination would be a natural fit. Tennis Channel, however, is poised to either bid for the entire Open rights package or share them with any of the potential carriers, a source said. Tennis Channel declined to comment.
The USTA owns an equity slice of Tennis Channel.
The USTA and ESPN, which has a new four-year deal to broadcast seven of the nine U.S. Open Series summer events, met as recently as Nov. 2.
“Talks continue, and it’s still early,” said ESPN’s John Skipper, executive vice president of content, in a statement released through ESPN’s press department.
Several ESPN sources, however, describe the two sides as being so far apart on price that a deal does not look likely. The sources said USTA is asking for much more money than ESPN is prepared to spend. “We’re not in the same ballpark,” said one executive.
ESPN also would have scheduling problems with the U.S. Open given its September commitments to Major League Baseball and college football.
USA wouldn’t comment, but the NBC-owned network has been shedding sports properties over the past several months as it makes a move away from sports. Just last month, USA passed on the Masters, a major golf tournament it has carried for 27 years. Industry sources believe the network will not make a significant bid for the U.S. Open, though the channel is in the mix.
Sources with Turner said it has not had serious talks about bringing the U.S. Open to either TNT or TBS. Since dropping its Wimbledon coverage after the 2002 tournament, Turner has not shown an interest in getting back into tennis.
The most intriguing bidder is Versus, which has been trying to ramp up its programming in recent years with the NHL and college football to go along with its deep lineup of niche programming, such as bull riding and hunting and fishing shows.
By adding the U.S. Open, Versus could lay broader claim to being a wide-ranging sports network as well as secure a decent rating in late August and early September. It already carries the season-ending WTA championships as well as Davis Cup and World TeamTennis action.
