Logo

Tennis Channel Aims for Majors

Aug 24, 2008  •  Post A Comment

The U.S. Open fires up this week for its last season on USA Network before moving to ESPN and Tennis Channel in a deal that runs through 2014.
For Tennis Channel, hosting the Open is the latest in a series of moves to establish the network as a premier producer of sports.
The outlet just completed its first season as the production arm for the Olympus U.S. Open Series, where it aired close to 150 hours of live and same-day match coverage during the eight tournaments of the series, all in high definition.
Beyond its programming elements, Tennis Channel also took on production for the matches aired on ESPN2 and CBS, marking the first time one network has produced the majority of the series.
“For us, this is a sign of the evolution of the channel, that we are not dependent on other people in the industry anymore,” said Larry Meyers, senior VP of production and executive producer for Tennis Channel. “We are now able to produce high-level national programs for all of these entities, and it’s a real statement of the level of confidence the industry has in us. After all, ESPN doesn’t quietly give up production to people unless they have confidence in them.”
As Tennis Channel moves into its fifth season on the air, the network has already acquired a piece of each of the four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis, sealed with the company’s deal for the U.S. Open. It’s loading up on technology that will make its productions as slick as it can.
This summer, the company debuted T-Mo, the replay system from EVS used for extreme slo-mo at this year’s French Open. The system was the largest ever used in the world at the time and served as the prototype for what was used at the Beijing Olympics. The camera, which is capable of capturing upwards of 1,000 frames per second, helped the channel ad new elements to its HD coverage.
“The new technology we are using changes how our analysts can call a match,” Mr. Meyers said. “With close-ups of people’s feet and zeroing in on the ball, they can now get detailed with the nuances of the game.”
In 2009, Tennis Channel will carry more than 60 live hours of U.S. Open coverage, including exclusive prime-time match play from 7-11 p.m. ET on the first weekend of the two-week competition. The network, founded in 2003 with private equity investment, also will feature a nightly news and highlights program at 11 p.m. ET, tentatively named “U.S. Open Tonight.”
“Tennis Channel is proud to now become a long-term partner in one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports,” said Ken Solomon, Tennis Channel chairman-CEO. “For us, the Olympus U.S. Open and the Open Series that leads up to it each summer go far beyond sports, as collectively the ‘Open Season’ represents an unprecedented eight weeks of the best mass-appeal content in the world.”

12 Comments

  1. Now if they could just get rid of that sexist pig, Justin Gimelslob!

  2. I wonder if there are any plans to make the Tennis Channel available in the UK? I’m sure it would be very popular.

  3. why cant cablevision have tennis channel?

  4. The Tennis Channel offers more of the really interesting matches (and match-ups)in tennis, including those at the less well-known tournments, which typically are every bit as compelling as the majors. The announcers are better too–they’re ex-players but they don’t feel the need to talk nonstop.

  5. I agree with your thoughts here and I really love your blog! I’ve bookmarked it so that I can come back & read more in the future.

  6. Love the blog here. Nice colors. I am definitely staying tuned to this one. Hope to see more.

  7. I love the expression. Everyone needs to express there own opinion and feel free to hear others. Keep it up 🙂

  8. High quality info here! Keep up the great work. I love the feelings being expressed.

  9. Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care and see you soon

  10. Nice!! Great Ifo. Great People. Great Blog. Thank you for all the great sharing that is being done here.

  11. Interesting thoughts here. I appreciate you taking the time to share them with us all. It’s people like you that make my day 🙂

  12. My english is not good. Could u give me link to some translator? I want to be able to read this so mucho :(( ..

Leave a Reply to Link Building Cancel Reply

Email (will not be published)