TNT Sports, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery, has secured a 10-year deal to broadcast the French Open tennis tournament in the US starting in 2025. This deal, valued at $650 million, will see all 900 matches streamed live on the Max platform, with select matches airing on TNT and TBS, as well as a new show on truTV. Bleacher Report and House of Highlights will also serve as digital hubs for the tournament. This move highlights the continued appeal of live sports for cable networks in the face of cord-cutting.
Warner Bros. Discovery has been broadcasting the French Open in Europe since 1989 through Eurosport, making them the tournament’s largest global broadcast partner. With the growth in popularity of tennis in recent years, this deal could significantly bolster their sport portfolio. While the future of the NBA on TNT remains uncertain, the network has been expanding its sports offerings to include NHL, MLB, March Madness, and college football. TruTV has also shifted its focus to airing sports in primetime.
NBC has historically aired the French Open since 1983, but limited coverage has led to some dissatisfaction among viewers. The Tennis Channel stepped in to show more matches in 2006, sharing rights with NBC. TNT Sports plans to have an on-site presence at the tournament in Paris, with details on announcing teams to be announced at a later date. The network will also have multiple positions within the tournament for commentators and studio anchors.
With their NBA deal set to expire after the next season, Warner Bros. Discovery could face competition from NBC and Amazon, who reportedly have bid for rights to the league. The NBA has been a staple on TNT for 35 years, but the network has been exploring other sports as part of its programming. An agreement on NBA rights, including a separate package likely to continue at ESPN, is expected to be announced soon. In the meantime, the addition of the French Open to TNT’s sports lineup will bring fans more live sports content to enjoy.
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