TNT’s NBA future is up in the air. But it now has tennis
By Jordan Valinsky, CNN
New York (CNN) — Although the future of the NBA on TNT remains uncertain, the cable network will at least have tennis.
Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, announced Tuesday a 10-year deal to become the new US home for the French Open tennis tournament beginning in 2025, a move that underscores how live sports remain a draw for cable networks in the age of cord-cutting.
Under the “new expansive deal,” all roughly 900 matches will air live on the streaming platform Max, with featured matches on TNT and TBS and a new whip-around show on truTV. Bleacher Report and House of Highlights will become digital hubs for the prestigious two-week tournament, which begins yearly in late May.
Variety first reported the deal on Friday.
“Roland-Garros perfectly aligns with our global sports strategy and our commitment to adding premium live sports content to our TNT Sports portfolio,” said Luis Silberwasser, Chairman and CEO, TNT Sports, in a release.
Financial terms weren’t publicly disclosed, but a source familiar with the deal confirmed to CNN that it’s worth $650 million. The Athletic was first to report the cost of the deal.
WBD already has an existing relationship with Roland-Garros since it began broadcasting the tennis tournament across Europe on Eurosport since 1989. The agreement makes WBD the “largest global broadcast partner” for Roland-Garros.
NBC has largely aired the French Open since 1983, although its limited coverage of matches has angered loyal viewers. The Tennis Channel stepped in to air more matches in 2006, splitting the rights with NBC.
TNT Sports noted that it will have an “on-site presence” in Paris, including announcing teams with “multiple positions” inside Roland-Garros. Commentators and studio anchors will be announced at a later date.
Tennis has seen its popularity and ratings grow in the past few years, which could help WBD’s sport portfolio. Although the NBA has been a centerpiece on TNT for 35 years, the cable network has been expanding with others sports including the NHL, MLB, most of the March Madness men’s basketball tournament and college football. Also, truTV has pivoted to airing sports in primetime.
WBD’s deal with the NBA expires after next season. It could renew its deal, but NBC and Amazon have reportedly outbid WBD, according to the Wall Street Journal. A new agreement on which networks or platforms might get NBA rights, including a separate package that will likely continue at ESPN, will likely being announced in the coming weeks.
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