ESPN Acquires Broadcasting Rights For The US Open Tennis Until 2037

ESPN, which is co-owned by The Walt Disney Company (DIS), announced that it has renewed its agreement with the United States Tennis Association (USTA), guaranteeing that the U.S. Open tennis competition would show on ESPN through 2037. This is a huge move. What transpired: This 12-year arrangement, which starts in 2026, is the longest tennis agreement ESPN has ever had. Additionally, it upholds ESPN's exclusive broadcasting rights on TSN and RDS for the entirety of the U.S. Open in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada; ESPN Deportes will continue to be the only Spanish-language broadcaster in the country. According to the new deal, USTA will take over host broadcasting duties in 2026, allowing ESPN to focus its production resources on the substantial coverage planned for the United States and overseas areas.

Lew Sherr, USTA CEO and Executive Director, attributed the increasing involvement in tennis to a common commitment to expanding the sport's reach.

What It Matters: This prolonged collaboration follows ESPN's strategic transition to a streaming model. In 2023, ESPN began exploratory discussions with the National Football League and the National Basketball Association about future collaborations.

Notably, in September 2023, Walt Disney intervened to end a cable outage, guaranteeing that the US Open tennis events were televised undisturbed. This deal reflects Disney's continued commitment to sports programming, notably through ESPN.