Disney’s ESPN secures broadcast rights for US Open tennis through 2037 – Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS)

In a significant development ESPNCo-owner The Walt Disney Company DIS expanded its partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA)which will ensure that the US Open tennis tournament will be broadcast on ESPN until 2037, according to an announcement from ESPN.

What happened: The 12-year extension, beginning in 2026, is ESPN’s longest tennis deal to date. It also reaffirms ESPN’s exclusive broadcast rights to the entire US Open in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada on TSN and RDS, with ESPN Deportes remaining the exclusive Spanish-language broadcaster in the US.

Under the new agreement, the USTA will assume host broadcaster duties starting in 2026, allowing ESPN to focus its production resources on its planned extensive coverage in the U.S. and international territories.

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USTA CEO and Executive Director Lev Sherr highlighted the increased number of participants in tennis and attributed this to the shared commitment to expand the reach of the sport.

What matters: This expanded partnership comes as ESPN strategically shifts to a streaming model. In 2023, ESPN began preliminary discussions with the National Football League and National Basketball Association about potential partnerships.

In September 2023, Walt Disney stepped in to resolve a cable outage crisis and ensure uninterrupted broadcast of the US Open tennis matches. This move demonstrates Disney’s commitment to sports programming, especially through ESPN.

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Photo by Anna Quelhas on Shutterstock

This story was created with Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari