ESPN Agrees To Massive New Deal With the United States Tennis Association
With ESPN set to dive headfirst into streaming next year with the launch of a new direct-to-consumer product, the network is continuing to invest in live sports.
In an ever-changing media landscape, live sports rights have proven to be invaluable. With that in mind, over the last six months, ESPN has reached massive agreements with the NCAA, College Football Playoff, and NBA to ensure that the network remains The Worldwide Leader in Sports.
Photo: ESPN
Yesterday, the recent trend continued when ESPN and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) agreed to a 12-year extension of their rights deal, keeping the U.S. Open on ESPN platforms through 2037.
A Massive New Deal
The new rights deal, set to take effect in 2026, is ESPN’s longest-term agreement and will continue to make the network the home of one of tennis’s premiere events. It will reportedly cost the network $2 billion.
Photo: US Open
Perhaps the biggest change in the new contract is that the USTA will take over hosting duties from ESPN, allowing the network to pour its resources into production.
“We take tremendous pride in our 15-year relationship with the USTA,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said.
“This agreement reinforces our long-term dedication to tennis, our capacity to showcase one of the premier events on the annual sports calendar and, as the world’s first sporting event to offer equal purses for its female and male competitors, the Walt Disney Company’s industry-leading commitment to women’s sports.”
Photo: ESPN
More Streaming Rights
As previously mentioned, ESPN is set to launch a new streaming version of its iconic network in 2025. To that end, the new deal with the UTSA gives the network expanded streaming rights, including the ability to roll out additional ways for tennis fans to watch the U.S. Open.
ESPN
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