Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) have inked a groundbreaking 10-year deal worth an average of $65 million annually, securing the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the prestigious French Open tennis tournament. This marks a significant increase from the previous $25-30 million per year received by the FFT from NBC and Tennis Channel.
The agreement, which commences in 2024, will see TNT Sports emerge as the primary network for French Open coverage, with additional matches airing on TBS and truTV. Notably, every single match from the tournament will be available for streaming on Max, WBD's streaming platform.
TNT Sports chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing their vision to engage not only tennis enthusiasts but also general sports fans. "We want to talk to the sports fan overall," Silberwasser stated.
The new contract elevates the French Open to the same level of coverage as the other three Grand Slam tournaments, which are all carried by ESPN. This means that every match from every court for the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open will now be accessible to U.S. viewers.
FFT president Gilles Moretton hailed the agreement as a major step forward for the tournament's global reach. "This new agreement will enable the federation to ensure maximum exposure for Roland Garros in the USA and help further promote the tournament," Moretton said.
WBD has a long-standing history with the French Open, having aired the tournament on Eurosport since 1989 and distributing coverage to 55 countries outside the United States. TNT is expected to begin promoting the French Open during its coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in March and continue throughout its coverage of the NHL and NBA playoffs.
While TNT will air two College Football Playoff games on December 21 and has four NASCAR races beginning next year, its future as an NBA broadcaster remains uncertain as negotiations with the league continue.
Tags: #FrenchOpen, #TNTSports, #Tennis, #GrandSlam, #WarnerBrosDiscovery
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