A major deal has been struck to award the broadcasting rights to the US Open. The calendar’s final Grand Slam has opted to continue its relationship with Eurosport, striking a five-year deal that gives the sports broadcasting giant the exclusive right to show the US Open across much of Europe.
The deal covers all major European countries where Eurosport has a presence, with the sole exceptions of the UK and Ireland. Eurosport has typically also struck an individual non-exclusive deal to also show the tournament there, but this deal does not cover those regions.
The US Open garners a significant amount of viewers, and was the site of the first Grand Slam title for Britain’s Andy Murray back in 2012. Eurosport has typically had to compete with the likes of Sky Sports for the rights in the UK and Ireland. The tournament this year was hit by a number of high-profile withdrawals including Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, defending champion Stan Wawrinka, and Kei Nishikori.
Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton: “The US Open is always a special occasion, an invitation to the world to join a two-week party to conclude the story of the Grand Slam year. We are excited to extend our partnership with the USTA until 2022 and strengthen our position as the place for fans in Europe to follow every thrilling moment of Grand Slam action.
“The agreement maintains our focus on premium must-have content, delivering locally relevant coverage through dedicated country-specific production and talent.”
USTA Chief Revenue Officer: “Eurosport is a deeply-valued broadcast partner that has significantly invested in high-quality production and proven they can grow the audience for the US Open.“
