With the Main Draw of the 2024 US Open underway in New York City, ESPN and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have extended their relationship with a new, 12-year agreement that will keep the iconic event with ESPN through 2037.
The deal, which starts in 2026 and is ESPN’s longest-term tennis agreement, also continues to make ESPN the home of the entire US Open in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Canada on TSN and RDS. ESPN Deportes likewise continues as the exclusive Spanish-language home of the US Open in the United States.
The deal was brokered by IMG, the USTA’s media rights representative.
In the new agreement, USTA will take over host broadcaster duties from ESPN beginning in 2026 as ESPN focuses its production resources on the more than 260 hours of annual coverage planned for the U.S., as well as hundreds of hours for international territories.
“We take tremendous pride in our 15-year relationship with the USTA,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “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.”
“After many remarkable years of partnership, we are thrilled to extend our partnership with ESPN and the Walt Disney Company, a collaboration that has driven extraordinary growth for the US Open,” said Lew Sherr, USTA CEO and Executive Director. “This year’s US Open is well on its way to being the most spectacular Championship in our history and together with ESPN, we are energized by an even brighter future. Our shared commitment to expanding the reach of tennis has contributed to significant increase in participation. Together, we will continue to leverage the US Open as a powerful platform to promote our mission to inspire healthier people and communities.”
“This ESPN deal is groundbreaking, not only for the USTA and US Open, but for tennis globally,” said Hillary Mandel, EVP and Head of Americas, Media at IMG. “The new agreement will super-charge this iconic, captivating Grand Slam’s exposure, production, promotion, content, and economic investment, ensuring record year-on-year growth for the next decade and beyond.”
Deal Highlights
- Expanded streaming rights, giving ESPN flexibility to roll out additional ways for fans in the U.S. to consume US Open content
- Expanded Fan Week coverage, including daily live coverage on ESPN2 and distribution of the prime-time exhibition events that debuted this year on ESPN platforms
- Introduction of fast-paced, shot-to-shot whip-around coverage set to debut on ESPN+ the first week of the 2026 US Open main draw
- Annual coverage of the final Sunday and Middle Sunday on ABC
- Availability of all play across all courts daily
- Daily Spanish-language coverage in the U.S. on ESPN Deportes
- Provision to ESPN for limited sublicense rights
Recent US Open Viewership Highlights
The US Open on ESPN has set – and kept – some unforgettable viewership records, such as:
- 2023: The Women’s Championship between winner Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka is the most-viewed women’s final of any tennis major ever on ESPN, and the most-streamed women’s match on ESPN+.
- The men’s and women’s Semifinals on ESPN is the most-viewed since the current deal started in 2015.
- 2022: Serena Williams’ last appearance remains the most-watched tennis telecast on record in ESPN’s 44-year history with 4.8 million viewers. Viewership peaked with 6.9 million viewers.
- 2015: The Men’s Championship between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer averaged 3.2 million viewers and stands as the most-viewed for the event ever on ESPN on record,