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It is fall so tennis fans huddle waiting patiently in Neverland. We yearn to witness sensational tennis shots ricochet off the rackets of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray. But any match will do...

Tennis Coverage: On Demand ?

by J.A. Allen (Columnist)

16

1436 reads

Opinion

October 02, 2008


It is fall so tennis fans huddle waiting patiently in Neverland. 

We yearn to witness sensational tennis shots ricochet off the rackets of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray.  But any match will do.  Maybe racket magic will reappear shortly in Madrid—if only we could watch.

ATP Tennis is scheduled 11 months a year, covering over 65 tournaments.  In the U.S., if we are lucky, we might get to see the four Grand Slams and maybe a couple of Masters Events on U.S. television networks.  This represents a tiny portion of all the ATP tennis being played and, speaking for all tennis lovers here in the U.S., we are sick of it! 

 

We demand more live coverage, even if it is via computer through live streaming.  We have remained in the dark long enough. 

 

If poker can be broadcast as an athletic event on ESPN, then tennis deserves it, too. 

 

We realize that most U.S. sports fans consider tennis a rather prissy sport for snobs.  In other words, they would bet money that Roger Federer could not match moves with Adrian Peterson, or that he could not hang with Kobe or LeBron. Or that the Swiss master is clinical and competent with a racket in his hand but is not a real athlete.

 

These same individuals will feel a bit better about Rafael Nadal because he at least sweats buckets.

 

U.S. sports fans need beer, bean dip, burritos, bouts of swearing, and even barfing at sporting events at the professional level. 

 

Deep down they suspect tennis is not a real sport—sort of like golf—except that because they play it, they tolerate golf and more specifically admire Tiger Woods. 

 

Tennis will never find tenure in the hearts and souls of most U.S. sports fans—not now or anytime in the future, because tennis is not integral to the typical American sports psyche. 

 

The un-silent majority fail to appreciate a sport where the umpire tells you to sit down and shut up—all very gently, of course. 

 

It also doesn’t help that currently men's tennis is ruled by Europeans.

 

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16 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Deb Kistner 9 months ago

    Having shared this sentiment, I finally broke down last year and paid money to atptennis.com and got the right to watch, streaming on my computer, all matches in the 9 Masters Series events. While it irks me to have to pay, since I already pay for the Tennis Channel, it beats the alternative of not seeing the events. ESPN won the rights to the US Open after 25 years of wall to wall coverage by the USA network. This makes me sadder than any of it, since ESPN has done a terrible job of covering the tennis events they already have the rights to. If they show one match during the day and one in the evening, that's a lot. As opposed to USA network who started their US Open coverage daily and it ran continuously, sometimes until 2AM the following day. Hopefully ESPN was paying attention to what USA Network was doing.

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      I cannot agree more - I hate it that USA no longer covers the US Open! I am not crazy about ESPN commentators, either! I, too, paid for live streaming via ATP--but, so much of what I want to watch isn't available anywhere here in the US!! So very frustrating!! jaa

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  2. Cindy Hopcus 9 months ago

    I applaud your ability to put into words the the emotions of so many "unheard" fans! I feel the same way and on every available occasion, I have voiced my displeasure with the US tennis coverage. The powers that control tennis, the ATP and the WTA should form a more defined alliance with the USTA and maybe they would have a little more luck convincing "The Tennis Channel" or "ESPN" to give us a steady diet of current matches. I personally don't wish to see NBC, ABC, or CBS do the broadcasts, they don't do a good job of showing the "event". I love the way the tennis channel stays with the match and shows the emotions of the crowd or the players as they walk to their chair after a huge point. The large network practically miss the point because their to busy getting their alloted commercial time in. NBC didn't even show Nadal getting the GOLD MEDAL after the match, instead they showed a TAPED Williams sister match and gave the gold medal ceremony a brief mention later that day! I am all for TENNIS! Show in on the computer (just make it big enough to see!)! Give the kids of America something else to experience and maybe, just maybe it might catch on a little faster. I don't mind paying for a special tennis channel, but it upsets me when I think I will be able to see a Masters Series Event only to be disappointed because it isn't going to be aired in the USA!

    Tennis is not like other US sports. It is an INTERNATIONAL event and that is why good TV coverage is imparative. The US has many events but they are not easy to get to and the cost is usually an issue. Just think if we could watch this months Madrid Master Series and then on to Paris and Shanghai! That would be glorious because I wouldn't have to buy a plane ticket to see WORLD CLASS TENNIS!

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      There are too many barriers in place. It is an international sport and I believe you are so right about getting the WTA and the ATP involved...maybe they could even enjoy some revenue through it all...I also like the Tennis Channel's coverage of tennis - not so much talking! jaa

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  3. Long John Silver 9 months ago

    U.S. sports fans need beer, bean dip, burritos, bouts of swearing, and even barfing at sporting events at the professional level.

    - Yeah, but this is true all over the world, watch soccer and kick back with a beer - is almost hand in hand,

    i was so pissed with the bill simmons article too - sort of weird

    But instead of decrying the absence of a huge market—here’s a thought! Appease the market you have and make it grow by giving us what we want - SO TRUE !

    yeah - i hope the principles of competitive market prevails here - when there is demand, supply must meet it

    this was filled with so much of rich information - i really liked it

    its just presents elegantly to the world, that you know so much about the sport

    I dont mind espn, when in the summer i was stuck in chicago and USA did not show the Open's nite sessions, that was bad

    cheers

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      Hi Long - we are spoiled, I know. I just want professional tennis to be covered like other sports--although I realize it is not structured like other sports - you don't get anywhere, however, unless you let your opinions show!! jaa

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  4. Long John Silver 9 months ago

    i had to cable for a month, hence could not watch it on cbs -

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  5. Long John Silver 9 months ago

    jaa - think about choosing a much more generic topic for this one - because it mis-represents.

    I know you like Rodge, but this is not about him, or nadal alone

    its about TV coverage, hence - i changed it, but change it back if you want

    cheers

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  6. Dev Ashish 9 months ago

    I pretty much happen to catch all the tennis action ... so no comments on the issue!

    Nice article and the issue is conveniently expressed...I always thought tennis got better coverage in US...and when you pen down your words, you are simply magic!

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      Hi Dev - You are so much better at support than I--where do you get such energy! Thanks...I promise to do better...jaa

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  7. ilovemylife OBAMA 9 months ago

    Thanks for writing what is so frustrating. I have written about this on my own blog. The TV coverage is plainly awful. I watched Rafa Nadal play a match on TV and at the end of the match the last part was cut away from to show fishing or something. I complained to the network and explained that they would never do that in the ninth inning of a Red Sox and Yankee game. Ridiculous. I cannot believe that the USA doesn't have many tennis fans. I think there are lots of women fans for men's tennis. I have purchased the ATP and Wimbledon this year. Streaming is the only way I have seen most of my tennis - getting up at 3:00 a.m. to watch at times.

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      Hi ilovemylife! Trying to watch all the tennis that is happening is so very, very frustrating--I agree! Maddening, in fact! Sometimes they cover tennis - but not the match you want to see!! There must be a better way...jaa

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  8. Brit Tennisfan 9 months ago

    If it makes you feel any better at all J.A., when I was a child I didn't even know there were 4 grand slams - I thought it was only Wimbledon. My fellow Brits can correct me if I'm wrong but, as far as I'm aware, on UK terrestrial TV Wimbledon is the ONLY tennis event that is shown (although it does get very full, extensive coverage). It made me laugh when I watched clips of the US Open and saw them telling Murray, "everyone in the UK was rooting for you" or something like that. All that 99% of the UK population saw of the US Open was a 5 second clip on the sports news - and that was only because Murray was playing. For the general public in the UK the only tennis tournament that matters is Wimbledon and everything else is irrelevant. It's better for tennis fans now with satellite and digital channels, but I resent having to pay extra just to watch tennis!

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      Dear Brit - Your story is truly heart-breaking and would make an interesting article!! It does not surprise me, however, because there is a certain mania about british fans! No offense! There is mania with US fans, too! I loved your comment about Murray!! jaa

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    • Brit Tennisfan 9 months ago

      No offense taken! I've been on "Henman Hill" when Tim was playing and can assure you it was insane!! I was rooting for Goran at the time. ;)

      I'm just grateful that I discovered all the other great tournaments so I can get my Federer Fix year round, even if I do have to search like mad for footage.

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    • J.A. Allen 9 months ago

      It is difficult to get enough of Roger these days--he seems to be busy in Dubai training for some future tournament--I wonder if it will be Madrid? Maybe--we shall see! Hope you get to see some of it. There will be live streaming from the ATP site, if nothing else! jaa

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