Warner Brothers/Discovery secure future television rights for French Open

Despite a much-publicized loss of broadcasting rights to the NBA, Warner Brothers/Discovery is investing in a "new" sport. French Open tennis will reportedly be televised on its US networks beginning in 2025 as part of a 10-year deal valued at $650 million.

The French Open has been televised on the Tennis Channel and NBC. Warner Brothers/Discovery is not completely new to the tennis game; it has been televising the French Open as part of its Eurosport European pay-television package since 1989.

Television rights to professional sports have become more competitive with the advent of streaming networks. NBC utilized its Peacock streaming network to broadcast some of this year's action. Warner Brothers/Discovery will utilize TNT, TBS, truTV, and its streaming arm MAX to televise the action.

The end of an era for the French Open

NBC with its legendary announcers John McEnroe and Mary Carillo will not be present in Paris next year. The network introduced Noah Eagle as a new announcer in 2024 as the network aired live coverage of the latter rounds of the French Open.

The Tennis Channel with tennis legends Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport, and Martina Navratilova, has made its mark in the last 18 years with countless hours of early-round French Open analysis, matches, and interviews with players at the desk after matches during the entire two-week tournament.

While this is an expected loss for NBC and its history of tennis coverage, it is devastating for the Tennis Channel which could be shut out of live coverage of all of the Grand Slams. The Tennis Channel will not be out of tennis; it will continue to show the non-Grand Slam tournaments during the 11-month season. It recently locked up one of its star commentators, Brett Haber, to a five-year extension keeping him with the network until 2028 so it does not plan to go anywhere despite the diminished role.

ESPN has been involved in tennis coverage since the late 1970s and continues to hold the rights for the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. ESPN extended its deal for Wimbledon's exclusive rights to 2035. ABC has also utilized for network television viewing of ESPN's Grand Slam events.

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