Disney Advertising said that commercial inventory on the U.S. Open tennis tournament is sold out. The event, televised on ABC, ESPN and ESPN Plus, has more than 20 sponsors and nearly 150 advertisers. Presenting sponsors include American Express, Cadillac, Evian, Fidelity Investments, Heineken Silver and IBM.
ESPN averaged first-day record of 1.7 million viewers for PrimeTime at the U.S. Open (7 p.m. – 12:03 a.m. ET) on Monday, an increase of 279% over last year and up 40% over the previous high in 2019.
Tennis champ Novak Djokovic won’t play at the upcoming U.S. Open after refusing to comply with United States restrictions requiring COVID vaccinations for foreign travelers. Djokovic, who has steadfastly refused to get vaxxed, announced the news on Twitter today. “Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open,” he wrote. The Open begins on Monday at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, N.Y., and runs through Sept. 11.
Multiple sources told the Associated Press Sunday Night that the deal began to take shape this month, especially with the U.S. Open being moved to September during the opening month of the NFL. One person said Fox was contemplating moving the U.S. Open to FS1, an idea that was rebuffed by Mike Davis, the CEO of the USGA. That led to deeper conversations about the contract and how it could be resolved.
KCPQ Gives Viewers Inside Look At U.S. Open
Exclusives
Woods has long been a viewer magnet for PGA tournaments, but with him sitting this one out, ESPN and NBC can expect lower ratings.
