Media Madness: Almost Paradise?
By Lynn Mennillo • Mar 12th, 2008 • Category: Tennis TV and Media - Lynn Mennillo
Let’s face it — it can be difficult to be an avid tennis fan. Tournaments are expensive to attend, and TV coverage of the sport is sporadic. Even when tournaments are televised, fans must surf the net or cable guides in order to find out which station is actually showing matches. Is the tournament on one of the many ESPN stations? Or is it on Eurosport, Sky Sports or Fox Sports Net? Will it be live or taped coverage? Much of the action for U.S. fans recently has been on the Tennis Channel, which most people still can’t get through their cable provider.
Fortunately, on those weeks that we can’t find our favorite sport on our television sets, fans can often watch their favorites via live streaming on their computers. But live streaming can be a battlefield littered with mines seemingly waiting for the unwitting and technology challenged.
Each week, I’ll keep you covered on all the media happenings in the tennis world including where to find television coverage, live streaming, and videos of the game. Future columns will also check out what tennis’s head honchos are doing to market the sport.
Pacific Life Open:
Starting this Saturday, Fox Sports Net broadcasts live action from the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California. Check your local listings or the Pacific Life Open website television schedule. Fox Sports Net will show about four hours each day, and for those on the US West Coast, bonus coverage can be found on Fox Sports West.
Those fans who are left out of live television coverage or just want more tennis can purchase live streaming coverage from ATP Masters Series TV.
Live streaming is the wave of the future and a diehard tennis fan’s paradise. But paradise can be expensive. You’ll have to fork over US $69.95 for an annual pass or US $14.95 for each tournament for ATP Masters Series TV. Ouch! In a time when the economy is tanking and people are worried about jobs, gas prices, and lower home values, $69.95 can be a big deal for the average fan.
For some, live streaming can also be a nightmare. Fans that don’t have the latest in computer technology can waste value time talking to customer service to figure out how to configure the streaming. On slower computers, fans often encounter continuous buffering or a low grade picture.
Sports comparison shoppers will also quickly realize you don’t get nearly as much for your dollar with ATP TV when matched up against other sports live streaming packages. College basketball fans can watch NCAA March Madness for free. And when baseball kicks off later this month, MLB.TV will set fans back $89.95. That’s $20 more per year than ATP Masters Series TV, but baseball fans get every regular season out of market game on MLB.TV as compared to only ten Masters Series events for the tennis package.
In these tight times, the ATP might consider offering more court coverage, expanding beyond Masters Series events, adding additional tournaments, or drastically lowering the price.
Surfing Youtube:
The future is already here when it comes to peer to peer marketing. When TV coverage is limited, attending live tournaments don’t fit the budget, and live streaming isn’t available, sites such as youtube help fans share their passion for the game.
A quick surf through youtube yielded some recently uploaded videos.
Roger Federer has had a tough year after a sluggish start due to a case of mono. His number one status may be in jeopardy, and Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and now Andy Roddick all hope to dethrone him. Federer talked to Star Sports about just how challenging 2008 will be.
Jimmy may be gone, but Andy Roddick is back! Watch the Eurosport interview with the U.S. #1, aka “The Serve Psycho,” after his semifinal win in Dubai
Roddick had his hands full in the final before winning the Dubai title. His opponent? Mr. Metrosexual himself, Feliciano Lopez. Watch Lopez in his ATP on court interview after defeating Nikolay Davydanko in the semifinals in Dubai.
If you have any comments on or suggestions for the column, post your comments below.
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Lynn Mennillo is a freelance writer and educator who has followed tennis for decades.
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I don’t know why Tennis gets such little coverage in the USA. Here in Europe we get plenty. Almost every tournament , even the ones in Dubai of both the ATP and WTA Tour. We will even have Indian Wells coverage. Does it have to do with the popularity of the game in the USA?
Oh speaking of Indian Wells , we’ll have 2 reporters there and I am looking forward to their writings.
Lynn great column!! I am going to enjoy reading your stuff I am sure!!
Great article indeed!
So true but with the Tennis Channel American fans are much more able to see good tennis. Now, DirecTV and DishNetwork in the US carry it, and I think Time Warner Cable does too? Those are the major sattelite/cable networks in the US.
I am dissapointed to see FSN get the PLO though. I rather have it on ESPN, I would think on ESPN it would get more viewers and better air coverage…
Manfred, the question of the popularity of tennis in the U.S. is a complex one. Tournaments do well. In fact, the U.S. Open had record breaking attendance last year, and more people are recreationally playing the game. Yet the fans who attend tournaments or who pick up a tennis racquet on the weekends aren’t tuning in on TV. But that is happening to other sports as well because television ratings as a whole are declining in the U.S. I’m going to look at the popularity of the sport in Thursday’s column.
Danny, Time Warner does carry the Tennis Channel. In fact, they’ve carried the station for awhile now. I was living in New York City when TW in Manhattan picked it up. If memory serves me correctly, it was the beginning of 2004.
FSN did a fairly good job yesterday with the Indian Wells coverage. But more on that along with a live streaming report (hopefully) tomorrow.
So you are saying that the increased popularity of the recreational game goes at the expense of people sitting on front of the tube to actually watch tennis?
But isn’t that a good thing with newsreports coming at us on a daily basis about obesity among kids and adults in the USA ? (Holland has got its’ fair share too though)
Ofcourse a well balanced schedule of playing and watching tennis is always better but still….