ESPN Coverage of the Australian Open 2026--the future is expensive???

R

Robert F

Hall of Fame
In the US it is getting harder and harder to watch the slams without paying for an additional service at what seems to be escalating costs.
If you have ESPN/ESPN you'll get the main feed which jumps all around and spordic in what matches it watches.
Back in the Day ESPN3 Free allowed you to watch matches fairly uninteruppted, then it went to ESPN Plus for a additional fee I think that got up to $19.99 a month --but you could drop out after the month, so pay $20 per slam.
This gave you access to Men's, Women's, Singles, Dubs, mixed.

Now you can't get much with ESPN plus and now need ESPN Premium--which is included in some but not many cable providers.
Trying to figure out the pricing is difficult. Having Hulu isn't good enough, you need Hulu + Plus Live TV. For $90 bucks a month. That of course adds a bunch of channels but not everything.
This is driving me crazy and getting out of hand. I imagine I can't just subscribe for 1 month for a slam.

Anyone finding better ways to watch the matches that aren't on the main feed?
 
Unfortunately this type of thing is happening in most sports. It's been bad with NBA this year too. I have league pass but that doesn't cover the games on NBC/Peacock, Prime, or ESPN.

I haven't found an alternative to jokerstream for tennis yet. They were constantly changing the names and buying up new domains but at some point last year i think they finally lost the war. Unless I just missed the latest iteration.
 
Robert F said:
In the US it is getting harder and harder to watch the slams without paying for an additional service at what seems to be escalating costs.
If you have ESPN/ESPN you'll get the main feed which jumps all around and spordic in what matches it watches.
Back in the Day ESPN3 Free allowed you to watch matches fairly uninteruppted, then it went to ESPN Plus for a additional fee I think that got up to $19.99 a month --but you could drop out after the month, so pay $20 per slam.
This gave you access to Men's, Women's, Singles, Dubs, mixed.

Now you can't get much with ESPN plus and now need ESPN Premium--which is included in some but not many cable providers.
Trying to figure out the pricing is difficult. Having Hulu isn't good enough, you need Hulu + Plus Live TV. For $90 bucks a month. That of course adds a bunch of channels but not everything.
This is driving me crazy and getting out of hand. I imagine I can't just subscribe for 1 month for a slam.

Anyone finding better ways to watch the matches that aren't on the main feed?
Click to expand...
Im paying 11 €uro a month to see every match and i have it on-demand too. America scamming u guys
 
Robert F said:
In the US it is getting harder and harder to watch the slams without paying for an additional service at what seems to be escalating costs.
If you have ESPN/ESPN you'll get the main feed which jumps all around and spordic in what matches it watches.
Back in the Day ESPN3 Free allowed you to watch matches fairly uninteruppted, then it went to ESPN Plus for a additional fee I think that got up to $19.99 a month --but you could drop out after the month, so pay $20 per slam.
This gave you access to Men's, Women's, Singles, Dubs, mixed.

Now you can't get much with ESPN plus and now need ESPN Premium--which is included in some but not many cable providers.
Trying to figure out the pricing is difficult. Having Hulu isn't good enough, you need Hulu + Plus Live TV. For $90 bucks a month. That of course adds a bunch of channels but not everything.
This is driving me crazy and getting out of hand. I imagine I can't just subscribe for 1 month for a slam.

Anyone finding better ways to watch the matches that aren't on the main feed?
Click to expand...

Yep it's pretty outrageous and I'd suggest getting a VPN and watching channel 9 in Australia for free to fill in your coverage gaps and do the same with the French Open which is also mostly covered on French public television.

It's very short sighted for the rights to be sold this way so it's not just the ESPN people but also whoever is making the deal on the AO side (and the other slams too if they are also butchered this way).
 
I've always been fine with the main ESPN coverage--even if it's very commercial and heavy American player bias but this year :unsure: OMG is it just me? They are doing constant whip arounds--presumably for the short-attention spans that we've been warned behind the scenes that coverage would adapt to... it feels like I haven't seen much more than 5 minutes of any given match. I think it's bad for tennis/tennis audiences because you don't get a feel for how any player really plays. It sort of feels like watching the ESPN news clips of the "day at the AO" rather than being a part of the audience.

Also I don't remember that ESPN's studio booth was outdoors when they are at AO in years past but this year every time I've seen it is. It's dinky. Even Tennis Channel's is full size. WTH is going on? Feels super low budget. I really miss Chris McKendry and a longer format for that part. The new girl isn't bad but not a lot of charisma. Chris McKendry who is so likable to me is the same while doing match coverage--still likable but not that great at it. They paired her with Caroline Woz (sorry I can't spell it and won't even try haha) which they did have chemistry together but that was about it. Analysis not great.

Let me know if anyone else has noticed this overall difference.
 
ihitlikeagirl said:
I've always been fine with the main ESPN coverage--even if it's very commercial and heavy American player bias but this year :unsure: OMG is it just me? They are doing constant whip arounds--presumably for the short-attention spans that we've been warned behind the scenes that coverage would adapt to... it feels like I haven't seen much more than 5 minutes of any given match. I think it's bad for tennis/tennis audiences because you don't get a feel for how any player really plays. It sort of feels like watching the ESPN news clips of the "day at the AO" rather than being a part of the audience.

Also I don't remember that ESPN's studio booth was outdoors when they are at AO in years past but this year every time I've seen it is. It's dinky. Even Tennis Channel's is full size. WTH is going on? Feels super low budget. I really miss Chris McKendry and a longer format for that part. The new girl isn't bad but not a lot of charisma. Chris McKendry who is so likable to me is the same while doing match coverage--still likable but not that great at it. They paired her with Caroline Woz (sorry I can't spell it and won't even try haha) which they did have chemistry together but that was about it. Analysis not great.

Let me know if anyone else has noticed this overall difference.
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Yes, the attention span of the main feed seems designed so you have to get Plus or Unlimited to really watch a match.
The in and out from court to court, plus the dual screen when match points are going on somewhere else makes it hard to watch.

I don't mind the main feed going to 2ndary action on change overs or really big moments in other matches, but then commit to the other match.

Also, I don't mind paying for tennis my gripe in the USs is the trend of channels upcharging you. I pay a cable provider that I chose, so I had access to ESPN, ESPN2, TC and TC2. Yet paying for that flat out is turning into paying for a commercial to tell me to buy the more expensive online service. I get it if the fee is nominal or the additional access is to lower level interest content.
 
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I think you should be able to view this even without a NYT account. look for "Australian Open schedule start times (ET)" halfway down the page.

www.nytimes.com

How to watch 2026 Australian Open: TV times, odds and tournament schedule

The Grand Slam season begins at Melbourne Park, where the action lasts through Feb. 1.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Note once you get to quarterfinals ESPN+ is no longer listed. (ESPN+ is actually now called ESPN Select) It's stupidly hard (by design, probably) to get to, but if you login (yes, you must have/create an account and login just to see what the full subscription options are) to espn.com you can eventually find the ESPN Select option, which is currently $12.99/month.

Although in the broadcast listings I've seen (like the NYT article linked above) ESPN+ (now ESPN Select) does not show up from quarterfinals on, in the past I think ESPN would make some if not all matches available on ESPN+ on demand sometime after they happen live, but I don't know what they're going to do along those lines this year.

Also, a friend told me she saw somewhere that the AO semis and final will be broadcast on ABC in the US, but I haven't been able to verify that anywhere.

Confused/frustrated? You are not alone.
 
Robert F said:
In the US it is getting harder and harder to watch the slams without paying for an additional service at what seems to be escalating costs.
If you have ESPN/ESPN you'll get the main feed which jumps all around and spordic in what matches it watches.
Back in the Day ESPN3 Free allowed you to watch matches fairly uninteruppted, then it went to ESPN Plus for a additional fee I think that got up to $19.99 a month --but you could drop out after the month, so pay $20 per slam.
This gave you access to Men's, Women's, Singles, Dubs, mixed.

Now you can't get much with ESPN plus and now need ESPN Premium--which is included in some but not many cable providers.
Trying to figure out the pricing is difficult. Having Hulu isn't good enough, you need Hulu + Plus Live TV. For $90 bucks a month. That of course adds a bunch of channels but not everything.
This is driving me crazy and getting out of hand. I imagine I can't just subscribe for 1 month for a slam.

Anyone finding better ways to watch the matches that aren't on the main feed?
Click to expand...
No, its not. The networks have come up with millions of dollars to be able to get the coverage for various sports events. This does not come cheap. The networks need to structure services to get revenue. The consumer needs to help or chip in to cover the cost. I have Spectrum cable with the highest TV tier which gives me access to everything streaming service except Netflix. Now this may not be for everybody, but it makes me worry free.
 
Robert F said:
I don't mind the main feed going to 2ndary action on change overs or really big moments in other matches, but then commit to the other match
Click to expand...
yes totally agree! Commit to SOME match. I've usually been annoyed in the past that ESPN often commits to the wrong match, ie only platforming highest ranking players even at beginning of tournament when there is a much more competitive match going on and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out which ones are bound to be competitive. Like they will show ATP #1 against a WC round one. Or American WTA #35 :X3: On some level I get it. People want to tune in to see these players or they think that is what the audience wants--which some do, no doubt. I always found in funny that if in R2 or R3 there were two great ATP players like close in ranking or skill that they wouldn't show that match instead--missed a lot of good ones because of that. And yeah then they swoop in a do the double screen.

Ok I thought all of that was bad but this is worse with 5 or 10 minutes here and there of any given match. Audience has no real emotional stake in the outcome. Last night they showed last 4-5 minutes of the 2 19year old (Japanese and Spanish)...one was supposed to be invested in the drama of the match but how could you be---lol we just got here!! BTW, I know that this is a match that both in years past and now that would not receive full coverage by the way. But it does illustrate how they are doing with most matches. Maybe they were more focused on in the Sinner hour. I fell asleep :-D
 
thor's hammer said:
I think you should be able to view this even without a NYT account. look for "Australian Open schedule start times (ET)" halfway down the page.

www.nytimes.com

How to watch 2026 Australian Open: TV times, odds and tournament schedule

The Grand Slam season begins at Melbourne Park, where the action lasts through Feb. 1.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Note once you get to quarterfinals ESPN+ is no longer listed. (ESPN+ is actually now called ESPN Select) It's stupidly hard (by design, probably) to get to, but if you login (yes, you must have/create an account and login just to see what the full subscription options are) to espn.com you can eventually find the ESPN Select option, which is currently $12.99/month.

Although in the broadcast listings I've seen (like the NYT article linked above) ESPN+ (now ESPN Select) does not show up from quarterfinals on, in the past I think ESPN would make some if not all matches available on ESPN+ on demand sometime after they happen live, but I don't know what they're going to do along those lines this year.

Also, a friend told me she saw somewhere that the AO semis and final will be broadcast on ABC in the US, but I haven't been able to verify that anywhere.

Confused/frustrated? You are not alone.
Click to expand...

ABC is owned by ESPN so that wouldn't be surprising
 
I mean how do you think Kyle Tucker ffs is getting 60milion per year for the dodgers? ESPN money.
My advice: stop coughing up money to espn /watching because you’re not missing anything.
 
L4S10s said:
ABC is owned by ESPN so that wouldn't be surprising
Click to expand...

Agreed, so I was hopeful, but as per this article it appears only a 1 hour condensed version of the women's final will be broadcast on ABC. :(

www.usatoday.com

How to watch 2026 Australian Open tennis: TV, times, stream, schedule

The 2026 Australian Open begins Sunday, Jan. 18 and the men's and women's singles draws are set up for intriguing potential matchups and storylines.
www.usatoday.com

That article also shows ESPN+ (ESPN Select) all the way up to (but not including) the finals.

Who the F knows what's going on?
 
I know it seldom happens but it would be great if they did a real collab with Tennis Channel. Imagine having 3-4 primary stations showing it live and in replay ESPN/ESPN2/TC and TC2.
 
Not saying it's a mistake exactly, but this issue seems to be only related to tennis as far as I can tell.

Espn+ is supposed to cover anything not on the broadcast channels. Cable login is supposed to give access to what is on the broadcast channels. Espn unlimited gets everything.

The problem is matches are blacked out for broadcast coverage and not available to broadcast subscribers or espn+.

This doesn't happen in most other sports with the exception of maybe golf or racing potentially.
 
I don't really have an issue with them taking coverage away from ESPN+ and moving it to broadcast, but if I'm a cable subscriber and pay for ESPN+ to supplement(which is the supposed intention) then I should be able to watch everything.

Let's be serious, no one wants to watch 45 minutes of desk coverage while matches are live. Cable subscribers should get match coverage for the stadiums anyway.
 
The problem you speak of is undeniable, but in this case you should most definitely be able to subscribe to ESPN Unlimited for 1 month. Still kind of a stupid price to pay for 2 weeks of tennis, but no biggie if you get the most for your moneys worth and have a good time :D
 
Bill Lobsalot said:
Finals are shown on the main ESPN cable network. All other matches are on ESPN Select for $13. It's not that hard.
Click to expand...

I'm not seeing any of the show courts or big name (Sinner, Alcaraz, Djoker) matches on ESPN+ (aka ESPN Select) neither live, nor on demand after the fact. Those require either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Unlimited (for streaming).

The "lesser" courts/matches do seem to be largely if not completely available on ESPN+ live and later on demand.

Navigating on the ESPN app on a ROKU, etc is a little clumsy, but if you're on a desktop computer in a browser go here:

www.espn.com

Watch ESPN Schedule - Live Now, Upcoming and Replays - ESPN

Check out the Watch ESPN schedule of live streaming games and programming happening right now, upcoming shows and replays.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Then click on "Schedule and Replays" up top, select Tennis in the "All Sports" drop-down menu, and filter for ESPN+ or ESPN Unlimited in the "All Networks" drop-down and see the different content for Live Now, Upcoming and Replay on the different services.
 
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thor's hammer said:
I'm not seeing any of the show courts or big name (Sinner, Alcaraz, Djoker) matches on ESPN+ (aka ESPN Select) neither live, nor on demand after the fact. Those require either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Unlimited (for streaming).

The "lesser" courts/matches do seem to be largely if not completely available on ESPN+ live and later on demand.

Navigating on the ESPN app on a ROKU, etc is a little clumsy, but if you're on a desktop computer in a browser go here:

www.espn.com

Watch ESPN Schedule - Live Now, Upcoming and Replays - ESPN

Check out the Watch ESPN schedule of live streaming games and programming happening right now, upcoming shows and replays.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Then click on "Schedule and Replays" up top, select Tennis in the "All Sports" drop-down menu, and filter for ESPN+ or ESPN Unlimited in the "All Networks" drop-down and see the different content for Live Now, Upcoming and Replay on the different services.
Click to expand...
Your correct on all points. To stream the show courts you need "Unlimited".
 
Jack the Hack said:
I wouldn't count on that happening anymore. You used to be able to see all of the Australian with ESPN +, but that changed this year, which is what the OP is talking about.
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ESPN didn't cover RG last year - TNT did and will do so again this year. all matches on all courts were available on HBO MAX(and they are still there! espn removes all matches from on demand streaming soon after the event ends). Seemed like most fans were pleased with the coverage last year. Kind of hope TNT gets the rights to all slams(and even without Max, regular cable people had coverage of RG on 3 channels - TNT, TBS, TRUTV.
 
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TennisXpert@2023 said:
No, its not. The networks have come up with millions of dollars to be able to get the coverage for various sports events. This does not come cheap. The networks need to structure services to get revenue. The consumer needs to help or chip in to cover the cost. I have Spectrum cable with the highest TV tier which gives me access to everything streaming service except Netflix. Now this may not be for everybody, but it makes me worry free.
Click to expand...
Yeah, and in 2024 ESPN paid 2 billion for a 12 year extension for exclusive rights to the US Open. Its funny how so many here think tennis is some obscure sport in the US when rights to broadcast it cost billions(no way could TC ever afford a slam)

I guess these numbers are partly why they canned Shriver, Gilbert, and Cahill. And decided to put shows courts on ESPN unlimited.
 
Moose Malloy said:
ESPN didn't cover RG last year - TNT did and will do so again this year. all matches on all courts were available on HBO MAX(and they are still there! espn removes all matches from on demand streaming soon after the event ends). Seemed like most fans were pleased with the coverage last year. Kind of hope TNT gets the rights to all slams(and even without Max, regular cable people had coverage of RG on 3 channels - TNT, TBS, TRUTV.
Click to expand...
It's funny that you mention the TNT coverage. I thought it was fairly well done for the 1st year and coming in with low expectations. I feel like ESPN definitely tweaked their AO coverage based on how well that TNT coverage did--which was widely reported. I can think of two things that struck me immediately: A) the outdoor desk and that part that was featured pretty heavily in the TNT stuff B) that they used younger commentators....and then if you look at what ESPN is doing this year, it seems like they adopted those two things....may have been going that direction with younger people anyway but the timing seems connected.

idk. I think it's smart for each outlet to have their own vibe. I think if ESPN is chasing TNT that's sort of a problem. I mean ESPN is the top sports broadcaster and 24/7 sports. I think it would have been smarter to keep the indoor studio (the outdoor one adds absolutely nothing unlike when they do it occasionally at some events when it does add some interest or a change of pace)...and I think it would have been smarter to gradually ease off the older commentators and weave in the new ones--sort of handing off the torch vibes. Many don't like Pam Shriver (she doesn't bother me at all--she's goofy and idk i sort of like her) but anyway at USO or it might have been some other slam last year she and Coco VdW were paired a lot and they were funny together. I think that helps when the younger commentator is there and the older one no longer is.
 
Moose Malloy said:
ESPN didn't cover RG last year - TNT did and will do so again this year. all matches on all courts were available on HBO MAX(and they are still there! espn removes all matches from on demand streaming soon after the event ends). Seemed like most fans were pleased with the coverage last year. Kind of hope TNT gets the rights to all slams(and even without Max, regular cable people had coverage of RG on 3 channels - TNT, TBS, TRUTV.
Click to expand...
LoL what kind of on demand is if they remove all the content after tournement ends :-D
Im shocked from europe, u cant even rewatch the best games, what a scam
 
Moose Malloy said:
ESPN didn't cover RG last year - TNT did and will do so again this year. all matches on all courts were available on HBO MAX(and they are still there! espn removes all matches from on demand streaming soon after the event ends). Seemed like most fans were pleased with the coverage last year. Kind of hope TNT gets the rights to all slams(and even without Max, regular cable people had coverage of RG on 3 channels - TNT, TBS, TRUTV.
Click to expand...
TNT will never have the broadcast rights to all slams because Warner Bros/Discovery won't be able to afford it. The only reason they were able to get the rights to the FO because they lost the rights to the NBA.
 
I'm not a fan of high camera angles, but they are really taking it to the extreme on the outer courts.

Can't really see anything outside of player positioning and the ball.
 
I've just accepted it. Since I don't have a cable subscription, I used to pay for a month of ESPN+ at the Slams where it would all be on ESPN+ But there were the years where for the later rounds you still needed something else to get regular ESPN/ESPN2 to watch those matches - and I'd usually find a discounted Sling subscription or a trial subscription of something like YoutubeTV or Fubo.

It's my sport and I want access to all matches. So I just pay whatever. I look for discounts and am very good about canceling after Slam Month. But I'm not going to limit my enjoyment due to cost - and luckily I don't have to; I know it's a financial stretch for some people. For the AO I have a month of ESPN unlimited.
 
ponzicrash said:
I'm not a fan of high camera angles, but they are really taking it to the extreme on the outer courts.

Can't really see anything outside of player positioning and the ball.
Click to expand...
yeah those outer court high angles are terrible. I wouldn't think those are ESPN's cameras since it's not like that at other slams on ESPN; rather ESPN is just accessing an existing camera, but I don't know for sure.
 
Robert F said:
I pay a cable provider that I chose, so I had access to ESPN, ESPN2, TC and TC2.
Click to expand...
Thank the rise of YouTube and streaming platforms. Traditional cable is going to get shutdown. What I would like to see is a game by game pay structure. For example, a buck or two per event. That way you aren't paying for what you don't watch and you don't have to subscribe to some "Ultimate" this or that just for a game or a match. You could also structure it for access to an entire event like 10 or 20 bucks. For example the NCAA basketball tournament or the Aussie Open.
 
I prefer court level anyway and they showed a court level angle for a few seconds between points.

Even if you don't like court level I'd assume it's preferable over surveillance video of the court.
 
Get a VPN, connect to an Australian server, go to https://www.9now.com.au/, register an account, thank me later....

Requirements
  • An Australian IP Address: If you are outside Australia, you will need a reliable VPN service to connect to an Australian server.
  • An Email Address: Used to create the Nine account and receive a verification code.
  • An Australian Postcode: You will need a valid Australian postcode (e.g., 2000 for Sydney) to complete the registration.

Steps to Register from Abroad
  1. Use a VPN: Subscribe to a VPN service with Australian servers (e.g., NordVPN, ExpressVPN, PIA).
  2. Connect to Australia: Open your VPN app and connect to a server in an Australian city.
  3. Visit 9Now: Go to the 9Now website or open the 9Now app.
  4. Sign Up: Click on "Log in" and select the option to create a new account.
  5. Enter Details: Enter your email, password, date of birth, and an Australian postcode.
  6. Verify Email: Check your email for a six-digit verification code to complete the process.
Important Notes:
  • VPN Detection: 9Now may block known VPN IP addresses. If one server does not work, try another.
  • Free Service: 9Now is free to use and does not require payment details, but it is supported by ads.
  • Usage: Once registered, you can watch live TV and on-demand content (e.g., Married at First Sight, Love Island, sports).
 
bluetrain4 said:
yeah those outer court high angles are terrible. I wouldn't think those are ESPN's cameras since it's not like that at other slams on ESPN; rather ESPN is just accessing an existing camera, but I don't know for sure.
Click to expand...
The cameras and production are done by the ATP and WTA Tours. It's possible ESPN has crews on the show courts.
 
Bubcay said:
Get a VPN, connect to an Australian server, go to https://www.9now.com.au/, register an account, thank me later....

Requirements
  • An Australian IP Address: If you are outside Australia, you will need a reliable VPN service to connect to an Australian server.
  • An Email Address: Used to create the Nine account and receive a verification code.
  • An Australian Postcode: You will need a valid Australian postcode (e.g., 2000 for Sydney) to complete the registration.

Steps to Register from Abroad
  1. Use a VPN: Subscribe to a VPN service with Australian servers (e.g., NordVPN, ExpressVPN, PIA).
  2. Connect to Australia: Open your VPN app and connect to a server in an Australian city.
  3. Visit 9Now: Go to the 9Now website or open the 9Now app.
  4. Sign Up: Click on "Log in" and select the option to create a new account.
  5. Enter Details: Enter your email, password, date of birth, and an Australian postcode.
  6. Verify Email: Check your email for a six-digit verification code to complete the process.
Important Notes:
  • VPN Detection: 9Now may block known VPN IP addresses. If one server does not work, try another.
  • Free Service: 9Now is free to use and does not require payment details, but it is supported by ads.
  • Usage: Once registered, you can watch live TV and on-demand content (e.g., Married at First Sight, Love Island, sports).
Click to expand...
In the USA it's easier to just pay $30 for the month. That's like two cafe lattes.
 
ESPN should not cover tennis. They are a bunch of clowns. All they care about is team sports. Last night every ESPN channel had a football game on instead of showing the defending women’s champion start her defense.
 
coacho said:
ESPN should not cover tennis. They are a bunch of clowns. All they care about is team sports. Last night every ESPN channel had a football game on instead of showing the defending women’s champion start her defense.
Click to expand...
Well to make it worse ESPN had the same football game on ESPN and ESPN2. Yes it was a big game--College National Championship. But why not have it on ESPN and have a 2ndary commentary feed on Plus?

To be fair it would be reasonable if you have ESPN/ESPN2 then you should get access to all the main court stuff along with playback for those courts. Then if you want outer courts get ESPN +.
If you don't have ESPN/ESPN2, then say you have to get Unlimited to get Both the main courts and side-courts.
This is ridiculous that ESPN is playing some matches on the main feed, some matches only on plus and some only on unlimited.

Or, I'd be fine with some type of Tennis Slam Pass or Australian Open Pass--make me pay more than ESPN+ and less than Unlimited and give me only tennis.

Also completely ridiculous with a sport that has hours of matches going on daily that after the even is done you can't watch the playback. My buddy was ticked he couldn't go back and watch the dubs.
Maybe somehow TC could carve out Dubs???
 
Robert F said:
Well to make it worse ESPN had the same football game on ESPN and ESPN2. Yes it was a big game--College National Championship. But why not have it on ESPN and have a 2ndary commentary feed on Plus?

To be fair it would be reasonable if you have ESPN/ESPN2 then you should get access to all the main court stuff along with playback for those courts. Then if you want outer courts get ESPN +.
If you don't have ESPN/ESPN2, then say you have to get Unlimited to get Both the main courts and side-courts.
This is ridiculous that ESPN is playing some matches on the main feed, some matches only on plus and some only on unlimited.

Or, I'd be fine with some type of Tennis Slam Pass or Australian Open Pass--make me pay more than ESPN+ and less than Unlimited and give me only tennis.

Also completely ridiculous with a sport that has hours of matches going on daily that after the even is done you can't watch the playback. My buddy was ticked he couldn't go back and watch the dubs.
Maybe somehow TC could carve out Dubs???
Click to expand...
ESPN is the only network in the US that can afford the broadcast rights. They have to recoup that money by putting the coverage of the tournament on ESPN unlimited. Tennis fans are not going to be able to watch matches for free or cheaply.
 
TennisXpert@2023 said:
ESPN is the only network in the US that can afford the broadcast rights. They have to recoup that money by putting the coverage of the tournament on ESPN unlimited. Tennis fans are not going to be able to watch matches for free or cheaply.
Click to expand...
I'm OK paying more for more if I wasn't already paying for ESPN and ESPN2. What's the point of having it if you can't watch a full match?
If the main ESPN feed allowed you better access to the main courts and wasn't a constant commercial for plus and unlimited, I'd be fine with it.

The replay on TC is focused and much better. Stays on a match.
I'd also be OK if ESPN featured the center court and then ESPN 2 was a check in all the action court, but I know that is a big ask.

In fairness, it was a little more focused later in the night.
But earlier seeing 6 splits screens of a bunch of little dudes running around and then Johnny Mac choosing what we were going to watch was a good waste of time.
 
Robert F said:
I'm OK paying more for more if I wasn't already paying for ESPN and ESPN2. What's the point of having it if you can't watch a full match?
If the main ESPN feed allowed you better access to the main courts and wasn't a constant commercial for plus and unlimited, I'd be fine with it.

The replay on TC is focused and much better. Stays on a match.
I'd also be OK if ESPN featured the center court and then ESPN 2 was a check in all the action court, but I know that is a big ask.

In fairness, it was a little more focused later in the night.
But earlier seeing 6 splits screens of a bunch of little dudes running around and then Johnny Mac choosing what we were going to watch was a good waste of time.
Click to expand...
While I understand the tennis fan plight, Disney needs to generate revenue for all its media outlets. Luckily during the last dispute with Disney concerning fees, Spectrum was about to get ESPN Unlimited, Hulu and Disney+ included in its TV packages. Disney needs the revenue and its deal with Spectrum gives them revenue from the largest cable provider.
 
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