Kevin Patrick
Hall of Fame
X: Since you keep up with the tennis media, and you realize the broadcasts and media coverage drive the popularity of tennis, what do you think is being done well out there, and what do you think could be improved with the media and tennis?
P-Mac: Well I think that first of all I have to say, and I've criticized my own employers at ESPN in the past for certain production or certain programming decisions, I think we all know what those problems are. I think they've sort of gotten the message. I think the Australian Open (coverage) was the result of ESPN making a lot of good decisions, and the bottom line is that we in the tennis world shouldn't necessarily bite the hand that feeds us. ESPN is covering an incredible amount of tennis, they're putting on way more hours than anyone else, and they're committed to tennis. Mark Shapiro, who's the head of programming at ESPN, is a huge tennis fan, and is very supportive of the game. Look, obviously they're going to show the American stars, when the American stars are playing in an important match. They do that in any country. We sort of have this impression that in other countries they show 'The Game' in how it should really be presented -- they all show their stars. I think ESPN did a very good job at the Australian of...showing the Roddicks obviously and the Williams sisters, etcetera, but they're also showing great tennis. There's obviously that fine line, Richard, between catering to the tennis fan and then catering to the sports fan, and the sports fan might not be into (Gaston) Gaudio vs. (Guillermo) Coria at 4-all in the fifth. I am, but when you're talking about getting more eyeballs to watch the television sets, that is what ESPN is trying to do. They're trying to get more people watching tennis, so I think we should thank them for doing that, while at the same time saying 'hey' -- you know sometimes I get just as frustrated as all of you do about some of the decisions, but overall, ESPN has put their money where their mouth is, they're committed to tennis.
http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2005-04-29/c.php
P-Mac: Well I think that first of all I have to say, and I've criticized my own employers at ESPN in the past for certain production or certain programming decisions, I think we all know what those problems are. I think they've sort of gotten the message. I think the Australian Open (coverage) was the result of ESPN making a lot of good decisions, and the bottom line is that we in the tennis world shouldn't necessarily bite the hand that feeds us. ESPN is covering an incredible amount of tennis, they're putting on way more hours than anyone else, and they're committed to tennis. Mark Shapiro, who's the head of programming at ESPN, is a huge tennis fan, and is very supportive of the game. Look, obviously they're going to show the American stars, when the American stars are playing in an important match. They do that in any country. We sort of have this impression that in other countries they show 'The Game' in how it should really be presented -- they all show their stars. I think ESPN did a very good job at the Australian of...showing the Roddicks obviously and the Williams sisters, etcetera, but they're also showing great tennis. There's obviously that fine line, Richard, between catering to the tennis fan and then catering to the sports fan, and the sports fan might not be into (Gaston) Gaudio vs. (Guillermo) Coria at 4-all in the fifth. I am, but when you're talking about getting more eyeballs to watch the television sets, that is what ESPN is trying to do. They're trying to get more people watching tennis, so I think we should thank them for doing that, while at the same time saying 'hey' -- you know sometimes I get just as frustrated as all of you do about some of the decisions, but overall, ESPN has put their money where their mouth is, they're committed to tennis.
http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2005-04-29/c.php
