The Tennis Channel and Challenger Coverage

[surfvland]

Why doesn't the Tennis Channel cover challenger events? I mean I'm not asking for futures coverage. But at least cover the larger challenger level tournaments. I think it's sad that we have to resort to watching this programming on the internet, when TC is running re-runs of tennis resort visit's all day. Yeah I know, before you all start chiming in, it's all about $$$. They'd have to fly a crew out, and it's so much easier just to run re-runs.

 

[deltox]

Why doesn't the Tennis Channel cover challenger events? I mean I'm not asking for futures coverage. But at least cover the larger challenger level tournaments. I think it's sad that we have to resort to watching this programming on the internet, when TC is running re-runs of tennis resort visit's all day. Yeah I know, before you all start chiming in, it's all about $$$. They'd have to fly a crew out, and it's so much easier just to run re-runs.

yeah a crew of 2 camera guys, the announcers could easily call it from the feed. several tournies have stationary cams set up if you can find them. alot of university have cams set up on their courts where some challengers are played.

 

[darrinbaker00]

Why doesn't the Tennis Channel cover challenger events? I mean I'm not asking for futures coverage. But at least cover the larger challenger level tournaments. I think it's sad that we have to resort to watching this programming on the internet, when TC is running re-runs of tennis resort visit's all day. Yeah I know, before you all start chiming in, it's all about $$$. They'd have to fly a crew out, and it's so much easier just to run re-runs.

I'm with you on this one 100 percent. The USTA is a minority owner of Tennis Channel, so it makes no sense whatsoever that they don't broadcast USTA Challenger, Futures or Junior events.

 

[surfvland]

yeah a crew of 2 camera guys, the announcers could easily call it from the feed. several tournies have stationary cams set up if you can find them. alot of university have cams set up on their courts where some challengers are played.

Good Point, They could call it from the feed, and what do the advertisers care whether they they run some re-run, or a live challenger event. In fact, I would say the advertisers would prefer fresh programming.

 

[jamauss]

I think it's a simple matter of cost vs. revenue for USTA & Tennis Channel. What it costs them to send out a camera crew + commentators is probably more than they can make from advertisement and people buying a USTA membership. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to watch Challenger level tennis on TTC, but I understand why it doesn't make dollars & cents for it to happen.

 

[surfvland]

I think it's a simple matter of cost vs. revenue for USTA & Tennis Channel. What it costs them to send out a camera crew + commentators is probably more than they can make from advertisement and people buying a USTA membership. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to watch Challenger level tennis on TTC, but I understand why it doesn't make dollars & cents for it to happen.

Yet companies like Front Row Tennis are able to cost justify it.:???:

 

[coloskier]

Absolutely it is about cost. They have to have revenue from advertising to justify the expense. With the bigger tournaments they can get the revenue, but not many big companies are going to pay to see Challengers televised because there will not be anyone watching besides absolute diehard fans, which aren't many except us.

 

[Fee]

Yes its about money, but when you mention the cost of the camera crew and the commentators (plus travel and accommodations) you forget the single most expensive part of broadcasting - sending the signal via satellite feed. It's dirt cheap, by comparison, to do web streaming, which is why so many colleges can do it. The next cheapest thing to do is send a crew to tape an event and show it on delay from the studio. Live broadcasts are very expensive and TC chooses to use their limited resources for the slams, the USO series, the European Masters feeds, and taped shows.

Write to TC and ask them to show these events after the fact from the studio and they might be interested. They can get the Dallas Challenger from Front Row, and the Yuba City Challenger (shown only on tape) from Comcast. I'm sure there are others.

 

[surfvland]

Yes its about money, but when you mention the cost of the camera crew and the commentators (plus travel and accommodations) you forget the single most expensive part of broadcasting - sending the signal via satellite feed. It's dirt cheap, by comparison, to do web streaming, which is why so many colleges can do it. The next cheapest thing to do is send a crew to tape an event and show it on delay from the studion. Live broadcasts are very expensive and TC chooses to use their limited resources for the slams, the USO series, the European Masters feeds, and taped shows.

Write to TC and ask them to show these events after the fact from the studio and they might be interested. They can get the Dallas Challenger from Front Row, and the Yuba City Challenger (shown only on tape) from Comcast. I'm sure there are others.

Good Idea, I guess taped is better than nothing.