12/24/24
July 04, 2011
NBC Losing Rights to Wimbledon: After 43 years, the Wimbledon tennis tournament will no longer be broadcast by NBC -- and is likely to end up on ESPN. "While we would have liked to have continued our relationship, we were simply outbid," NBC said in a statement. The network had to outbid ESPN and Fox last month to keep the Olympics.
It's better going to a proper sports network anyway. NBC's coverage, just from what I saw on my TV guide, was pathetic.
posted by Drood at 04:55 PM on July 04, 2011
Probably have Chris Berman call the final matches.
posted by dyams at 06:28 PM on July 04, 2011
Considering the decline in American tennis, I'm wonder how much Wimbledon is really worth, or if tennis is really an eyeball-getter. I think men's side does fine as long as they have some really bankable stars like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (even if the latter isn't as dominant as he once was), but I'm not sure how much longer the Williams sisters can buoy American interest in women's tennis.
posted by Bonkers at 06:43 PM on July 04, 2011
The NBC model of tape-delays, blackouts and embargos can't last much longer. ESPN has managed to surreptitiously become the de facto Wimbledon broadcaster in the US through its online and cross-network multi-court coverage, and the contrast between NBC's allocation of daytime hours is pretty stark. When you show sport live, viewers can't avoid the commercials, and that provides the basis to outbid the competition.
posted by etagloh at 06:57 PM on July 04, 2011
Probably have Chris Berman call the final matches.
I hate you.
posted by jmd82 at 12:43 AM on July 05, 2011
Can't wait for Boomer and his nicknames.
posted by govtdrone at 12:33 PM on July 05, 2011
Considering the decline in American tennis, I'm wonder how much Wimbledon is really worth ...
I think the appeal of Wimbledon is bigger than tennis. While I was visiting family in Dallas, I was surprised at how much they were following it. Gotta be watched live, though.
posted by rcade at 01:37 PM on July 05, 2011
And that lob is back, back, back, back, back ...
posted by graymatters at 06:38 PM on July 05, 2011
"Outbid" is NBC's code word for "freaked out by all the caterwauling."