US sports broadcaster ESPN is in talks to acquire all domestic rights to the US Open tennis grand slam, according to the USA Today newspaper.
US network CBS has held rights to the US Open since 1968, but ESPN is reportedly keen to secure the complete rights package when the US Tennis Association’s (USTA) current set of contracts expire following the 2014 edition of the event.
ESPN currently holds the cable-television rights to the US Open in a deal that also runs until the conclusion of the 2014 event.
The broadcaster’s vice-president of US network communications, Mike Soltys, said: “We’re in discussions with the USTA.”
ESPN currently has a sub-licensing deal with pay-television broadcaster Tennis Channel to carry some matches.