Continuing to line up sports rights as it takes on powerhouse ESPN, the NBC Sports Group and its NBC Sports Network Sunday announced that it has struck a multi-year deal for expanded coverage of the French Open.
The deal extends coverage through 2024 and includes expanded digital rights and 10 more hours of coverage including Memorial Day coverage and the women's semifinals.
"The French Open is one of the world's most celebrated sports events," said Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network in a statement. "This ground-breaking agreement will extend our relationship with Roland Garros through 2024, and provides tennis fans with more comprehensive coverage than ever before, including live streaming of more matches."
NBC has been covering some portion of the tournament since 1975--with a two-year break in 1980-82, when CBS had the rights.
As it is doing with the London Olympics, NBC will live stream all its coverage on NBCSports.com.
The announcement Sunday comes as Tennis is much on the Washington agenda of parent Comcast, which is challenging an FCC decision that Comcast favored NBC Sports Network and Golf Channe over Tennis Channel in tier placement.
