So there I was all nestled in --pop corn popped-beer on ice-recliner at the perfect angle for viewing and on my screen pops Oprah!!!!!
I hit the info button on my Direct TV remote and there it was in black and white ---- US OPEN- MENS FINAL---BUT THERE WAS OPRAH- in all her grandeur!!!
10 very excited middle aged women piling out of a gleaming red SUV like so many clowns at the circus screaming at the top of their lungs and OPRAH beaming and grinning and clapping and--well-- OPRAHIZING.
"Ok it's not 4 o'clock yet" I say out loud to myself --I hit the info button again 4:03 it blinks back at me.
That sinking feeling only brought on only by a local channel preempt, or by finding out that someone just ran over your cat ,slowly washes over me.
There at the bottom of the screen-- a crawl --THE US OPEN TENNIS MAY BE VIEWED ON COMCAST CHANNEL 9 OR LIVE STREAMED ON US OPEN.ORG
OK! OK ! ummm I'm not on cable--- I'm on a satellite connection and as far as US OPEN. ORG - I'm lucky to be able to turn my computer on, never mind streaming anything dead or alive.
The Sport of tennis may be healthy and growing right now - but the business of Professional Tennis is being slowly being sapped of its lifeblood (FANS) because of the fractured and disjointed management of the scheduling and most importantly the television rights to its most important showcases.
If tennis is to be treated as a major sport by those that negotiate these things, it must have an advocate for the sport itself rather than competing entities vying for their slice of what may well become a very small pie.
Pull it together boys- ATP- and girls-WTA- whats good for tennis is ultimately good for you !
ITS TIME FOR A COMMISSIONER OF PROFESSIONAL TENNIS.
I'm sure it will be an arduous task to establish a CZAR-- BUT,IF NOT YOU WHO?----- IF NOT NOW WHEN?
We have folks that would like to see their sport taken care of in a business like manner--The first hint of that happening would be to hire someone that can get the Mens Singles Final of a Grand Slam event televised!
Just my opinion, Howie Burnett
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