ESPN bringing RedZone to the US Open in major first
ESPN bringing RedZone to the US Open in major first
The RedZone brand is expanding beyond football for the first time, and will offer point-to-point coverage from all 16 courts at the Open.
When ESPN made its landmark deal with the NFL to acquire a large portion of NFL Media properties, NFL RedZone was a key part of the agreement. ESPN was awarded linear distribution rights to NFL RedZone, as well as broad rights to the RedZone brand. The network is now exercising those rights, announcing the first expansion of RedZone for the 2026 U.S. Open tennis tournament.
Key Details:
- See it all: ESPN will offer “RedZone at the U.S. Open” from Aug. 30 through Sept. 4.
- How to watch: Viewers will find the new RedZone in ESPN Unlimited via the ESPN app.
- Future possibilities: The move presages the use of RedZone alongside other ESPN properties.
“RedZone at the U.S. Open” will be available from Sunday, Aug. 30, through Friday, Sept. 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. It will offer point-to-point coverage from all 16 courts in the early rounds of the tournament. It’s the first time the RedZone brand has been used outside the confines of the NFL.
Viewers can watch “RedZone at the U.S. Open” through ESPN Unlimited on the ESPN app. Customers can access ESPN Unlimited by authenticating pay-TV credentials from a large list of distributors, or subscribe to the platform directly starting at $30 per month.
TNT has offered whip-around coverage of the French Open for the past two years, but ESPN has the added heft of the RedZone brand to lean on. There was no announcement about who would host the U.S. Open edition of RedZone on ESPN.
The launch of RedZone alongside the U.S. Open begs the question of what else ESPN could do with the brand. College football would be an obvious choice, but due to the fragmented nature of its broadcast rights, such a channel seems far out of reach. Other channels would have to lend their game broadcasts to ESPN’s college football RedZone channel, and such cooperation is unlikely.
ESPN has also confirmed that all U.S. Open matches will be available on the ESPN Unlimited tier; previously, viewers on ESPN Select could also watch all matches. All Disney+ customers will be able to watch select Day 1 action from the tournament through that streamer’s app.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN launched its highly anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21, 2025. For the first time, this service gives sports fans access to its full lineup of linear channels without a traditional cable or satellite subscription.