“Focus on persuading everyone of your point”

After a span of two decades, Tennis Channel is now the sport's media home in the US, and they are working to expand that service to other countries. Ken Solomon, as their president, is currently taking measures to extend this service to a global audience. Consistently, the most significant live tennis matches featuring the world's most prominent athletes are broadcast here. No other sport has been made consistently accessible to fans and sponsors on a 24/7 basis, with a comprehensive range of exclusive live television and digital rights, all conveniently accessible through a single integrated media brand.

The whole idea was to create a TV channel that anyone can watch anytime, dedicated to showcasing the sport's numerous events from around the world. They wanted to bring in the most legendary players and announcers, as well as produce top-quality stories about the sport. Once they had that in place, they focused on being the first and best at using new technology to make tennis more accessible and popular. They wanted to make it easy for people to watch and get involved in the sport. From high-definition broadcasts to on-demand streaming to now being a part of the metaverse, tennis has become the most widely available sport in the world thanks to its unique approach, says Ken.

The Roland Garros rights acquisition completely changed the network's direction and allowed them to provide non-stop coverage for the entire two weeks. They partnered with traditional broadcast networks to distribute the content more widely and were the first to offer HD coverage, introduce an SVOD Plus service alongside their regular programming, secure comprehensive rights, regularly feature Hall of Fame personalities, and establish a strong brand presence. In addition, they set the standard for others in the industry. T2 takes advantage of the abundant tennis content by hosting six tournaments in one week, allowing them to fully integrate media and attract major event sponsorships with marketing partners who want to showcase their content live 24/7.

Ken asserts that it truly begins with first seeing a legitimate void in a market where you can potentially deliver transformational impact, and then it is by building team trust among leaders who understand the entirety of the mission. He also suggests using servant leadership to show the team that you have their back and are here to support them. It's all about getting everyone on board with the goal and regularly checking in to ensure everyone understands why it's beneficial for them to be committed. Additionally, it's important to work hard but also have fun, respect each individual's skills and experience, and establish a culture of trust and curiosity. Encourage ongoing dialogue and value the unique contributions of each team member.

According to them, they are all doing one thing, just in different parts. Salespeople need to be programmers—programming to get marketing, marketing to understand distribution, etc.—and the best idea wins the room. Never, ever do anything to counter or engage the core brand and values. He suggests that to build a culture of trust, reprioritize constantly to be sure you are your own replacement. If you think it can be great, try it. If it isn’t, change it and try again, he adds.

When it comes to competition, they have a unique perspective. Instead of seeing other organizations in the industry as rivals, they view them as potential partners. They strive to show them that working together benefits everyone and that being exclusive is not good for tennis. ESPN, NBC and CBS are all networks that have aired are all networks that have aired tennis matches during TC's existence. They have managed to form partnerships with each of them and have built strong relationships with all the sports-media companies in their field. They developed them by focusing on what they do best: telling the year-round, daily story of this magnificent sport and its amazing players, rivalries, and dramatic events. Herein is their identity. Every new product—subscription service, podcast network, unmatched website, worldwide offering, FAST channel, linear DTC—follows this essential idea. No blueprint exists for live, dynamic, worldwide, simultaneous, always-on coverage; thus, their culture is a creation.

In 2024, Tennis Channel will have the chance to give fans what they’ve been asking for: a direct-to-consumer option. They've been hearing this request for almost 20 years, as Ken mentioned, so they're happy to finally fulfill it. They're also planning to expand their international presence and offer even more exciting programs to their customers, both live and original.