@ESPNTennis at the US Open – ‘ESPN3 Surround’ With SpiderCam, Focus on the Players

For the first time at the US Open, ESPN will offer “ESPN3 Surround” during prime-time matches from Arthur Ashe Stadium – an option to view the action with four boxes on the screen: the traditional view of the action from one end of the court; the view from above via SpiderCam; plus two smaller boxes in the lower corners of the screen showing each player exclusively.

“ESPN3 Surround” will debut with the start of the tournament and ESPN’s multi-media coverage on Monday, Aug. 25, and Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM at 7 p.m. ET.  It will be offered for all nine evening sessions ESPN televises from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York:  Monday, Aug. 25 – Friday, Aug. 29, and Monday, Sept. 1 – Thursday, Sept. 4.

Overall, ESPN3 will provide 400 hours of live competition with up to seven courts to choose from, in addition to the 100 on ESPN and ESPN2.

“Tennis fans know the value of ’ESPN3 on tour’ all year long,” says Jason Bernstein, ESPN senior director, programming and acquisitions.  “In that we offer more live tennis on the network than anywhere else, ‘ESPN3 Surround’ is the perfect companion for fans wanting to take their digital grounds pass even closer to Primetime at the Open.  ‘ESPN3 Surround’ has blossomed into a must-have, second-screen experience alongside the most compelling ESPN live events, games and matches.”

First used this past February for a Duke vs. North Carolina NCAA men’s basketball game, “ESPN3 Surround” utilizes multiple cameras and live, natural sound from the venue to provide fans with alternate perspectives of the event.  It has been used on a wide variety of top events, including the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, the NCAA Hockey Frozen Four, the WNBA Draft, X Games, the semifinals and championships at Wimbledon, throughout the FIFA World Cup from Brazil, and even the July 4 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.