U.S. Open Live: Tennis, Anyone?

U.S. Open Live will allow tennis fans to get their 2009 U.S. Open fix online, free-of-charge. The live streaming service will present every match broadcast by ESPN2 and Tennis Channel—more than 150 matches, representing more than 300 hours of live tennis action—on USOpen.org.

IBM designed and developed the U.S. Open Live interactive-media console, which includes picture-in-picture match viewing, user commenting and live match-stats updates.

The USTA’s two newest promotional partners, Westin Hotels and Stonyfield Farm, are sponsoring U.S. Open Live, which will offer all five television courts from the tennis tournament with announcer commentary in HD.

USTA chief business officer Pierce O’Neil said:

When we announced our new landmark cable television deal with ESPN and Tennis Channel, we promised to deliver the U.S. Open to more fans in more ways than ever before. With the support of our two newest sponsors—Westin Hotels and Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt—and IBM, we are making that a reality by making over 300 hours of live match coverage available on USOpen.org on a complimentary basis to fans throughout the country.

And USTA senior director of advanced media Phil Green added:

We’re very excited to partner with IBM to take the streaming of live tennis to a new level with U.S. Open Live. Offering high-definition streaming through IBM’s new interactive media console will provide tennis fans with a more dynamic online viewing experience than they’ve ever had before.

Join Baratunde Thurston (left), The Onion’s Director of Digital and author of How to Be Black, for an entertaining look at creative social media campaigns in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. Other speakers include Morin Oluwole (Facebook), Tim Devane (bitly), and SocialTimes' writer Devon Glenn.   Register now.