Jeff Blackburn, a former top executive at Amazon, is taking over as the chairman and CEO of Tennis Channel, succeeding Ken Solomon who was reportedly let go last year. Blackburn's appointment marks a significant shift in the channel's leadership.
Blackburn played a crucial role in Amazon's growth, notably launching Prime Video. His extensive experience in building streaming services makes him well-suited to lead Tennis Channel in an increasingly digital market. He had previously expressed regret at Amazon's missed opportunity to acquire the Tennis Channel nine years prior.
The Tennis Channel, like other league-owned networks, faces challenges in the digital age, but it also possesses a substantial library of content, including live and on-demand matches, a FAST channel, and a direct-to-consumer offering. The loss of French Open broadcasting rights to TNT Sports represents a significant setback but his experience at Amazon gives hope for continued success.
Blackburn intends to leverage his knowledge and experience from Amazon to enhance Tennis Channel's position in the digital world. His aim is to use the lessons learned in building Prime Video and Amazon Studios to improve the Tennis Channel's reach and profitability.
During the rise of Jeff Bezos’ Amazon into one of the most successful companies in the world, Jeff Blackburn was right by Bezos’ side, starting Prime Video, among many accomplishments as a top executive during his nearly quarter century with the company.
When Blackburn left Amazon a couple of years ago, he had a lot of options, but, as an avid tennis player, Blackburn regretted one deal that got away. Nearly a decade ago, Amazon almost bought the Tennis Channel, but it landed in the hands of Sinclair.
Now, Blackburn is moving from Seattle to Los Angeles to become Tennis Channel’s chairman and CEO. With a strong relationship with Sinclair’s president, Chris Ripley, the idea of leading Tennis Channel was the right one for Blackburn.
“From my point of view, this is the job I wanted,” Blackburn, 55, told The Athletic. “I didn’t want other roles. This is exactly the role that I want. Something in sports with a fantastic organization already in place that built a great business over the last 22 years.
“I think it is a jewel. I think it is an absolutely essential thing in the whole tennis ecosystem.”
Blackburn replaces Ken Solomon, who was reportedly let go last year after there was concern about the time he was devoting to a media company started by Dr. Phil.
Tennis Channel, like nearly all the league-owned networks, has faced significant headwinds as the digital world has eaten at the cable ecosystem. It boasts 10,000 hours of live and on-demand matches. It has its own FAST (Free Advertised-Supported Television) in Tennis Channel 2 and a direct-to-consumer offering. It did have access to one major, the French Open, prior to TNT Sports gobbling up the full event beginning this May and spanning a decade for $650 million.
With Amazon, Blackburn looked into acquiring Tennis Channel for its portfolio before Sinclair purchased it for $350 million in 2014.
“We took a hard look at Tennis Channel,” Blackburn said. “We didn’t buy it. Sinclair did. I have had regrets about that for the last nine years. I always wondered if there might be another opportunity with Tennis Channel — and this came around.”
Blackburn plans to use the lessons from Amazon to leverage Tennis Channel in an increasingly digital world.
“I’m grateful to Jeff and Amazon and the 24 years there,” Blackburn said. “I got the opportunity to build a streaming business from the ground up and started Prime Video and built Amazon Studios from nothing, and then got to enter sports six or seven years ago. I think of all those experiences and how we built it, and I can apply it to the Tennis Channel.”
Blackburn is set to begin his new job on Thursday.
(Photo: Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
Skip the extension — just come straight here.
We’ve built a fast, permanent tool you can bookmark and use anytime.
Go To Paywall Unblock Tool