ESS to Air U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship

SINGAPORE: ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has struck a regional broadcast distribution agreement with Billiard Club Network for the rights to air the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship across Asia.

The deal gives ESS exclusive multiplatform broadcast rights, including cable, satellite and terrestrial television, as well as online and mobile media rights through 2011. Billiard Club Network, in association with Accu-Stats Video Production, will produce 15 matches that will air across ESS’s networks in 24 markets. ESS is home to further professional pool events such as the Asian 9 Ball Tour, World Pool Championship, World 10-Ball Championship 2009, Women’s Professional 9-ball Tour, Women’s World 10-Ball Championship and Philippine Open 10-Ball Championship.

Manu Sawhney, the managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, said: “We are delighted to partner with Billiard Club Network to showcase their events through our extensive reach across the region on our broadcast networks and our digital media platforms. Cuesport programming has continued to grow on ESPN STAR Sports, and with the strong following for the sport in Asia, fans can look forward to the most entertaining cuesport experience on our networks.”

“ESPN STAR Sports provides our distribution with the star power that the Open needs to continue its growth on the international stage,” commented the president of Billiard Club Network, Rob Sykora. “This is our eighth year producing and distributing the great match-play of the U.S. Open and we are heartened by the growth and reach of the event’s broadcast. International TV distribution is critical for the success of any event and we look forward to ESPN STAR Sports broadcast in Asia to provide a great break for pool.”