In a surprise move, Sinclair Broadcast Group says that the veteran Amazon executive Jeff Blackburn will join the company as chairman and CEO of Tennis Channel.
Blackburn previously oversaw all of Amazon’s entertainment and video efforts, having joined the company shortly after its IPO in 1998 (he worked on the IPO as a banker). Blackburn helped launch and manage properties like Prime Video, Amazon Studios, Twitch, and Amazon Music. It was under his leadership that Amazon pushed into football with its Thursday Night Football deal, and made its mega deal for MGM.
He retired from the tech giant in 2022, and also joined the board of Roku in 2023.
Now, he will try a reboot Tennis Channel, with Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley indicating that Blackburn sees streaming and direct-to-consumer as the big opportunity.
“Jeff’s appointment marks a pivotal step in our strategy to accelerate Tennis Channel’s growth and unlock long-term value across Sinclair’s portfolio,” said Ripley in a statement. “With a track record of driving innovation and scaling multibillion-dollar media businesses, Jeff brings the strategic vision and operational expertise to expand our digital footprint, deepen audience engagement, and capitalize on global sports and streaming trends. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow Tennis Channel’s distribution and expand its direct-to-consumer offering, further establishing Tennis Channel asa global, always-on destination for fans across every screen and platform.”
“Tennis Channel is a sports treasure,” added Blackburn. “It’s beloved by fans of the game, allowing for large growth opportunities ahead in streaming as well as new initiatives like Pickleball. Since childhood I’ve been intensely passionate about tennis, so I’m thrilled to take on the role and join this outstanding team.”
Tennis Channel has more live tennis coverage than any other TV network, though the grand slam events are coveted by players like ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports.
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