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DIRECTV and ESPN Invite the Public to Come Out and Play at the ‘DIRECTV ESPN US Open Experience’ In NYC’s Bryant Park

Free, Day-Long Event on Aug. 26 to Feature Biggest Names in Tennis Including Venus and Serena Williams
and James Blake; General Public will have a Chance to Train with USTA Teaching Pros in a Variety of Skills Challenges
NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2009 – On the eve of the year’s last grand slam tennis event, the 2009 US Open, New York City’s Bryant Park will be the epicenter of the tennis world when DIRECTV and ESPN roll out the hard courts for the DIRECTV ESPN US Open Experience on Aug. 26 – a free, open-to-the-public, tennis exhibition and USTA clinic featuring some of the biggest names in the sport.

The green lawns of Bryant Park, in the heart of midtown Manhattan, will be transformed into two regulation US Open tennis courts from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for exhibition matches between USTA pros, including Venus and Serena Williams; the Jensen brothers - former pros – turned TV commentators; the Bryan brothers - one of the world's top doubles teams and James Blake.
The event in Bryant Park will showcase ESPN2’s coverage of the 2009 US Open and DIRECTV’s US OPEN Experience, a free, interactive service that will offer expanded coverage of the action from Flushing Meadows. DIRECTV’s US OPEN Experience includes more than 435 hours of live tennis action, 140 extra matches, with five extra court channels in addition to the main ESPN2 feed – all displayed on DIRECTV’s innovative six-on-one-screen Mix Channel, and presented in HD. More DIRECTV US Open programming information is available by visiting DIRECTV.com/usopen.

When tennis stars are not competing, the courts will be open to the people of New York City. The day will open and close with USTA teaching pros putting the public through the paces with a variety of consumer skills challenges that will focus on serving, receiving and groundstrokes. From 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. the aforementioned tennis stars will compete in lively and exciting exhibition tie-break matches against one another in various combinations.

In the first year of a six-year agreement with the USTA, tennis fans will enjoy 100 hours in high definition on ESPN2 beginning Monday, Aug. 31, US Open update shows each weekday on ESPNEWS, 300+ hours on ESPN360.com’s multi-court offering and coverage across ESPN’s platforms in the U.S. and around the world.

DIRECTV will offer ESPN2’s national coverage during the tournament’s first five days, Aug. 31 through Sept.4, and three days of coverage from CBS, Sept. 4-7. Each live court channel will feature natural sound and commentary from tennis experts and former touring pros. An interactive application menu will be available on each of those channels via the red button on the remote and will feature: Match Guide, for a convenient view of the score of the current match on each court channel; Recent Results, offering real-time scoring of in-progress, completed and upcoming singles matches; Women’s Draw and Men’s Draw – providing the complete draw from first to final round, along with scores.

About DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQTV – News), the nation’s leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 18.3 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed national cable companies for nine years running) and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

About ESPN
ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPNU HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (45 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN360.com (Broadband), ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

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