ESPN STAR Sports Awarded US Open 9-Ball Championship Broadcast rights

Asia's No. 1 sports content provider ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) and Billiard Club Network (BCn) today announced its first regional broadcast distribution agreement for the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship across Asia.

The deal gives ESS exclusive multi-platform 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 featuring notable world pool superstars that will be telecast across ESPN STAR Sports' broadcast networks across 24 markets on its Asia footprint.

Said Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports: “We are delighted to partner 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 BCn president 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.”

Now in its 34th year, the U.S. Open 9-Ball has grown to be the premier professional pool event on American soil. The list of past champions includes an international list of who's who of professional pool, including Americans Shane Van Boening, Earl Strickland, Johnny Archer and Nick Varner; Mika Immonen of Finland, Ralf Souquet of Germany, as well as Filipinos Alex Pagulayan and Efren Reyes.

ESPN STAR Sports has showcased a strong list of cuesports on its networks, such as Asia's premier pool competition 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, Philippine Open 10-Ball Championship.