Warner Bros. Discovery, the newly merged media company, is expanding its sports portfolio with the acquisition of the U.S. rights to the renowned French Open tennis tournament, also known as Roland-Garros. This move marks a significant addition to Warner's existing offerings from major U.S. leagues, as the company aims to diversify its sports content.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Warner Bros. Discovery has secured the U.S. broadcasting rights for the French Open, a property that has been associated with NBC Sports for several years. In Europe, where the company operates the Eurosport pay-TV networks, the Open has been part of its offerings since 1989.

Commencing in 2025, the new agreement grants Warner the rights to telecast the French Open in both the U.S. and Europe. This development brings a fresh offering to Warner's U.S. portfolio, which currently includes games from the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and March Madness, the popular men's college basketball tournament.

As part of the deal, Warner Bros. Discovery intends to make content related to the French Open available across its linear cable networks, its Max streaming service, and its Bleacher Report digital sports hub. Additionally, the company, together with Fox and Disney, is a co-owner of the upcoming Venu streaming sports joint-venture, set to launch in the fall.

While financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed, the agreement is expected to cover a multiple-year period. Notably, the French Open has been televised in the U.S. by NBC, with the exception of a three-year period, since 1983.

The timing of this deal coincides with Warner Bros. Discovery's efforts to secure a portion of the NBA games that contribute significantly to the economics of its TV properties. The current NBA rights deal, primarily held between Warner and Disney, expires after the 2024-2025 season. The league has reportedly initiated preliminary carriage deals with Disney, Amazon, and NBCUniversal, which could impact Warner's cable networks like TNT.

Amidst these developments, Warner Bros. Discovery has pledged to further expand its sports presence. In recent weeks, the company has sub-licensed certain college football playoff games from Disney's ESPN and strengthened its ties with the NHL. Furthermore, Warner is working on expanding "The Match," a series of celebrity-golf tournaments that feature popular golfers and football players.

The formation of Warner Bros. Discovery from the merger of Discovery Inc. and WarnerMedia has garnered attention from investors. With Discovery owning Eurosport, known for broadcasting the Olympics in Europe, it was anticipated that the company would seek global alliances with various leagues and teams.

As Warner Bros. Discovery continues to grow and diversify its sports portfolio, the addition of the French Open rights marks a significant step towards establishing a prominent presence in the international sporting landscape.