Tennis Channel, the sports-focused US cable network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, has announced former Amazon entertainment chief Jeff Blackburn as its new chairman and chief executive.
Blackburn will be tasked with leading the network’s strategic growth, as well as its expansion across digital, streaming, and global platforms. Outside the four Grand Slam events, the Tennis Channel broadcasts every single tournament across the men’s ATP and women’s WTA top-tier tours.
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The network recently launched a free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST) channel, T2, that airs some live matches, as well as a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service that allows fans to sign up to the network without having to pay for a TV subscription.
The DTC platform, unveiled in November, was created in partnership with sports technology company Sportradar.
Chris Ripley, president and chief executive of Sinclair, has said: “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.
“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.
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By GlobalData“His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow Tennis Channel’s distribution and expand its DTC offering, further establishing Tennis Channel as a global, always-on destination for fans across every screen and platform.”
Blackburn joins the network after a 24-year stint at e-commerce giant Amazon, overseeing the company’s expansion into streaming and sports, including brands Prime Video, Amazon Studios, Amazon Music, and Amazon’s advertising and marketplace divisions.
He also led Amazon’s push into showing live American football – with the platform’s Thursday Night Football deal – as senior vice president of global media and entertainment, before leaving the company in 2021.
In 2023, he joined the board of FAST channel Roku.
The appointment comes eight months after Sinclair ousted the channel’s longstanding chief executive, Ken Solomon, in September 2024 over out-of-work commitments relating to TV personality Phillip “Dr Phil” McGraw.
Soloman became a board member of McGraw’s Merit Street Media company in 2023 and had been spending an increasing amount of time focusing on that role, leading to Sinclair sanctioning his dismissal.
