The U.S. Open wraps up this week in New York City, now airing on ESPN’s channels, while Netflix is gearing up for a significant entry into the tennis world thousands of miles away.
Netflix has secured broadcasting rights for the 2025 6 Kings Slam, an exhibition held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October 15 to 18. This information comes from an announcement by Netflix, its regional partner Riyadh Season, and production partner IMG.
The event will feature top players, including men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and his closest competitor Carlos Alcaraz, along with 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Jack Draper, and Taylor Fritz.
So, what attracts such esteemed athletes to the 6 Kings Slam? The prize money is significant: Sinner earned $6 million for winning last year, surpassing the payouts for major championships, while each participant received $1.5 million just for attending.
Netflix Expands Its Live Sports Portfolio
This marks Netflix’s second venture into live tennis, following the Netflix Slam exhibition planned for 2024 featuring Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. The 6 Kings Slam adds to a live sports lineup that includes NFL Christmas Day games, the 2003 Netflix Cup, scripted live entertainment like “WWE Raw,” and upcoming boxing events, including next week’s fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.
Netflix has openly stated its goal to enhance its live sports offerings to elevate viewer engagement and support its global subscriber growth. This approach aligns with the sports-media term “eventize,” referring to the marketing of limited programming as special events, which directly appeals to advertisers—a strategy advantageous for Netflix’s relatively new ad-supported model.
Challenges in Acquiring Major Event Rights
Securing rights for traditional Grand Slam tournaments and even sanctioned ATP events is increasingly difficult, as these rights are typically tied up with established media partners for years. For instance, the U.S. Open recently extended its contract with ESPN for 12 years, while the French Open signed a 10-year, $650 million deal with TNT Sports, and Wimbledon extended its agreement with ESPN to cover the next 12 years.
To navigate this, streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, or Amazon Prime are moving toward acquiring non-sanctioned or exhibition events arranged with individual athletes, as demonstrated by the 6 Kings Slam’s use of the lucrative term “slam.” However, it’s important to note that this event is not a formal Grand Slam competition.
TKO Holdings and Future of Tennis
IMG is producing the broadcast, and it’s noteworthy that its parent company is TKO Holdings, which has recently been active in the sports market. TKO also owns the UFC and WWE, both of which have secured substantial distribution deals. Their involvement with tennis underscores an interest in transforming other popular “one-on-one” sports into elements of their expanding portfolio.
The Rise of Tennis Exhibitions
Shortly before Netflix’s news was released, another exhibition event, “A Racquet at The Rock,” was announced for December 7 in Newark, featuring matches between Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe, as well as Amanda Anisimova versus Emma Raducanu, although no broadcast details were mentioned. Additionally, in January 2026, Nick Kyrgios will face Aryna Sabalenka in an exhibition match in Hong Kong, reminiscent of the iconic 1973 “Battle of the Sexes.”
— Reporting contributions from The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch, James Hansen, and Andrew Marchand.
(Photo: Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty Images)
