Newport’s International Tennis Hall of Fame will serve as the backdrop for a national television spotlight next week as ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter makes a stop in the City by the Sea as part of its ambitious “50 States in 50 Days” summer tour.
The network will broadcast live from the Hall of Fame Open on Monday, July 7, during the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter, with anchor Amina Smith reporting from overlooking the historic grass courts.
The visit marks Rhode Island’s featured stop in ESPN’s coast-to-coast initiative celebrating local sports stories and traditions across America.
Perfect Timing for Women in Sports Day
ESPN’s arrival coincides with the tournament’s designated “Women in Sports Day,” making the timing particularly fitting given the broadcast’s focus on the historic return of women’s professional tennis to Newport. This year’s Hall of Fame Open marks the first time women competitors will take part in the tournament since 1990, a historic milestone that ESPN plans to highlight during its coverage.
The day’s schedule includes a Women in Sports Q&A on the Ryl Iced Tea Lawn at 12:30 p.m., along with tennis action beginning at 11 a.m. Gates open at 10 a.m., with museum access available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The ESPN broadcast will also focus on the upcoming induction of tennis superstar Maria Sharapova into the International Tennis Hall of Fame later this summer.
“The hits will focus on this being the first time women are playing at this event and the HOF inducting Maria Sharapova later this summer”, Rachel Siegal, Associate Director, ESPN Internal Comms, tells What’sUpNewp. “We will also be teasing our Wimbledon content, which is also on our air, and the fact that Newport is the only professional grass court in the U.S.”
Star-Studded Player Field
The tournament features an exceptional player field, with Americans Alycia Parks, Hailey Baptiste, Jenson Brooksby and Christopher Eubanks highlighting the women’s and men’s entries. Parks reached the third round of the Australian Open in 2024, while Baptiste posted her best major appearance with a round of 16 showing at Roland-Garros this year.
World No. 43 Tatjana Maria of Germany, who claimed the WTA 500 title at London’s Queens Club over the weekend, leads a field that includes Heather Watson of the U.K., both of whom reached the Wimbledon semifinals and fourth round respectively in 2022.
“This year’s Hall of Fame Open boasts an exceptional player field, featuring Grand Slam contenders, title winners so far this year and stars on the rise,” said Tournament Director Brewer Rowe. “Fans can watch double the tennis on our grass courts while still enjoying all of the unique amenities that make the Hall of Fame Open one of the most intimate environments on tour.”
Historic Venue and Equal Prize Money
The Newport stop holds particular appeal for tennis coverage as the Hall of Fame’s grass courts represent the only professional grass court venue in the United States. Both men’s and women’s draws will be awarded equal prize money of $200,000, reflecting the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s commitment to gender pay equity.
ESPN plans to leverage this unique setting while also teasing content from Wimbledon, which runs concurrently on the network. The broadcast will feature a mix of live segments and pre-taped content, with producers hoping to arrange for Smith to interact with players for a possible on-court demonstration, though those details are still being finalized with Hall of Fame officials.
National Tour Significance
ESPN’s “50 States in 50 Days” tour, which began Friday, June 27, represents the network’s most ambitious cross-country initiative in two decades. The last similar effort was “SportsCenter Across America” in 2005, making this summer’s journey a modern tribute to that legacy.
The seven-week tour reflects ESPN’s strategy of connecting with sports fans across the country while building anticipation for the launch of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service later this year. Content from each stop will appear across multiple ESPN platforms, including various SportsCenter editions, the ESPN App, and ESPN’s social media channels.
The Hall of Fame Open runs July 6-13, with all ticketed fans receiving unlimited access to the newly renovated museum, fan village activations and Horseshoe Court, where Wimbledon matches will be broadcast throughout the week. Tickets available at halloffameopen.com
For Newport, the national exposure provides an opportunity to showcase both the historic venue and the broader sports culture of Rhode Island to a nationwide audience during peak summer tourism season.
Editor’s Note: What’sUpNewp is awaiting confirmation from Hall of Fame officials regarding public access to the ESPN SportsCenter live broadcast. We will update this story as more details become available.
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