The list of live TV sports events set for this weekend starts on the football field with the opening week of the 2021 NFL season. CBS and Fox will offer Sunday afternoon regional doubleheaders, while NBC will debut its Sunday Night Football coverage with the Chicago Bears-Los Angeles Rams game. 

ESPN on Saturday will telecast U.S. Open tennis tournament women’s finals match between upstart teen pros Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, and will return to Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Sunday for the men’s finals.

On the baseball field, Fox on Saturday will televise the New York Yankees-New York Mets game, which will also commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On Sunday, ESPN will feature the Yankees-Mets game for its Sunday Night Baseball telecast. 

College football gears up for its second weekend of actions with eight of the top 10 ranked teams playing in nationally televised games. Top ranked Alabama will travel to take on Mercer on the SEC Network, while second-ranked Georgia will play UAB on ESPN2. Other games include No. 3 Ohio State against No. 12 Oregon (Fox), No. 5 Texas A&M-Colorado (Fox), No. 6 Clemson-South Carolina State (ACC Network), No. 7 Cincinnati-Murray State (ESPN Plus), No. 8 Notre Dame-Toledo (Peacock), and No. 9 Iowa State-No. 10 Iowa (ABC).

Read Also: College Football Scores Watch-Time, Impressions Wins for Week One 

In other sports NBCSN, USA Network and NBC will feature Premier League soccer games on Saturday, while on the auto racing track Sunday ESPN (Formula One: Italian Grand Prix), and NBC (IndyCar: Grand Prix of Portland) will feature live races. 

Also Sunday, ABC will air a WNBA contest between the Washington Mystics and the Chicago Sky.  

On the combat sports front, Evander Holyfield will return to the boxing ring for the first time in a decade when he meets former UFC mixed martial arts champion Vitor Belfort in a pay-per-view boxing event Saturday night. 

When U.S. tennis pro Sloane Stephens defeated fellow countrywoman Madison Keys this past September to win the US Open tennis Grand Slam tournament, it concluded a remarkable three-week run that saw American women sweep the semifinal and finals rounds for the first ti.me in 32 years.

It also completed a remarkable run for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which served up a quality, exciting product featuring the best of a new, young class of tennis professionals under the oversight of USTA chair, president and CEO Katrina Adams.

Adams, a former professional tennis player who competed on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour for 12 years in the late 1980s through the 1990s, took over the USTA in 2015, becoming the first African-American woman and, at age 49, the youngest person to head the New York-based organization.

Adams oversaw the strong performance of American women at the US Open — without Serena Williams, arguably the sport’s top draw, who recently gave birth to her first child — which helped ESPN set ratings records for its tournament coverage.

Related: 'MCN' Athlete of the Year | The King Extends His Court to TV

The Stephens-Keys final drew 968,000 viewers, up 8% from the tournament’s performance in 2016. “Our collective success at the US Open is a direct result of the tremendous collaborative relationship we have with Katrina and the USTA team,” said Burke Magnus, executive vice president of programming and scheduling for ESPN. “We are privileged to partner with the USTA extensively, highlighted by our exclusive presentation of the US Open each year.”

More importantly for the sport, the USTA through the US Open provided exposure for a new generation of U.S. tennis players as well as momentum going into 2018 as the tournament celebrates its 50th anniversary.

As for Adams, she isn’t just a star in the boardroom: Some sports fans will recognize her as a co-host of CBS Sports Network’s weekly talk show We Need to Talk, the first all-female sports series.

The USTA and Adams’s success in both tennis and television has earned the organization and its signature tournament honors as the Multichannel News Sports Brand of the Year. Adams recently spoke to MCN programming editor R. Thomas Umstead about the USTA’s success and her plans to take the association to the next level as it celebrates the US Open’s 50th anniversary in 2018.

MCN: Could you have imagined a more successful US Open campaign than what transpired this year?
Katrina Adams: I think you could say all the chips fell in a row for us on this one. You know it was the 20th anniversary of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, and we set out this year to highlight that milestone as we approach our 50th anniversary next year the US Open. But of course, seeing the way that all the draws fell into place and how the women in particular had a strong a very strong and exciting finish, we couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

MCN: Going into the US Open, did you have any inkling that the tournament would end up with four American women in the semifinals?
KA: Well, you can never predict these things. A lot of it has to do with how to draw falls and how the big players fall out early — who takes out whom — so it’s all about matchups more than anything, because on any given day anyone can win. But, as I said I think the chips kind of fell in place for all of the competitors that came through — five of the eight quarterfinals were American and then obviously to all four (semifinals) to two (finals) to one as champion. We were very proud of their performances and we’re very happy for them. It shines a bright light on American tennis, which is something that is greatly needed. Any time you can you can showcase your best native players at their grand slam is very inspirational. With us kicking off our Net Generation brand at the US Open, which is our youth-based brand, and having so many kids around as well throughout the week, it was inspirational for them to see the success of the players.

MCN: Was the success of U.S. women players in the final rounds of the tournament the biggest reason for increased year-to-year ratings for the tournament on ESPN?
KA: I think [ESPN] has done a great job year after year. There were a lot of innovations that were in play as well to lure people in to watch more U.S. Open tennis. But it’s evident that when you have an American in a final more people will tune in. I think as the storyline unfolded in the last three or four days of the tournament, more and more people were tuning in because they wanted to see if we could get four Americans in the semifinals of the US Open for the first time since 1985, and then of course to see how it’s going to shape up with who would be in the finals, and then the ultimate winner. I’m sure a lot of that contributed to the growth of their numbers for viewership, and you know we’d love to duplicate that year in and year out.

MCN: Is the sport managing to reach its audience in a very crowded, multiplatform media marketplace, and what is the USTA doing to aid those efforts?
KA: I think the sport is reaching its audience. Not only do you have it on television but you’re also able to watch these matches from the palm of your hand or your tablet anywhere you are — if you are a tennis fan, you can access tennis. I think that’s the exciting part of our sport right now as is it continues to grow. Tennis Channel is on 24/7 so you can always access that; the [WTA] has been on beIN Sports, so it’s another network that is showing professional tennis. Then, of course, ESPN is doing what they’re doing with all the grand slams.

On the digital side, all the courts at the US Open were live-streamed so you could pick the court that you wanted to watch; you didn’t have to watch just what was on the television. We’ll continue to grow and learn from that and add even more TV quirks next year.

MCN: How did your time as a pro tennis player prepare you to lead the USTA?
KA: I’m a person that has come up through every level of the sport so I understand it. I get it, and I can relate to people and know their challenges as much as their successes. So I think I have brought a sense of comfort to many of our tennis players in the U.S. because of that background, and we’re doing everything that we can possible to make sure that we are providing the best product that we can for everyone at every level. So, I would have to say that my experience has definitely allowed me to be able to communicate better with people and understand them, not just looking from a business perspective but from a human-relations perspective.

MCN: Along with everything you do behind the scenes at the USTA you also have a high-profile presence as a co-host of We Need to Talk. How important is it for you to have an on-air presence?
KA: While I’ve actually been on the show for the last three years, I’ve been an analyst for Tennis Channel and other networks since 2003. For me, it’s a change of pace — it’s important to continue to have that presence because who knows where I’m going to go in the future. I love sports and I love talking about sports. I love learning about inspirational leaders through the stories that we cover. For me it’s fun.

MCN: Overall, how would you characterize the state of professional tennis today?
KA: I think tennis is becoming “hot again” because of storylines like we had at the US Open. It’s hot because Serena Williams had a baby and is anticipating coming back in January, so all eyes will be on tennis to see if she comes back and how she will do. That’s a whole new epic story for 2018 as she chases Margaret Court’s record for Grand Slams. So I’m really excited about where we’re going, and I’m excited about our youth here in America. Yes, the marketplace is saturated with so many other sports, but we are we’re hopeful that we are doing the right things to engage new youth into the sport and retaining those youth that we already have. We continue to be innovative and come up with some creative ideas for them as we increasingly move on the digital space.

With the men’s championship on the line, CBS Sports will bid farewell to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, ending a 47-year run with the American Grand Slam.

CBS began its journey with the dawn of the Open era in 1968, when amateur Arthur Ashe won the title, previously known as the U.S. National Championships, by topping The Netherlands’ Tom Okker in five sets on the grass at the West Side Tennis Center in Forest Hills, Queens. On Monday, Sept. 8, CBS will help crown a new king -- 2011 winner and four-time runner-up Novak Djokovic is seeded to meet five-time Open monarch and all-time Grand Slam lord Roger Federer in the final – on the court bearing Ashe’s name.

Outbid by ESPN on a new 11-year, $825 million rights deal that goes into effect in 2015, CBS will leave the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens and its hard courts for the last time, but not before sharing its memories and celebrating the tourney’s history.

On Sunday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m., the broadcast network will air a half-hour special program, CBS Salutes The U.S. Open, looking back at the moments and champions that have highlighted its first 46 years of tourney coverage with a number of the announcers who have called the action.  Bill Macatee hosts and will be joined byTony Trabert, John McEnroe, Mary Carillo, Virginia Wade and Dick Enberg. 

Returning from his current gig calling San Diego Padres baseball games on FS San Diego, Enberg, who served as 12 years as CBS’s lead play-by-play man at the Open, will make one last match call – and no doubt utter an “Oh, my” or three --  on Sunday, Aug. 31, alongside his former boothmates McEnroe and Carillo. The legendary broadcaster also will be part of the network’s final weekend coverage, contributing an essay reliving some of the event’s most memorable moments.  Moreover, CBS will present a vignette series throughout the tournament commemorating the great Open moments on its dial over the years.  These shorts will also be available on CBSSports.com.

Per usual, CBS will join the Open over Labor Day weekend, with seven hours of daily coverage from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 30, Sunday Aug. 31 and Monday Sept. 1, before closing shop with women’s and men’s semifinal and championship action (see schedule below).

Sister service CBS Sports Network will again feature Open coverage with three days of live Labor Day weekend action showcasing the most compelling third and fourth-round matches not shown during CBS’s live simultaneous broadcast.  The cable network also presents live studio show, Today at the U.S. Open, from the National Tennis Center.

Additionally, CBS Sports’ full coverage of the tourney will be available on CBSSports.com through live streaming at cbssports.com/tennis/usopen. Highlights and video on demand content for the matches CBS Sports is broadcasting will be available both online and on mobile phones via the CBS Sports app for iOS and Android. 

Before stepping onto the court next year and adding the Labor Day weekend action and the business end of the tourney, ESPN’s various platforms in their sixth year of presentations from Flushing Meadows will present 100 TV hours and 400 hours from up to seven courts on broadband portal ESPN3, beginning on Monday, Aug. 25

 “We are proud of what we have brought to the U.S. Open for now a sixth year in the U.S. – serving fans with more television hours than ever, all TV courts on ESPN3, online coverage highlighted by Courtcast on ESPN.com, and the best tennis team in the business on both sides of the camera – and we look forward to an exciting event where so much is on the line for the game’s brightest stars,” said Jason Bernstein, ESPN senior director, programming and acquisitions.  “We take seriously our role in documenting the sport’s year-long narrative, and while saluting the tremendous work CBS has done for 46 years we’re excited about what lies ahead for fans starting next year.”

For its part, Tennis Channel will air some 75 hours of live matches from the first day of play through the second Thursday, highlighted by primetime coverage on Saturday and Sunday on Labor Day weekend.

Also in its sixth year of event coverage, Tennis Channel will devote more than 260 hours over the 15-day competition, including almost 60 hours of encore matches, four hours of daily lead-in show Tennis Channel Live at the U.S. Open, and 130 hours of nightly U.S. Open Tonight and daily Breakfast at the Open.

Marking the Open’s open on Aug. 25, that Monday stands as a typical day for the independent network, which will come on the the air at 10:30 a.m. (ET) with the half-hour Tennis Channel Live at the U.S. Open from its set on the second level of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Live match coverage begins with the first ball of play at 11 a.m. and runs to 7 p.m. News and highlight show U.S. Open Tonight screens from 11 p.m.-2:30 a.m., followed by an immediate encore from 2:30 a.m.-6 a.m. From 6 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Breakfast at the Open will bring morning viewers up to speed on everything up to the start of that day's live coverage.

CBS Sports’ schedule of live US Open Tennis action:

Saturday, Aug. 30     11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s and women’s third round singles)

Sunday, Aug. 31        11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s third round/women’s fourth round)

Monday, Sept. 1        11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s/women’s fourth round singles)

Friday, Sept. 5          12:30-6:00 PM, ET (mixed doubles championship/women’s semi-finals)

Saturday, Sept. 6       12:00 NOON-6:00 PM, ET (men’s semi-finals)

Sunday, Sept. 7          4:30 PM, ET (women’s singles championship)         

Monday, Sept. 8        5:00 PM, ET (men’s singles championship)

CBS Sports Network’s schedule of live US Open Tennis action:

Saturday, Aug. 30     11:00 AM-12:00 NOON, ET; 3:30-6:00 PM, ET  third round singles)

Sunday, Aug. 31        11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s third round/women’s fourth round)

Monday, Sept. 1        11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s/women’s fourth round singles)

ESPN / ESPN2 & US Open 2014

Tennis Channel's Live 2014 US Open Coverage Schedule

Date                                        Time (ET)                  Event                                    

Monday, Aug. 25                    10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        First Round

Tuesday, Aug. 26                    10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        First Round

Wednesday, Aug. 27              10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        First Round, Second Round

Thursday, Aug. 28                  10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        Second Round

Friday, Aug. 29                       10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        Second Round, Third Round

Saturday, Aug. 30                   7 p.m.-11 p.m.             Third Round

Sunday, Aug. 31                     7 p.m.-11 p.m.            Third Round, Round of 16

Tuesday, Sept. 2                     10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        Round of 16, Doubles

Wednesday, Sept. 3                10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.        Doubles, Juniors

Thursday, Sept. 4                    10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.        Doubles, Juniors, Legends Exhibition

Tennis Channel's US Open Tonight, Breakfast at the Open Schedule

U.S. Open Tonight airs for 11 consecutive nights, from Monday, Aug. 25 to Thursday, Sept. 4. Its premiere will usually run from 11 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (ET) followed immediately by an encore from 2:30 a.m.-6 a.m. The exception will be Sunday, Aug. 31, when the show does not air until after midnight, from 12:30 a.m.-4 a.m. (early Monday, Sept. 1), followed by an encore edition from 4 a.m.-6 a.m. Breakfast at the Open also runs for 11 straight nights, from Tuesday, Aug. 26 to Friday, Sept. 5. The show airs from 6 a.m.-10:30 a.m. every morning except for August 30-31, September 1 and September 5, when it ends at 11 a.m.