Broadcast networks are requested to exclude spectator responses to Trump during the men's finals match at the US Open.
President Trump to Attend US Open Men's Final Amidst Controversy
President Donald Trump is set to make an appearance at the US Open in New York this Sunday, attending the men's final which is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET. This visit, however, has sparked controversy, with broadcasters receiving requests to avoid showing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President's attendance.
The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) sent a memo to broadcasters, including ESPN and ABC (Disney's sports and news divisions respectively), asking them to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President's attendance. ABC, the broadcaster for the men's final, has stated they will aim to keep the focus on the sport and avoid showing crowd reactions or disturbances related to Trump's attendance, following the USTAβs request.
This is not the first time Trump's presence at a sporting event has caused controversy. In 2015, during his presidential campaign, Trump attended a US Open match, and the crowd reaction was criticized by multiple news outlets. At the Super Bowl in February, Trump was only seen on camera briefly and received more cheers than boos when shown on the stadium's video screens.
Conversely, at the FIFA Club World Cup final in July, Trump received cheers upon arrival at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, but received some boos when shown on the video screens during the national anthem and later during the competition. A prominent tennis writer, Ben Rothenberg, published a story titled "U.S. Open Orders Broadcasters to Censor Reactions to Trump" on Saturday.
Conservative lawyer George Conway expressed hope for a political protest at the US Open final, but also expressed concern about potential chants like "WE WANT THE EPSTEIN FILES" potentially upsetting President Trump. Sports networks, including ESPN, tend to avoid showing streakers and other attention-seeking, game-interrupting stunts.
It is unclear if ABC will follow the tennis association's request to censor reactions to Trump's attendance at the US Open. Political protests are inherently more newsworthy; when environmental activists disrupted a US Open semifinal match in 2023, ESPN did show some live pictures of the protesters.
The US Open is a beloved event in Trump's hometown borough of Queens in deep-blue New York City, attracting a different crowd than recent UFC fighting matches that Trump has attended. ESPN production plans to show Trump and note that he is in attendance, similar to Fox's coverage at the Super Bowl earlier this year.
As the US Open approaches, the focus remains on the tennis matches, with the USTA emphasizing the desire to keep the focus on the court during Trump's visit to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.
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