Television and game of tennis
Television changed the game of tennis, mostly in good ways. In 1972, more than 50 million viewers watched Australian stars Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver play a five-set classic. Rosewall won. A year later, Billie Jean King defeated the once-great but aging tennis hustler Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes. The match took place in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, before a crowd of 30,000. Millions more watched on TV. Superstar names boosted ratings. The Grand Slam tournaments began to attract viewers from other sports who were not hard-core players or fans.
The number of recreational players soared. Tennis-related products created an economic boom that appeared to be directly related to the number of tennis events shown on television. The tennis accessories that players wore and used, the synthetic surfaces on which they played, and even the sport drinks and energy bars they consumed had a crossover marketing effect on other sports seeking to benefit from bigger television audiences and lucrative sponsorships.
American stars Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe played brilliantly during the 1970s and 1980s in nationally televised matches. However, their frequent unruly behavior on the court (which included cursing, throwing rackets, and arguing with officials) set an example that may have negatively influenced a generation of young players.
Television even changed the way score is kept. With traditional scoring, the length of matches is unpredictable, making it more difficult to slot advertising and to manage a schedule. Therefore, tiebreaker games were introduced in some cases so a 6-6 set would end quickly.
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