The Scoop: FRIDAY, APRIL 18

Southern TV show producer wins USTA media award

By Ron Cioffi
tennisreporters.net

Jeff Batten, the producer of TVMatchpoint – a group of two tennis TV shows growing to four – has won the 2003 USTA National Media Excellence Award winner in the broadcast category.

Batten is the owner of Batten Communications and producer of the successful “Matchpoint Atlanta” and “Matchpoint Southeast” television shows. The shows are scheduled to expand with “Matchpoint America” on the national Tennis Channel in May and “Matchpoint Florida” on Fox Sports Net Florida April 26.

“Jeff Batten has been an integral partner in helping the USTA to grow the game of tennis,” said John Callen, Executive Director of the USTA Southern Section. “His dedication and love of the game is unrivaled among his peers in the media."

The show's web site – www.TVMatchpoint.com – will be posting tennisreporters.net stories later this month. This link deal has an ironic edge because tr.net was also nominated for the award.

Batten said, “Tennis has been a focal point in my life since I played my first league match 25 years ago so 'Matchpoint' has always been a labor of love. I'm truly honored that the world's foremost tennis organization has recognized the value in the television programs we produce.”

In 1997 “Matchpoint Atlanta” was launched in 1997 and last year was aired for 20 weeks on Atlanta's WAGA-TV FOX 5. “Matchpoint Southeast” debuted in 2002 and aired on Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) to a 10-state Southeastern audience. CSS reaches 4.1 million homes in the Southeast region.

The shows feature recreational tennis play along with coverage of pro tour, college and junior events.

Batten has won the USTA Southern Section's 2001 Media of Year Award and was nominated for the national award by the section's Director of Communications, Publications and Membership Marc Kaplan. Kaplan said, “Jeff has been a great support in growing the game in the South. He deserves this award based on a long standing relationship with the Southern Section and what he has done for tennis.”