WTA sign broadcast deal with Tennis Channel

27 October 2011 | Posted in Broadcast, Tennis, North America | By James Emmett

Less than a week after securing a similar deal with ESPN, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has reached a long-term broadcast agreement with the Tennis Channel.

Under the new five-year agreement, the US pay-TV platform will broadcast between 170 and 190 live or first-run hours of coverage a week, as well as at least a dozen Premier Events and the season-ending WTA Championships.

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Newly re-appointed chief executive of the WTA Stacey Allaster commented: “Tennis Channel has been a fantastic partner for the WTA. The extensive coverage and promotion that they provide for our WTA events has been a key ingredient in the growth and popularity of women’s tennis in the United States.”

The deal, running through 2016, includes 'TV Everywhere', which gives Tennis Channel the rights to exploit content across multiple media platforms, including mobile and the internet.

Tennis Channel chairman and chief executive Ken Solomon added: “Women’s tennis is uniquely valuable in the world of major professional sports, with star power, sponsorships, prize money, ratings and ticket sales that are the envy of so many others.”

"Stacey and the WTA have built the foremost brand in women’s sports today, and a critical component of our on-air schedule. Year-round women’s competition is one of the most important things that set Tennis Channel apart from any other network,” he added.

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Tennis Channel has recently reached agreements with Roland Garros and the All England Lawn Tennis Association to continue broadcasting the French Open through 2022 and the Wimbledon Tennis Championships through 2023.
 

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