The Tennis Channel has acquired WTA broadcast rights for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
The two-year deal expands the broadcaster’s relationship with the tennis organisation, with it already holding exclusive rights in the US since 2019. All WTA 1000, WTA 500, and WTA 250 events, as well as the WTA Finals will be shown in the territories, with the WTA 1000 events shown live on local broadcaster Ziggo TV in the Netherlands, and Tennis Channel airing them on delay.
Sport Business revealed that the distribution for the rights will be through the Tennis Channel’s international offering and a series of digital, free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. In addition, the Tennis Channel will gain access to Stats Perform data through the deal.
Tennis Channel chairman Ken Solomon said: “This is about opening the funnel to what makes tennis great to a far larger audience. This WTA deal will allow us to show in that part of the world the full continuity of the sport and every single [women’s] match that has a television camera on it. It’s an opportunity to see the sport as it really and fully exists, which hasn’t been available up to now outside of the United States.”
Micky Lawler, WTA president, added: “I can’t say yet this is the start of a global strategy, but I wouldn’t discount it. We have great belief in what we can do together.”