The Tennis Channel has renewed its agreement with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to broadcast more than 2,000 matches per season through 2032. While specific financial terms were not disclosed, CEO Jeff Blackburn indicated a significant increase in payments to the WTA for U.S. media rights, which include international tournaments and the WTA Finals. This renewal reflects a commitment to promoting tennis year-round as Blackburn emphasizes the importance of WTA content in their programming.
This agreement comes during a transitional period for the Tennis Channel, following the departure of long-time CEO Ken Solomon and Blackburn’s ascension from Amazon. Despite reports of Sinclair, the Tennis Channel’s parent company, considering a sale, these plans have been shelved under Blackburn’s leadership. As traditional pay-TV faces subscriber losses, the Tennis Channel has focused on enhancing its streaming offerings, including the successful launch of Tennis Channel Plus and Tennis Channel 2, which has notably attracted a younger audience.
The partnership aims for increased exposure of women’s tennis, reflecting a broader surge in interest and investment in women’s sports. This is timely, as American female players, like Madison Keys and Coco Gauff, are performing exceptionally well, exemplifying tennis’s commitment to gender equity compared to other sports. Blackburn highlighted the unique position of tennis in promoting women’s events, including “Women’s Day” programming on Tennis Channel 2.
The WTA Ventures, formed to enhance commercial revenue, aims to triple its earnings by 2029 and expects a 24% revenue increase in its first full year. The media extension is the first under this new framework, with further negotiations anticipated when existing streaming deals expire. Despite progress, issues like disparity in pay at lower tournaments and scheduling biases during major events persist.
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