Tennis Channel, the sports-focused US cable network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, has extended its rights deal with women's tennis' WTA governing body, through 2032.
A deal announced today entails Tennis Channel continuing as the exclusive US broadcast partner of all major WTA events – 1000, 500, and 250 tournaments – for the next seven years. The deal has been struck by Tennis Channel with WTA Ventures, the tennis organization's commercial entity.
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This specific tie-up covers events held outside the US, with the network covering tournaments domestically via separate rights deals.
Both parties, it has been claimed, will now collaborate to "enhance and innovate coverage of women's tennis, engaging fans and promoting the game to new audiences."
Throughout the deal, heavyweight sports marketing agency IMG advised WTA Ventures.
This extension comes after Sinclair, the WTA, and the men's ATP unveiled a partnership based around the provision of integrated sponsorship opportunities to brands in May. Through the tie-up, sponsors now have access to both the ATP and WTA calendars of events in the US and all of Sinclair’s Tennis Channel properties, under a single sponsorship package.
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By GlobalDataMarina Storti, WTA Ventures' chief executive, has said: "By securing a multi-year investment from a valued strategic partner, this deal is a significant milestone for WTA Ventures as we continue to execute our strategy to achieve a step change in the commercial value of women’s tennis.”
Four US women are currently in the top 10 of the WTA rankings.
Last November, the network launched a free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST) channel, T2, that airs some live matches, as well as a new direct-to-consumer streaming service that allows fans to sign up to the network without having to pay for a TV subscription.
Blackburn's appointment came eight months after Sinclair ousted the channel’s longstanding chief executive, Ken Solomon, in September 2024 over out-of-work commitments relating to TV personality Phillip “Dr Phil” McGraw.
