Amazon picks up Laver Cup tennis rights

Internet company Amazon’s Prime Video service has confirmed a deal to stream live coverage of Laver Cup tennis matches in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Live and on-demand coverage of the event, which will take place in Chicago from September 21-23, will be available to Prime members.

The Laver Cup has retained OTT rights with all of its rights deals for the event.

Laver Cup content will be available across hundreds of devices on the Prime Video app for televisions, game consoles, set-top boxes and connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV, mobile devices and online.

Prime Video will also feature a specially-produced mini-series that will feature behind-the-scenes content.

The length of the deal was not disclosed, but reports initially suggested that the agreement would run for two years.

The Laver Cup will feature Team Europe, led by Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, against Team World, which will comprise Juan Martin del Potro, John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Diego Schwartzman and Nick Kyrgios. Last year’s inaugural edition of the event featured Federer and Rafael Nadal, with Team Europe securing a 15-9 victory over Team World.

In April, Amazon confirmed an exclusive five-year rights deal in the UK for the US Open grand slam tournament through to 2022. From 2019, Amazon will also show the ATP World Tour in the UK as part of a five-year deal that will run until 2023.

Amazon last year entered into a partnership with ATP Media, the broadcast arm of professional men’s circuit the ATP World Tour, through which it is streaming the Next Gen Finals through to the end of 2018.