Eurosport strikes Australian Open rights extension

Pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport has renewed an exclusive agreement to show the Australian Open grand slam tournament in a rights deal that also includes a number of other top tennis properties in the country.

The deal will run for five years, from 2017 to 2021.

The exclusive television and digital rights deal will cover more than 50 European markets.

The renewed partnership with Tennis Australia, which operates the Australian Open, includes additional exclusive live rights to two Australian Open warm-up ATP World Tour men’s tournaments – the Brisbane International and Sydney International.

Eurosport will also be able to show the World Tennis Challenge exhibition tournament along with international mixed team competition the Hopman Cup, with the rights to the latter becoming exclusive to Eurosport from 2019.

“The Australian Open is a lynchpin in Eurosport’s extensive portfolio of leading tennis properties and has been so for over 20 years,” Eurosport chief executive Peter Hutton said. “Eurosport is dedicated to securing exclusive must-have sports and also building and amplifying key existing partnerships, as we are doing with Tennis Australia by securing additional live rights that give the channel a whole month of exclusive top-class tennis. This helps Eurosport tell a compelling story and, along with planned enhancements in our on-site production, will result in an exciting viewing experience for tennis fans across the continent.”