The MP & Silva agency has acquired the global broadcast rights to the new International Premier Tennis League tournament, according to organisers of the event.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but IPTL chief executive Morgan Menahem told the Press Trust of India news agency that MP & Silva will be distributing the league’s rights on a worldwide platform.
The IPTL, co-founded by Indian tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi, was first unveiled in May 2013 and its inaugural edition is set to be held from November 28 to December 20 this year. The likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka have already announced their participation in the event and they will also be joined by a host of current and former players.
Organisers today said that Bangkok, Singapore, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur and a city in the Middle East will be home to the first five teams of the franchise-based league, which will stage a player draft in Dubai on March 2.
Bhupathi said: “We have been working relentlessly to formulate and deliver a concept that not only meets global expectations of excellence, but also provides quality tennis coupled with entertainment for fans.”