Australian telecommunications company Telstra has entered into a six-year partnership with Perform through which it will aid the digital sports media company’s delivery of its media-rights and production contract with the Women’s Tennis Association.
Under the multi-million dollar agreement, which runs from 2017 to 2022, Telstra will deliver a global media network solution for WTA events. The deal represents Telstra’s biggest ever media broadcast deal since its Telstra Broadcast Services division was established.
Telstra’s deal with Perform will span 47 WTA events in 2017, including the Brisbane International, St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, Miami Open and the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore. By 2020, the deal will cover more than 51 tournaments. Telstra’s network of operations centres in Australia, Asia, Europe and the US will be used to transmit live WTA tournament video and audio content around the world.
In a first for women’s tennis, Telstra will deliver multiple simultaneous live feeds from concurrent WTA tournaments. Telstra has also signed a contract with Perform for core global network solutions in addition to the WTA service.
“Supporting an event of WTA’s global scale is a step-change for Telstra Broadcast Services and reaffirms the value of Telstra’s global reach and broadcast expertise as a top tier service provide,” David Burns, Telstra’s acting group executive for global enterprise and services, said.
“Expanding our presence in this market remains a key priority for Telstra’s global enterprise and services business and Telstra is investing heavily to bring the best solutions and technology to market for broadcast customers.”
The 2017 season marks the start of Perform’s long-term deal with the WTA, which was signed in December 2014. The deal is worth $525m (€489m) over 10 years, until 2026, and expands on a previous four-year arrangement between the two parties, from 2013 to 2016.
The deal has formed a new joint venture called WTA Media, which produces all main-draw singles matches and the semi-finals and finals of all doubles matches for delivery across linear, digital and over-the-top platforms. WTA Media is also producing news content and magazine programming.