Tennis Channel extends ATP deal, adds digital rights

Pay-television broadcaster Tennis Channel has extended an agreement for US rights to the men’s ATP World Tour.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Tennis Channel will retain rights to Masters 1000 and World Tour 500 events, as well as the season-ending ATP Finals.

The fresh agreement also grants the broadcaster OTT streaming rights to Masters 1000 and World Tour 500 events through its Tennis Channel Plus service.

Both Tennis Channel and Tennis Channel Plus will have live rights to 19 tournaments on the ATP World Tour. Coverage will include the seven Masters 1000 tournaments in Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris, as well as all 12 World Tour 500 events in Rotterdam, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai, Acapulco, Barcelona, Halle, Queen’s Club, Hamburg, Beijing, Tokyo, Basel and Vienna.

US events in Indian Wells and Miami, along with the ATP Finals, will be limited to television and authenticated streaming. However, live coverage of the women's Indian Wells and Miami WTA events will be available through Tennis Channel Plus.

Tennis Channel has also expanded its video on demand selection with more matches and clips available through the ATP archive.

Ken Solomon, president of Tennis Channel, said: “I don’t think we can understate the importance of what this evolution of our ATP Media agreement means for Tennis Channel Plus. To nearly double the number of live tournaments in adding almost every Masters 1000 and 500 event to the service, from first round through the finals, is a tremendous addition to the schedule of events fans can access digitally.”