The WTA is staying on Tennis Channel for the foreseeable future.
The women’s tennis circuit has signed a six-year deal with the Sinclair-owned cable network that will see all WTA 1000, 500, and 250 events played outside of the United States remain on Tennis Channel, the T2 FAST channel, and the Tennis Channel+ streaming service, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. U.S.-based tournaments are sold in a separate package, which also remains on Tennis Channel for now.
Excluding a short period between 2017 and 2018, when beIN Sports carried WTA events, Tennis Channel has carried the tour since its launch in 2003.
Per Sports Business Journal, the new deal includes a “significant increase” in rights fee from the last deal the two sides signed in 2022. “WTA is more valuable than ever,” Tennis Channel CEO Jeff Blackburn told SBJ. “Being able to extend [WTA rights] into the next decade, just like we have with the ATP, is super important to us as we invest in the next phase of growth at Tennis Channel.”
The deal solidifies Tennis Channel’s status as indispensable for those that want to follow the sport year-round. Outside of tennis’ four Grand Slam events, the entire regular season for both the WTA and ATP require Tennis Channel to watch in the United States.
That type of partnership doesn’t necessarily give the sport incredible reach, or expose tennis to casual fans very often, but it superserves the sport’s most fervent viewers. And now, ever since Tennis Channel launched its direct-to-consumer product in November 2024, fans do not need a pay TV subscription in order to follow the sport.
Clearly, the WTA is satisfied with the partnership.
“For us, the strategy was to work with partners that have a really strong belief in women’s tennis, that want to grow it with us, that can make a big commitment and investment in the sport — but also take the sport to the next level,” WTA Ventures CEO Marina Storti told SBJ.
With American stars like Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys becoming household names, WTA seems primed for growth. Tennis Channel is certainly banking on that crop of players to continue generating interest in the sport for the next six years.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.