Latest news with #HologicWTATour
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Six-year deal between WTA Ventures and Tennis Channel brings increased investment and exposure for women's tennis
ST PETERSBURG, Fla. & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WTA Ventures and Tennis Channel have agreed to a new six-year media rights deal ensuring that Tennis Channel platforms will continue to be the exclusive home of WTA tennis in the United States through 2032. As a result of the significant new commitment, the drama and entertainment of the Hologic WTA Tour will be available to tennis fans across the United States through Tennis Channel, its streaming network TennisChannel 2, its app and website The deal covers all WTA 1000, 500 and 250 events (except tournaments in the United States) through to the season-closing WTA Finals where the world's best singles players and doubles teams battle to be crowned as year-end champions. (The network covers women's events in the United States through other rights contracts.) Following the new agreement, WTA Ventures and Tennis Channel will work together to continue to enhance and innovate coverage of women's tennis, engaging fans and promoting the game to new audiences. These combined efforts will build on the launch of the WTA's bold new brand identity and the strong growth of women's tennis in the United States, where live WTA viewership on Tennis Channel continues to grow in 2025 on top of the prior increase in 2024. This positive trend includes spectacular growth among younger audiences, with live WTA viewership among 18-34s up annually since 2023. With four U.S. players currently in the top 10 of the PIF WTA Singles Rankings, including 2024 WTA Finals Riyadh champion Coco Gauff, the profile of women's tennis has benefited from Tennis Channel's Women's Day programming since June 2024, with every Tuesday dedicated exclusively to women's competition on TennisChannel 2, which is widely available throughout the United States for free. Under the new deal, Tennis Channel will continue to broaden exposure and ensure parity of coverage between the women's and men's tours, as well as increase distribution as part of its strategic growth and expansion across digital and streaming platforms, led by its new Chairman and CEO Jeff Blackburn. Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, said: 'The U.S. is a hugely significant market for the WTA and we are excited to be partnering with Tennis Channel to bring six more seasons of brilliant tennis to fans across all its platforms. Tennis Channel has shown a strong commitment to the WTA through this agreement, and we have a shared ambition to continue to deepen audience engagement and grow the impact of women's tennis. By securing a multi-year investment from a valued strategic partner, this deal is a significant milestone for WTA Ventures as we continue to execute our strategy to achieve a step change in the commercial value of women's tennis.' 'The WTA has been an important part of Tennis Channel since our first days on air. We couldn't be happier to extend this partnership into the next decade,' said Blackburn. 'Women's tennis is one of the most thrilling products in sports and the tour has never been stronger than it is right now. Tennis Channel looks forward to developing innovative ways to attract and entertain new fans — and to keep building on this momentum with Marina and her team.' IMG acted as an advisor to WTA Ventures through the deal process. About the WTA The WTA is the original game-changer for women's sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis, and we've been breaking boundaries ever since. Today we're the powerhouse of women's professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis. The Hologic WTA Tour shares the thrill of every serve, rally and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world. Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournament arenas on six continents before the season hits its peak at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars battle to be crowned as year-end champions. Our ambitions go well beyond the court. We are champions for our 1,600 incredible athletes and drivers of change through advocacy and action for women's health and empowerment across the globe. Rally the world: WTA Ventures, the commercial arm of the WTA, has a mission to fuel the growth of professional women's tennis. Established in partnership with CVC Capital Partners in 2023, it aims to further elevate the profile of women's tennis, improve the product for fans and accelerate commercial growth for the benefit of players, tournaments and everyone involved in the sport. In its first full year of operation, WTA Ventures increased revenue by 25%, setting a new record for the WTA's commercial revenue. About Tennis Channel Tennis Channel ( and its sibling network TennisChannel 2, which are owned by Sinclair, Inc., are the only television-based multiplatform destinations dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle. The networks have the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television in one of the world's most voluminous sports, with multiple men's and women's tournaments and singles, doubles and mixed competition throughout the year. Tennis Channel and TennisChannel 2 are the exclusive U.S. homes of all men's ATP World Tour and women's WTA Tour competitions, Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, United Cup, and Laver Cup. The network's app and website house a direct-to-consumer streaming service with the traditional television network and 10,000 hours of live and on-demand matches beside original content. Tennis Channel International brings live competition and network content to markets in Europe and Asia via digital subscription and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. Additional platform is the largest digital outlet dedicated to the sport. Tennis Channel is also a co-owner of Pickleballtv, a joint venture with the Professional Pickleball Association. About Sinclair: Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates, and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 85 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks; owns Tennis Channel, the premium destination for tennis enthusiasts; multicast networks CHARGE, Comet, ROAR and The Nest; and the nation's largest streaming aggregator of local news content, NewsON. Sinclair's AMP Media produces a growing portfolio of digital content and original podcasts. Additional information about Sinclair can be found at
Qatar Tribune
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Tatjana Maria becomes oldest WTA 500 winner with Queen's triumph
DPA/WTA London German tennis veteran Tatjana Maria capped a sensational run with the biggest title of her career at Queen's Club in London on Sunday. The 37-year-old defeated American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the grass tournament and Wimbledon warm-up, securing the fourth title of her long career. She is the oldest player ever to win a WTA 500 tournament. 'It means a lot to me, because I'm 37 years old and I won this trophy today,' Maria told the press. 'People were always saying, 'Oh, now maybe it's time. You are too old. You are...' Whatever reason they say sometimes. 'I'm a good example that even in my age you still can win big trophies. I'm super proud of myself that I could win this tournament, because actually, I believed always in it, and my husband too. That's why we kept also going, because there was always this belief that I can win big tournaments and that I can do great things on the court.' In their only previous meeting, Maria had beaten Anisimova in Beijing qualifying back in 2018. All these years later, the World No.86 defeated her again with her slice-and-dice game, carving her way to a win after 1 hour and 23 minutes of play. With her daughters 11-year-old Charlotte and 4-year-old Cecilia joining husband/coach Charles in the front row of the stands, Maria became the oldest singles champion on the Hologic WTA Tour since another returning mother, Serena Williams, won the 2020 Auckland title aged 38. 'It's such a special moment for all of us, like a family together,' Maria said. 'We won this trophy together, because we stick together and we are doing everything together. So it's not like only me that I won this trophy today. It's like my whole family won this trophy.' Maria frustrated her opponent, who is 14 years her junior, with sliced shots on both her forehand and backhand. The German spent most of the match on the defensive but made virtually no errors and chased down nearly every ball. Maria had already made a strong statement this week with outstanding victories over former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and Australian Open winner Madison Keys from the United States. Wimbledon begins on June 30. In 2022, Maria achieved her greatest grand slam success there by reaching the semi-finals. With her Queen's victory, the mother of two has returned to the top 50 in the rankings and, as of this Monday, is Germany's number one. She had previously been out of form and not won a match since April. Maria's previous tournament win came in Bogotá, Colombia, in 2023. This was the first time in 52 years that London's Queen's Club had held a women's tournament.
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sinclair, ATP, WTA, and U.S. Based Tennis Tournaments
BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sinclair, one of the nation's leading media companies, and its subsidiary Tennis Channel, the U.S. media home of tennis, announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the ATP, WTA, and participating U.S. based tennis tournaments. The agreement creates a seamless solution for brands to engage with tennis fans wherever audiences consume the sport, including onsite, on-air and online, allowing for a continued brand narrative across the season. For the first time, sponsors will have access to both the ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour calendar of events in the United States, and all of Sinclair's Tennis Channel properties—including Tennis Channel, TennisChannel 2 (FAST), the Tennis Channel app and website, and other digital platforms—under a single, comprehensive sponsorship package. Verizon has entered into a multi-year agreement, securing category exclusivity in the 5G wireless space. The initiative was crafted through Sinclair's Tennis Enterprises by JR McCabe, Chief Business Officer, Consumer Products and Eric Welles, Chief Digital Monetization Officer, in collaboration with Sinclair's partners at the ATP, WTA and Tournament partners. 'By delivering a unified opportunity for advertisers to connect with fans throughout the season of tennis, Sinclair is redefining how brands engage with audiences,' said McCabe. 'This marks another step in Sinclair's ongoing expansion beyond traditional broadcasting, reinforcing our commitment to providing customized, innovative solutions for partners.' Daniele Sano, ATP Chief Business Officer, said: ' This partnership with Verizon is a big step for the ATP. It's our first-ever telecommunications partner, which says a lot about the momentum behind tennis right now. It's also a great example of how we're shaping partnerships in new ways—built for brands looking for a single entry point into the sport. Verizon is a household name with deep credibility, and their investment in our sport will help bring tennis closer to fans across the U.S.' Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, said: 'This innovative partnership is a shining example of how we can work together across tennis to create value for partners. Just a few weeks after the launch of a bold new brand identity for the WTA, it is great to be taking yet another positive step for women's tennis by welcoming Verizon to the WTA's partner portfolio.' 'We've spoken to many marketers and there was a consistent theme to the challenges of the fragmentation of the sport. This concept will revolutionize ways brands can access tennis, similar to the way other professional leagues operate with their rights partners,' said Welles. 'Verizon is an ideal partner, as they have led the way across many of the leagues in bringing together their brand with the respective sport and unlocking unprecedented experiences for the fans.' Participating U.S.-based ATP and WTA tour events: ATX Open (Austin, Texas), Delray Beach Open (Fla.), BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells, CA), Miami Open presented by Itaú, Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men's Clay Court Championship (Houston), Credit One Charleston Open, Mubadala Citi DC Open (Washington), Cincinnati Open, Tennis in the Land powered by Rocket (Cleveland) and Winston Salem Open presented by Truist Bank and Flow Automotive. 'Working across both the ATP and WTA audience is a huge opportunity, and to include the US based events on both Tours is a game-changer. JR and Eric were relentless in their pursuit of this incredibly strategic partnership. Tennis has a powerful audience especially when we can pull all of these assets and events under one umbrella. I greatly appreciate the effort the Tennis Channel team put forward, along with the patience and belief that the Tournaments showed in our broadcast partner,' said Bob Moran, Tournament Director, Cincinnati and Charleston. About Sinclair: Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 86 markets affiliated with all the major broadcast networks; owns Tennis Channel and multicast networks Comet, CHARGE!, TBD/ROAR and The Nest. Sinclair's content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and the nation's largest streaming aggregator of local news content, NewsON. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source of Company information which can be accessed at About the ATP: The ATP's mission is to serve tennis. As governing body of the ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour we entertain a billion global fans, showcase the world's greatest players at prestigious tournaments, and inspire the game's next generation. From the United Cup in Australia, to Europe, the Americas and Asia, the stars of the game battle for titles and PIF ATP Rankings points at ATP Masters 1000, 500 and 250 events, and Grand Slams. All roads lead to the Nitto ATP Finals, our prestigious season finale held in Turin, Italy. Featuring only the season's best 8 singles players and doubles teams, the tournament sees the crowning of the year-end ATP World No. 1, presented by PIF, the ultimate achievement in tennis. For more information, please visit About the WTA The WTA is the original game-changer for women's sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis, and we've been breaking boundaries ever since. Today we're the powerhouse of women's professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis. The Hologic WTA Tour shares the thrill of every serve, rally and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world. Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournament arenas on six continents before the season hits its peak at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars battle to be crowned as year-end champions. Our ambitions go well beyond the court. We are champions for our 1,600 incredible athletes and drivers of change through advocacy and action for women's health and empowerment across the globe. Rally the world: WTA Ventures, the commercial arm of the WTA, has a mission to fuel the growth of professional women's tennis. Established in partnership with CVC Capital Partners in 2023, it aims to further elevate the profile of women's tennis, improve the product for fans and accelerate commercial growth for the benefit of players, tournaments and everyone involved in the sport. In its first full year of operation, WTA Ventures increased revenue by 25%, setting a new record for the WTA's commercial revenue. Category: General
