The USTA and The Tennis Channel today announced that the USTA has made a financial investment in the network, the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to tennis. In conjunction with the deal the USTA will have an active role in the direction of the network.
“We are keenly aware of the importance of The Tennis Channel to the visibility and growth of tennis and are now pleased to be an investor,” said Franklin Johnson, Chairman of the Board and President, USTA. “By supporting The Tennis Channel, we are supporting the sport of tennis and we look forward to helping the channel grow and reach more and more fans.”
“This is an investment in the growth of the sport -- and one that will help to expand the amount of tennis available to the U.S. television audience,” said Arlen Kantarian, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, USTA. “Destination television for the top sports is important for the future, and a successful namesake network for tennis is a natural next step. We look forward to our new partnership with The Tennis Channel.”
“Having the largest tennis organization in the world and one of America’s oldest and most prestigious governing bodies invest significantly in one of the media industry’s newest brands is a unique and exciting proposition,” said Ken Solomon, chairman and CEO, The Tennis Channel. “For the people who run the sport in the United States to share a role in the growth of this network amounts to an extremely gratifying vote of confidence. We look forward to working closely with the board, staff and entire USTA family.”
This partnership represents just the latest in a year of milestones for The Tennis Channel. In February it launched on Echostar’s DISH Network, making the channel available to virtually every home in the United States. That same month it hosted its inaugural ATP pro tournament in Las Vegas, the Tennis Channel Open.
Most recently, the network reached a multiyear, multimedia deal to cover Roland Garros (the French Open), its first-ever Grand Slam distribution rights. In the fall the multiplatform brand launched “Turbo Tennis,” the first tennis game created for mobile devices.