Sky Sports’ agreement with ATP and WTA is still pending confirmation

By | Niranjan Bhargav 21 Feb, 2023

Reports of a potential broadcast deal between Sky Sports and the ATP and WTA Tours have surfaced, but the media giant has yet to confirm the arrangement. SportBusiness reported that Sky will become the new home of tennis in 2024, but there has been no official word from Sky Sports themselves. Industry insiders suggest that the silence may be due to Sky deciding how to package its tennis content to appeal to fans across Europe. If the reports are true, Sky will be the exclusive broadcaster of almost every WTA and ATP Tour event in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, with some exceptions. The deal could be a sign of increased cooperation between the tours and was reportedly brokered with the permission of DAZN, which holds the rights to WTA events in Europe.

Deal not confirmed:

Despite the deal not being officially confirmed, it is already a topic of conversation among tennis fans, who are concerned about pricing. However, it appears that Amazon, which secured a landmark deal to be the sole broadcaster of tennis in the United Kingdom, failed to put in any offer to retain the rights to the professional tours. While pricing remains a concern, many believe that Sky Sports will bring more exposure to the sport, thanks to its established presence in sports broadcasting. The deal does not include broadcast rights for the Grand Slams, which are negotiated separately.

As tennis fans wait for official confirmation from Sky Sports, there is hope that this deal will be a win for the sport, and that the cooperation between the tours will continue to bring new opportunities to players and fans alike.