The Tennis Channel has renewed its long-standing partnership with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for exclusive U.S. media rights to several high-profile tennis tournaments, the organizations announced on Monday.
The deal runs through 2027 and includes domestic TV coverage of the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup, the flagship international team competitions for women’s and men’s tennis. The cable sports network has held domestic TV rights to those tournaments since 2009.
The agreement also grants Tennis Channel international rights in several European territories. For the first time, the network will air the Billie Jean King Cup in Spain, a key growth market for women’s tennis. Additional territories covered under the new deal include Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Shenzhen, China from September 16 to 21. The Davis Cup Final 8 will take place in Bologna, Italy from November 18 to 23. The United States remains the most decorated nation in both competitions, having claimed the Billie Jean King Cup title 18 times and the Davis Cup 32 times.
“For many years Tennis Channel has helped bring the World Cup of Tennis to millions of people around the world and this extension is great news for both Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup,” said ITF President David Haggerty. “We look forward to continuing to work alongside Tennis Channel to continue this growth for years to come.”
“Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup are iconic events in our sport and pillars of Tennis Channel’s schedule throughout the year,” said Jeff Blackburn, the Chairman and CEO of Tennis Channel. “We’ve had a long-running partnership with the ITF and can’t wait for this next chapter with them. Together we want to shine as much light as we can on the history and passion surrounding the cups, and grow awareness and fans in both the U.S. and other countries.”
Kerstin Lutz, CEO of Billie Jean King Cup Limited, emphasized the significance of the expanded international footprint: “We’re proud to strengthen our partnership with Tennis Channel, particularly in key international markets… This collaboration reflects our long-term commitment to showcasing the power of women’s tennis and expanding its reach to even more fans around the world.”
This announcement follows confirmation of the eight nations qualified for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. High-profile players expected to compete include Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys (USA), Naomi Osaka (Japan), Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan), Paula Badosa (Spain), Zheng Qinwen (China), Jasmine Paolini (Italy), Emma Raducanu (Great Britain), and Elina Svitolina (Ukraine).
The Tennis Channel is owned by Sinclair, Inc.
