WTA Tour Announces New Non-U.S. TV Distribution Deal For '13-16

The WTA Tour announced Thursday morning a new non-U.S. TV distribution deal with digital sports company Perform for '13-16, which will more than double the revenues the Tour brings in from international TV rights. Currently, the WTA brings in about $10M. North America, which is covered under the current deal with New Regency, was sold as a separate contract to ESPN. Perform will have the international TV and digital rights for the Tour’s top 22 events. Perform will take over all production costs and produce a weekly news magazine show. “Perform comes into the deal knowing our strategic goal is to see if we can do a deal with ATP Media,” said WTA Chair & CEO Stacey Allaster. The ATP had wanted to combine TV rights right away, but the WTA spurned that approach, though it remains possible for '17. Perform will work with IEC, a Lagardere company, to distribute the media. WTA events largely control their domestic rights, with the international rights bundled by the Tour.