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Tennis Channel Launches OTT Subscription Service To Supplement Net's Programming

Tennis Channel on Sunday tied the start of the French Open to the launch of a "digital subscription service" called Tennis Channel Plus, which "costs tennis fans $59.99 for a one-year subscription or $9.99 for a one-day pass," according to Meg James of the L.A. TIMES. Tennis Channel Senior VP & Head of Digital Media Adam Ware said Tennis Channel Plus is "not meant to replace the linear Tennis Channel," but instead is a "completely complementary service." James reported the net's execs had "been trying to figure out how to exploit the hundreds of hours of tennis action that viewers at home never see -- mostly lower-profile matches -- because there is not enough room on the company's lone TV channel." The independent Tennis Channel is "not affiliated with a major media company," so it "doesn't have as much to lose" by bypassing pay-TV partners and selling to consumers directly. However, Ware said that to "keep its pay-TV partners such as DirecTV happy, the company is giving them a cut of the profit generated by Tennis Channel Plus." Ware: "We want to be part of the television ecosystem." But the company "wanted to experiment with other models." Ware: "Consumers have demonstrated that they are willing to buy content in a lot of ways." Subscribers to Tennis Channel Plus can "watch classic matches" in addition to "live coverage of matches at the French Open and other tournaments" (LATIMES.com, 5/25).

GLOBAL GAME: MULTICHANNEL NEWS' Mike Reynolds noted given the international nature of the tennis calendar, in which "various tournaments unfold simultaneously from different time zones," Tennis Channel's linear service "can’t present all of the matches." Tennis Channel Plus, aside from its additional French Open presentations, will "air exclusive Davis and Fed Cup action as tennis international team competitions play out concurrently." There also will be mostly live early-round action from ATP 250 and WTA International events, and other matches "will appear on a delayed basis to protect contractual agreements with linear affiliates." Archived episodes of current series -- Tour Guide and Tennis Channel Academy -- "plus vintage installments of earlier shows such as Center Court with Chris Myers will be available." So, too will the network's "perennial short-form" components: "Bag Check" and "Court Report" (MULTICHANNEL.com, 5/25).

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