WTA Inks Historic Media Deal

The WTA announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to a media rights contract with PERFORM that will be worth more than $525 million over 10 seasons starting in 2017. The deal plans to produce all singles matches on the women’s tour each year, around 2,000 or so matches a season.

“Their investment at this level makes a very significant statement about the value they see in the WTA,” WTA Chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster said of the contract. “This comes at a time when we look at the horizon and we will have a changing of the guard of our current top stars, which shows the value and depth of our rising stars.”

PERFORM currently owns the international television rights of the WTA, and the new agreement expands on the deal the two entities already have in place. That agreement runs from 2013-2016 and only broadcasts about one third of all singles matches at WTA events, to which Allaster said: “What league in North America only broadcasts a third of their games?”

The deal also guarantees the WTA will receive $33 million in TV rights fees, almost twice as much as the $17 million the current deal allocates.

Along with PERFORM, the WTA will form WTA Media which will produce all main-draw matches in singles, plus semifinals and finals of doubles, while also producing online content and magazine shows for television. The WTA approximates it will expand its news content by 40 percent, while providing unprecedented access to fans.

The deal is the largest live media rights and production venture in the history of women’s sports.

“We are thrilled to expand on our highly successful partnership with the WTA,” PERFORM’s joint CEO, Simon Denyer, said in a statement. “We are strong believers in the exceptional sport entertainment value of the WTA and are committed to driving the value for all WTA members and partners. This deal also delivers maximum exposure to the WTA’s global fans on multiple platforms. This is a groundbreaking and innovative partnership and is a major first step in a significant 10-year growth plan for PERFORM.”