Tennis Channel Extends WTA TV Contract Through 2016

Tennis Channel and the Women's Tennis Association have extended their TV rights deal though the 2016 season.

The deal, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, encompasses at least a dozen Premier-level tournaments annually, as well as the WTA's year-end championship event, which is currently taking place in Istanbul and will be served in the Turkish city in 2012 and 2013 as well.

All told, the rights extension represents 170-to-190 live or first-run match hours per year on the network. Tennis, which has been televising WTA matches since 2004, also gains "TV Everywhere" rights under the renewal.

The dedicated racquet sport service's deal -- Tennis' current contract with the women's tour expires after this season -- follows the agreement ESPN reached with the WTA earlier this week, largely for broadband rights for its ESPN3.com service through 2016.

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