The Tennis Channel plans to launch a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service next year that will include a live feed to its television network, live and on-demand matches and original programming.
The network, which is owned by Sinclair Television Group, has not yet announced the cost of the streaming service or the exact launch date.
At present, you can log into AT&T, DirectTV or another cable/pay-TV provider to watch the network, and you can watch programs online at TennisChannel.com. Separately, you can subscribe to Tennis Channel Plus, a separate service, for $109.99 a year.
The news comes as a new study finds that most new streaming service subscribers will likely get their subscriptions from streaming bundles, which are plans that combine a streaming subscription with cable TV, broadband or wireless services, as Kiplinger recently reported.
In another announcement, the Tennis Channel said that Matt Graham, a veteran television and digital service executive, will join the company in the newly created position of senior vice president of DTC and streaming business development.
“Matt’s decades of experience in the worlds of traditional and evolving media make him unique to guide Tennis Channel’s availability in every American (region) – and then who knows from there?” Bill Simon, Tennis Channel executive vice president, said in a statement. “He’s created successful streaming platforms, programmed them to grow their subscriber base and expanded them into new marketplaces. For years fans have been asking us if there’s a way for them to just buy Tennis Channel, and Matt’s here to make that happen.”
The Tennis Channel first announced plans for a new streaming service in October when it reported the expansion of its partnership with sports technology provider Sportradar to manage the workflow and spearhead the design and development of all connected TV apps, such as Samsung TV, Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV.
Tennis Channel Plus subscription
The network notes that both of its regular cable Tennis Channel and the online subscription-only Tennis Channel Plus are available through the Tennis Channel website and app.
A Tennis Channel Plus subscription provides some live matches, according to the network's website. Not every live match is available for every tournament, however, due to legal restrictions, the site notes.
To sign up for Tennis Channel Plus, visit the website and click Subscribe. You'll be asked to provide an e-mail address and password and to agree to the terms of use to set up an account.
