WTA Ventures has appointed IMG as its managed production partner in a multi-year agreement aimed at elevating the broadcast quality and global reach of the WTA Tour, further strengthening the commercial platform of women’s professional tennis.
Under the partnership, IMG will oversee the delivery of broadcast coverage across more than 50 WTA Tour events each season, including the prestigious WTA Finals, WTA 1000, WTA 500 and WTA 250 tournaments. Depending on the event, IMG’s responsibilities will span host broadcast production, world feed production, venue connectivity, global distribution, technical operations and the creation of short-form digital content.
The appointment represents another milestone in WTA Ventures’ strategy to enhance the value of its media rights through consistent, premium-quality production while delivering a richer viewing experience for fans across television and digital platforms. By centralising production expertise through a single global partner, the organisation aims to streamline operations and provide broadcasters with a more unified product throughout the Tour calendar.
Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with IMG on the next stage of our journey to bring the drama and entertainment of the WTA Tour to fans around the world through high-quality and innovative coverage. IMG has a proven track record of delivering outstanding production across a range of sports, and I am confident that, together, we can raise the bar yet further in how tennis is covered, to the benefit of our broadcast and commercial partners, players, tournaments, and fans.”
Barney Francis, Chief Business Officer at IMG, added, “We are incredibly excited about this new partnership with the WTA, which builds on the strength and trust of our broader relationship to help them grow even greater reach, value and impact. As media and consumption habits continue to evolve, it’s more important than ever to deliver an innovative, consistently premium product across every platform.”
Sally Brown, VP and Head of Multisport Content at IMG, continued, “The WTA is one of the most important and compelling properties in global sport, with elite competition, star power and a clear ambition to keep enhancing the fan experience. We are excited to help elevate how the WTA’s story is told and experienced by broadcasters and fans around the world.”
The agreement expands WTA Ventures’ growing network of strategic commercial partnerships as the organisation continues to build on the momentum generated since its partnership with CVC Capital Partners. In recent years, WTA Ventures has focused on accelerating revenue growth through investments in media, sponsorship and fan engagement while strengthening the global visibility of the women’s game.
For IMG, the deal further reinforces its position as one of the industry’s leading sports production companies. The agency currently delivers production and content services for several of the world’s premier sporting properties, including the DP World Tour, Major League Soccer, the English Football League, Saudi Pro League, UFC, Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, The Open Championship, Netflix‘s Six Kings Slam and CBS Sports‘ UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League coverage.
As demand for premium live sports content continues to grow across traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms, the partnership positions WTA Ventures to deliver a more consistent, innovative and commercially valuable broadcast product, while expanding the global reach of women’s tennis.
