Sky New Zealand, the pay-television broadcaster, has signed a partnership renewal with the governing body of tennis in Australia, Tennis Australia.
This new development will kick off with the upcoming edition of the Australian Open (AO).
In this agreement, Sky NZ will cover AO Junior Championships, AO Legends, the AO Qualifying Tournament, the Wheelchair Championships, the AO Australian and Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-offs, and the Laver Cup along with the AO.
The initial partnership between the two parties involved was inked in 1991.
Commenting on the development, Sophie Moloney, Sky NZ CEO, commented, “We know how much the Australian Open is loved by our customers, who look forward to these two weeks of world class tennis every summer. I’m so pleased our customers will be able to see the best in the business on court in Melbourne for years to come. What’s more the Open follows the ASB Classic in January, back for the first time in two years and also available on Sky.
“In addition to the Australian Open grand slam, the new deal with our partner Tennis Australia includes the AO Junior Championships, AO Legends, the AO Qualifying Tournament, the Wheelchair Championships and the AO Australian and Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-offs. The deal also includes the Laver Cup – the latter celebrating the legendary Rod Laver after whom the famed Melbourne tennis arena is named.“
Cedric Cornelis, Chief Revenue Officer, Tennis Australia, said, “Sky has been an amazing partner for more than 30 years and has helped make the Australian Open one of the most popular sports events in New Zealand. Sky’s innovative approach to showcasing the full AO experience in January across all media platforms will also help us drive more Kiwi visitors across the Tasman to our events.“
Tennis Australia also signed a renewal with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) for the Australian Open from 2023 for the Indian sub-continent.