LOS ANGELES, March 7, 2022 – Tennis Channel and Samsung’s free streaming service, Samsung TV Plus (www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/tvplus/), are launching a groundbreaking new television channel in the United States. The channel, T2, is Tennis Channel’s first free ad-supported TV (FAST) offering in the United States and Samsung TV Plus’s first channel to offer year-round live sports competition. With matches and original programming not featured on Tennis Channel, T2 is now available to all Samsung TV Plus users with 2017-or-newer Samsung smart TVs and Galaxy mobile devices.
The new, youth-oriented channel is distinct from Tennis Channel’s linear television network, online platforms and print magazine in its content, tone, look and feel. T2 will include matches from the men’s and women’s professional tennis tours – the Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association – as well as select matches from the French Open and International Tennis Federation events. In addition to on-court competition, other programing includes original short-form features and documentaries exclusive to T2.
“The demand for top-level sports programming has grown even stronger as media platforms continue to evolve, and we couldn’t be happier to usher in T2, our new FAST standard, with Samsung TV Plus,” said Ken Solomon, president, Tennis Channel. “Thanks to the voluminous live-match content unique to tennis – daily, global events around the clock with often overlapping multi-court coverage – T2 lets millions of Americans watch live tennis from many of the world’s top events, all year long. There are more great matches than we can fit on Tennis Channel, making T2 and Samsung TV Plus’ innovative platform the perfect complement. It allows us to attract even more viewers to the game in an exciting new way, rising the tide for tennis fans, our existing distribution partners and the game’s stakeholders everywhere.”
Tennis Channel FAST channels are currently available on Samsung TV Plus in Austria, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – though they are programmed and designed separately from the new American channel. T2 expands that reach to the large U.S. marketplace and comes during one of the most important months on the annual tennis calendar.
“We are excited to partner with Sinclair and welcome T2, the destination to watch live marquee tennis matches from around the world, exclusively on Samsung TV Plus,” said Takashi Nakano, senior director of content acquisitions and business development for Samsung TV Plus. “Adding live sports to our lineup gives our viewers even more choice and that’s what Samsung TV Plus is all about.”
March is divided between the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., and the Miami Open in Florida. Second in prestige only to the sport’s four majors, both have been referred to as the sport’s “fifth slams” due to their deep player fields; prize money; points available for players’ rankings; facilities; duration; legendary past winners; and combined men’s, women’s and mixed competition. Each week-and-a-half tournament draws the best players from around the world and features daily matchups that just as easily could be seen at Wimbledon or the US Open. T2 will have live coverage throughout the month.
Tennis Channel’s domestic FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus is the latest platform in the network’s continuing media expansion. In recent years, this has included a podcast network, print magazine, youth-oriented digital newsletter and streaming-subscription service in marketplaces outside the country. At the same time, the channel has become the exclusive television and digital home of both the men’s and women’s professional tours in the United States.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.
Tennis Channel (www.tennischannel.com) which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, is the only television-based multiplatform destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle. The network has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television in one of the world’s most voluminous sports, with multiple men’s and women’s tournaments and singles, doubles and mixed competition throughout the year. Tennis Channel has rights at the four majors – US Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros (French Open) and Australian Open – and is the exclusive U.S. home of all men’s ATP World Tour and women’s WTA Tour competitions, Laver Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Direct-to-consumer streaming service Tennis Channel Plus is available to everyone in the United States and allows subscribers to select from another 4,500 live and on-demand matches and award-winning content from short-form to films throughout the tennis season. Tennis Channel International brings live competition and network content to markets in Europe and Asia via digital subscription and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels.Additional platforms Tennis Magazine and www.tennis.com are the largest print and digital outlets dedicated to the sport. Tennis Channel also manages a network of close to 20 podcasts.
About Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local sports and news. The Company owns and/or operates 21 regional sports network brands; owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 86 markets, owns multiple national networks including Tennis Channel and Stadium; and has TV stations affiliated with all the major broadcast networks. Sinclair’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and digital and streaming platforms NewsOn and STIRR. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source of Company information which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net.
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For further information:
Eric Abner, Tennis Channel, 310-314-9445, eabner@tennischannel.com, @TennisChannelPR