Tennis Channel and Armstrong have reached a multiyear carriage deal in time for the programmer's coverage of Wimbledon.
Under the agreement, financial terms of which were not disclosed,Armstrong has rolled out Tennis Channel in a number of its markets, inlcuding Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, The remainder of the customers in the distributor's five-state footprint will begin receiving the service by year-end. The dedicated racquet-sport network is available on the MSO's widely distributed Variety Pack and HD Advantage packages.
As part of the deal, Armstrong customers will gain access to Tennis' TV Everywhere offering, which is expected to be available across myriad platforrms by the end of July.
"We're happy that Armstrong subscribers can watch Tennis Channel again for the first time in three years, and that this launch comes on the eve of Wimbledon," said Patrick Wilson, senior vice president of distribution at the network. "Tennis Channel shows more than 85 percent of the live tennis on U.S. television today, and fans are going to enjoy being able to watch this year-round coverage wherever they want with TV Everywhere."
"Tennis Channel does a fabulous job of covering every aspect of the sport. We are pleased to add Tennis Channel back into our programming lineup," said Armstrong president Jeff Ross.
During the two-week Wimbledon competition, Tennis Channel will dedicate close to 215 hours of coverage via its Wimbledon Primetime. Hosted by Bill Macatee, the three-and-a-half-hour show offers a nightly encapsulation of everything that takes place each day at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club. Tennis Channel's on-air team includes current Hall of Famers Martina Navratilova and Jim Courier, as well as Lindsay Davenport, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer.
Armstrong has carried Tennis in the past as part of its agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperative.
