Mumbai : SONY SIX, India’s Premier Sports Entertainment Channel is set to telecast the Australian Open – The Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific, in India for a duration of 5 years. The channel will exclusively telecast all matches of the tournament live from 2015 till 2019.
The Australian Open will be SONY SIX’s first entry into broadcasting a Grand Slam event, having shown select ATP tournaments earlier.
Commenting on the development, Mr. NP Singh, CEO, MSM said, “Over the years, the Australian Open has established itself as one of the most watched tennis Grand Slams across the world. Going by the strong equity that the sport enjoys, we are committed to expand the distribution of the tournament further and thereby strengthen our position in the market.
Mr. Prasana Krishnan, EVP & Business Head, Sony SIX commented, “The Australian Open is yet another offering that stands for our diverse sports programming DNA. The tournament is seen as a season opener which sets the context for all tennis competitions that follow during the rest of the calendar year. Needless to say, we are proud to have this prestigious event as part of our bouquet of international sports content.”
Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said, “I’m delighted that we are partnering with MSM in India for the Australian Open. MSM presented a compelling proposition and demonstrated a commitment to promote the event and the sport of tennis in India cementing our position as the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific.”
The Australian Open is one of the most eminent tennis tournaments held annually over the last fortnight of January in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is looked forward to by tennis players and enthusiasts alike, witnessing high attendance, second only to the US Open. First held in 1905, the tournament is chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year. The tournament features men’s and women’s singles; men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles and junior’s championships; as well as wheelchair, legends and exhibition events. Since 1988, the tournament has been played on hard courts at Melbourne Park.
source : Lokesh Shastri