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NEW DELHI: Tennis Australia on Friday said that Sony Pictures Networks India will continue to broadcast the Australian Open from 2023. With this, the broadcaster will have TV and digital rights for the global sporting event across the Indian subcontinent including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The grand slam will be available on SPN’s sports channels as well as live-streamed on its OTT platform SonyLIV.
The network has been the official broadcaster of the tournament in India for nine years. It has broadcasted several grand slams in 2022 and will kickstart 2023 with this telecast and the Adelaide International tournament.
The Australian Open is known for setting the context for the tennis calendar over its 110-year history. The tournament has witnessed runs from tennis stalwarts and the emergence of the player Rod Laver.
The first grand slam of the year will see Novak Djokovic attempt to win his tenth Australian Open title against the likes of Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Carlos Alcaraz. For the women’s title, fan favourite Iga Swiatek leads the race along with Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur, the network said.
The Adelaide International will begin January 9 and the Australian Open, the week after.
Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer – Distribution & International Business and Head – Sports Cluster, Sony Pictures Networks India, said,“The Australian Open has consistently been the most watched tennis Grand Slam in India over the past few years. During 2022, close to 23 million viewers watched the live coverage of the event on Sony Sports Network. We hope to repeat this success as well as continue to build the steadily growing tennis fanbase in India. With this broadcast rights renewal, we will become the home for major Grand Slams in India including Roland Garros and the US Open.”
Craig Tiley, CEO, Tennis Australia, said, “India has long been a key market for us and over the years the tournament has seen steady growth in viewership there. The network has played a huge role in driving this growth and we hope to build on this success in the coming years.”
According to a report by industry body CII, KPMG and India Broadcasting Digital Foundation, India’s overall TV sports market was estimated at ₹7,050 crore in FY21. The entire television sports market will reach ₹9,830 crore, and digital revenue from sports will be around ₹4,360 crore by FY26, it added.
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John Miller has been writing about science, gaming, and tech culture for over a decade. He’s a top-rated reviewer with extensive experience helping people find the best deals on tech and more.
