ITV has secured the free-to-air rights to broadcast the French Open tennis tournament from 2012 in a new 3 year deal – ITV’s first ever live coverage of a grand slam tennis tournament. 

As part of a new landmark three-year deal with the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), brokered by MP & Silva, ITV will broadcast extensive live coverage from the Roland Garros tennis Grand Slam throughout the 15-day tournament.

ITV4 and itv.com will broadcast around six hours of live coverage from each day’s play as well as highlights, with four matches, including both the mens’ and ladies’ singles finals, also shown live on ITV1.

Niall Sloane, ITV Controller of Sport, said: “It’s the first time that a grand slam has been shown live on ITV and with around six hours of coverage over each day of the tournament we’ll be offering viewers more free-to-air coverage of the tournament than ever before.”

Angela Jain, ITV director of digital channels and acquisitions, added: “ITV4 now holds a terrific portfolio of sports rights and, alongside our new agreement for Europa League football, this major new deal to bring the Roland Garros tournament to the channel is great news for our viewers and advertisers.”

Michel Grach, FFT Media & Sponsorship Director, added: “We are delighted that ITV will bring the clay of Roland Garros to British tennis fans. This new partnership will not only enhance the exposure and appeal of the tournament in the United Kingdom but is also an important first step in our new distribution strategy throughout Europe, working alongside MP & Silva to increase the free-to-air coverage of Roland Garros.”

The French Open runs from May 27 to June 10 in 2012, and the announcement of ITV’s exclusive terrestrial deal brings the BBC’s coverage of the tournament to an end.

The corporation have been looking to reduce its sports rights under its ‘Delivering Quality First’ cost cutting initiative and earlier this week extended their contract to broadcast coverage of Wimbledon by three years, to 2017.

1. peterjonesitec

   20:51 on November 4, 2011

   All of us should be happy for ITVSport. Lets put a smile back on them. Come on National and International sports bodies. There is a big player back in townits called ITVSport drop them a Email.

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2. peterjonesitec

   20:46 on March 2, 2012

   ITVSport should consentrate on Football, Rugby Union, Cycling, Tennis, Domestic Motorsport, International Test & One limited overs Cricket. They are all big sports in the UK.

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