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Image Credit: Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
One day before International Women’s Day (Mar.8), the Women’s Tennis Association kicked off the celebration by announcing its new partnership with CVC Capital Partners. This new working relationship aims to elevate the profile of women’s tennis and grow the sport across the world. “This is exactly what women’s tennis needs,” said Jessica Pegula, the WTA World No. 4 player and member of the WTA Players’ Council, “I’m excited for what’s to come.”
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“For so long, we’ve been championing the sport for women across the world, and it’s great to have the investment and belief in the players and WTA product,” added Pegula. In this partnership, CVC will use its 25 years of experience in sports investment to help accelerate the WTA’s growth. CVC has worked with Formula One, La Liga, Moto GP, and other international sports leagues, helping them grow commercially while expanding their global reach. CVC will be the WTA’s commercial partner, investing directly into the league via managed funds to drive the sport’s growth.
This means giving fans more access to WTA events, investing behind the WTA Tou Brands, building player and tournament profiles, and investing in digital platforms so women’s tennis fans can catch the action wherever they are. The WTA will retain the majority interest in the partnership and manage full regulatory and sporting responsibility for the women’s game.
Iga Swiatek (Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)
“I am proud to be a part of the WTA, as they are committed to innovating the sport, investing in the players, and promoting us all over the world,” Iga Swiatek, the No. 1 ranked WTA player, said with the announcement. “I’m inspired to be a part of the evolution of women’s tennis and building out the next 50 years of the WTA.”
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DARIA KASATKINA, MARIA SAKKARI, WTA PRESIDENT MICKY LAWLER, IGA SWIATEK, COCO GAUFF, JESSICA PEGULA, ONS JABEUR, WTA CHAIRMAN & CEO STEVE SIMON, ARYNA SABALENKA, CAROLINE GARCIA (WTA/Jimmie 48)
“This is great news for all of us committed to women’s tennis,” said Gavin Ziv, a WTA board member and Chief Tournaments Officer at Tennis Canada. “The WTA is constantly expanding, and this investment means the opportunity for further global reach than ever before. We also want to make it easier for the fans to follow the players they love, and we believe we can bring in the necessary changes to make this all a possibility. It’s a win-win for all involved.”
Started in 1973 by Billie Jean King, the WTA has pushed tennis to be the global leader in women’s professional sports. It boasts a worldwide audience of nearly 900 million, with the Hologic TWA Tour involving players from approximately 80 nations (throughout 70 tournaments held across six contents.) With this new financial partnership, the sky is no longer the limit. The WTA now looks beyond the horizon — well past the glass ceiling — into a world with greater equality, inclusion, and visibility.
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