Laver Cup secures global reach ahead of debut

Laver Cup organisers have secured rights deals covering more than 200 territories worldwide ahead of the debut of the new tennis tournament next week.

Team Europe will take on Team World in the event, which is set to be held at the O2 arena in Prague, Czech Republic, from September 22-24.

Ceske Televize, the Czech Republic public-service broadcaster, has secured rights in the host nation. Elsewhere in Europe, deals have been secured with public-service broadcaster TVE (Spain); pay-television broadcaster Sky (UK and Ireland); pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland (Germany, Switzerland and Austria); commercial broadcaster TV24 (Switzerland); international sports broadcaster beIN Sports (France and Turkey); terrestrial and satellite television channel SuperTennis (Italy); pay-television broadcaster Ziggo Sport (Netherlands); pay-television broadcaster Sportklub (Croatia, Serbia and other territories); and international sports broadcaster Eleven Sports (Belgium and Luxembourg). 

In addition, pan-European broadcaster Eurosport will transmit a one-hour highlights program in primetime on September 26.

In the Americas, pay-television broadcaster Tennis Channel will air the Laver Cup across the US, French-language broadcaster TVA Sports in Canada and international sports broadcaster ESPN in more than 40 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

ESPN will also air the tournament in Rod Laver’s home country of Australia, as well as New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. 

In Asia, pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports will show the Laver Cup on a pan-regional basis, with state broadcaster CCTV and online portal IQIYI doing so in China. Across India and the subcontinent, the tournament will be shown by pay-television broadcaster DSport.

BeIN Sports will also take the event to the Middle East and North Africa, while pay-television broadcaster SuperSport will broadcast into 54 territories throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The Laver Cup will see Team Europe led by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (both pictured), alongside their compatriots Alexander Zverev, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem and Tomas Berdych.

Americans Sam Querrey, John Isner and Jack Sock will lead Team World, teaming up with Nick Kyrgios, Juan Martin del Potro and Denis Shapavalov.

The Laver Cup is a joint initiative between the Team8 agency, Tennis Australia, the US Tennis Association and Brazilian businessman Jorge Paulo Lemann, a former Davis Cup player.