Sony Six wins broadcast rights for the Champions Tennis League

The inaugural league will be held between November 17 and 26 in six cities in India.

Sony Six, the sports and entertainment channel from Multi Screen Media bouquet, has won the telecast rights to the Champions Tennis League.

The inaugural league will take place between November 17 and 26 and will be held in six cities in India. It will witness national and international tennis talent with each team having top ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and WTA (Women's Tennis Association) players, captained by a tennis legend. All the games will be featured live and exclusive on Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD.

Commenting on the acquisition, NP Singh, CEO, MSM India says, "This will be a landmark event that will put India on the global map of tennis, with some of the world's greatest tennis stars playing right here. It will be a perfect blend of tennis and entertainment that has never been seen in India."

According to Prasana Krishnan, EVP and business head, Sony Six, the acquisition signifies yet another endeavour of Sony SIX's that brings diverse sports offerings to the viewers. "We believe that the league will also help young Indian talent to perform on a grand stage." Vijay Amritraj, chairman and managing director of Second Serve adds, "I am delighted that the Champions Tennis League in its inaugural edition will be seen on Sony Six and Sony Six HD. I am also proud to say that our Indian Davis cup players will be alongside the international players, along with two Indian youngsters, a boy and a girl; who will be on the team to practice and gain experience travelling with these top players."

The format

The League will feature six city-based teams playing 12 matches over an eight-day period. The teams will be structured into two groups, each having three sides, which play each other in a 'home' and 'away' format. The top teams of each half play each other in the 13th match.

Each team in the Champions Tennis league will feature one male and one female international player ranked amongst the top 25 in the ATP and WTA rankings. Each of the six teams will also have an international legend as their playing captain, apart from a noted top ranked Indian male tennis player. Two juniors, aged under 21 will also be a part of the team, selected by the All India Tennis Association, in order to give them exposure and the experience of playing with some of the best players in the world.