Baidu-backed iQIYI secures 10-year WTA deal

China's online streaming platform iQIYI has announced on Wednesday a ten-year deal with The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for its exclusive digital rights in the country.

The deal, with a reported fees around US$120 million, will commence in 2017 and will mark the online streamer exclusively live screen over 2,000 WTA games every year in China until the end of 2026, according to a report from SportsPro Media.

In addition, the agreements will also enable iQIYI to cover WTA’s exclusive highlights, player interviews as well as the WTA Magazine Show and video clips and the WTA newsfeed.

“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership for the WTA in China,” said Micky Lawler, president of WTA.

“iQIYI’s platform reinvents our digital offer in China in line with the new ways fans consume sports and entertainment content today, and in the future. We’re thrilled to be working with a partner who fully embraces everything that is unique and premium about our sport.”

“As the most influential women’s sporting event in the world, WTA attracts a high-end audience, which is a perfect match for iiQIYI’s young, upwardly-mobile user base,” said Geng Xiaohua, iQIYI senior vice president.

iQiyi, founded in 2012 and backed by Chinese IT giants Baidu, has acquired a range of digital rights to sports like golf, tennis, extreme sports etc.

Source: SportsPro