Tennis Channel, NBCSN, For the Fans to Broadcast World TeamTennis Season
October 29, 2021 - World TeamTennis (WTT) News Release
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - After closing the 2020 season with record-setting viewership of the title match, World TeamTennis will welcome a trio of broadcast partners for the upcoming 2021 season.
The league announced that Tennis Channel, NBCSN and For The Fans will be the official broadcast partners for the 2021 season at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden Nov. 13-28.
In addition, Guaranteed Rate has been added as a session presenting sponsor for the championship match of the WTT season, with WTT Finals presented by Guaranteed Rate scheduled for Nov. 28. Other noteworthy sessions during the season include Opening Night on Nov. 13, Military Appreciation Night on Nov. 15, USTA Night on Nov. 20 and Fan Appreciation Night to close out the regular season on Nov. 27.
Tennis Channel, who will broadcast World TeamTennis for the second straight season, will be the exclusive outlet for the season's second week, televising the final 13 matches. The only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle will also be the broadcast home for the WTT Finals Presented by Guaranteed Rate.
Eight matches will be televised on NBCSN between Nov. 13 and Nov. 18. Along with televising the second match of Opening Night between the Orange County Breakers and the defending champion New York Empire, NBCSN will broadcast at least one match in each of the season's first six days.
For The Fans will have coverage of 10 matches, starting with the first match on Nov. 13 between the 2020 WTT runner-up Chicago Smash and the San Diego Aviators. An emerging network offering engaging video content, For The Fans is also set to stream two of the three rematches of the 2020 WTT Final on Nov. 16 and Nov. 21 featuring the Smash and the Empire.
The live airing of the 2020 WTT Finals between the Empire and the Smash was delivered to 556,000 viewers, making it the most watched match in the league's 45-year history. During the event's "Supertiebreaker" that determined the 2020 champion, viewership peaked at 1.128 million viewers.
WTT is also announcing start time changes for three sessions. First serve for Opening Night Nov. 13 will now be at 4:30 p.m. while the second match of the evening will take place at 7:30 p.m. Matches on Nov. 17 will start at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and matches on Nov. 25 now occur at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. All start times are Pacific Standard Time.
The leader in professional team tennis competition, World TeamTennis will feature five teams and play all matches at Stadium 2 of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden starting Nov. 13. Co-founded by 12-time Major singles champion Billie Jean King, WTT has had 44 Tennis Hall of Famers participate since 1974.
Tickets are on sale now for all sessions of the 2021 World TeamTennis season. Single session tickets will allow fans to witness both the afternoon and night match on the same day.
Due to requirements set by the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, all fans in attendance will need valid proof of full vaccination to enter the grounds for WTT matches.
Schedule
November 13 - Opening Night
Match #1: Chicago Smash vs. San Diego Aviators, 4:30 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #2: Orange County Breakers vs. New York Empire, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
November 14
Match #3: Springfield Lasers vs. Chicago Smash, 3 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #4: San Diego Aviators vs. Orange County Breakers, 6 p.m. (NBCSN)
November 15 - Military Appreciation Night
Match #5: New York Empire vs. Springfield Lasers, 3 p.m. (NBCSN)
Match #6: Orange County Breakers vs. Chicago Smash, 6 p.m. (NBCSN)
November 16
Match #7: Chicago Smash vs. New York Empire, 3 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #8: San Diego Aviators vs. Springfield Lasers, 6 p.m. (NBCSN)
November 17
Match #9: Springfield Lasers vs. Orange County Breakers, 4 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #10: New York Empire vs. San Diego Aviators, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
November 18
Match #11: San Diego Aviators vs. Chicago Smash, 3 p.m. (NBCSN)
Match #12: New York Empire vs. Orange County Breakers, 6 p.m. (NBCSN)
November 19
Match #13: Orange County Breakers vs. San Diego Aviators, 3 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #14: Chicago Smash vs. Springfield Lasers, 6 p.m. (For The Fans)
November 20 - USTA Night
Match #15: Springfield Lasers vs. New York Empire, 3 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #16: Chicago Smash vs. Orange County Breakers, 6 p.m. (For The Fans)
November 21
Match #17: New York Empire vs. Chicago Smash, 3 p.m. (For The Fans)
Match #18: Springfield Lasers vs. San Diego Aviators, 6 p.m. (For The Fans)
November 22
Match #19: Orange County Breakers vs. Springfield Lasers, 3 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
Match #20: San Diego Aviators vs. New York Empire, 6 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
November 23
Match #21: Chicago Smash vs. San Diego Aviators, 3 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
Match #22: Orange County Breakers vs. New York Empire, 6 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
November 24
Match #23: San Diego Aviators vs. Orange County Breakers, 3 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
Match #24: Springfield Lasers vs. Chicago Smash, 6 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
November 25
Match #25: New York Empire vs. Springfield Lasers, 11 a.m. (Tennis Channel)
Match #26: Orange County Breakers vs. Chicago Smash, 2 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
November 26
Match #27: Chicago Smash vs. New York Empire, 3 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
Match #28: San Diego Aviators vs. Springfield Lasers, 6 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
November 27 - Fan Appreciation Night
Match #29: Springfield Lasers vs. Orange County Breakers, 3 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
Match #30: New York Empire vs. San Diego Aviators, 6 p.m. (Tennis Channel)
November 28 - WTT Finals Presented by Guaranteed Rate
Match #31-WTT Finals: #2 seed vs. #1 seed, 3 p.m.
*All times Pacific
*Away team listed first, home team listed second
*Match times subject to change
World TeamTennis Stories from October 29, 2021
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