The WTA women’s tennis tour has chosen global sports agency Wasserman as its exclusive sales agency to lead its search for a new premier partner.
The partnership was struck with WTA Ventures, the tour’s commercial arm, and sees Wasserman become the WTA’s sales agency of record, tasked with landing major brand collaborations and, specifically, a top-tier partner.
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Wasserman’s rights sales division will lead the partnership, having previously secured high-value commercial deals within motor racing’s Formula 1, as well as international rugby and cricket.
Current partners include the England and Wales Cricket Board, South Africa Rugby, basketball’s Los Angeles Lakers, rugby union’s British and Irish Lions, and broadcaster Netflix.
WTA Ventures chief executive Marina Storti has said: “The WTA is the stage where women’s tennis shines and, with the energy of our new brand identity, we are driven by an ambition to elevate our impact across the world.
“Leaning on Wasserman’s expertise, we want to identify and align with partners who share our vision to rally the world around this wonderful game, celebrate our incredible athletes, and push the boundaries of what is possible through the power of sport.”
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By GlobalDataThe new partnership comes at a time of strong growth for the WTA. During the 2024 season, revenues increased by 24%, boosted by a 15% increase in attendance at WTA events, while its cumulative global audience grew by 10% to a record 1.1 billion on television and streaming platforms.
The tour also saw its followers across its social channels increase by 25%.
The WTA’s focus on boosting its commercial partnerships is part of a wider strategy to elevate the visibility and financial strength of women’s tennis globally after forming a partnership with the CVC Capital Partners fund.
That partnership led to the launch of WTA Ventures, which oversees the commercial and media operations of the tour.
In February, the WTA launched a rebrand including a fresh logo and advertising campaign centered around the slogan “Rally the World.” The project was developed in collaboration with creative agencies ChatperX and Nomad Studio, with the advertising campaign led by the Brothers & Sisters agency.
At the end of last year, meanwhile, WTA Ventures said it expects to increase commercial revenue for the women’s tour by 24% in its first full year (the wing was established in March 2023) which will put it on track to “achieve its long-term goal of tripling commercial revenue over the six years between 2023 and 2029.”
The 2024 season also saw Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) become a major global commercial partner of the WTA.
