The Extensive Coverage and Dedicated Fans of Professional Tennis

Know Your Audience: Professional Tennis

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Riddled with rivalries and consecutive intense tournaments, tennis is one of the world’s most ubiquitously competitive sports.

The Men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) hosts 61 tournaments throughout 30 countries showcasing some of the world’s best athletes competing for prestigious titles and prize money. In addition to the ATP World Tour, players also compete in Grand Slam tournaments throughout the year – the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon Championships, and the U.S. Open.

In 2016, two of the biggest names in men’s tennis, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, clashed throughout their Grand Slam campaigns. Murray and Djokovic faced each other in three out of the four finals, with Djokovic securing two titles, and Murray the victor of one. In addition to the title win, Djokovic’s French Open success put his name in the history books as one of the few players to achieve a Career Grand Slam, and made him the third man to hold all four major titles at once.

Similar to the men, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) hosts 54 events and four Grand Slams in 33 countries. A world leader in women’s professional sport, a WTA event draws millions of viewers from around the world.

Women’s professional tennis player, and household name, Serena Williams, has ranked as world No. 1 player on six separate occasions. In 2016, her win over Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon claimed Williams’ her 22^nd major singles title and a tie with Steffi Graff for the Open Era record for Grand Slam titles. Considered one of the best players in the history of the sport, Williams proved she was not “undefeatable” and fell to second place for the first time since 2013 after an upset loss to Kerber in the U.S. Open final in September.

With new rivalries formed and old ones further ignited, the upcoming tennis season is sure to bring exciting matches and dramatic outcomes!

 

TUNING IN

Tennis is divided into two different tours, The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for men and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for women. The WTA World Tour consists of 54 events throughout 33 countries, while the ATP hosts 61 events in 30 countries. In addition to the World Tours, each gender also competes in four Grand Slams throughout the year. The seasons begin in January and run through the majority of the year with the additional Grand Slam tournaments occurring throughout. Each tournament is televised across ESPN and ESPN2.

 

WHO’S WATCHING

The ATP and men’s Grand Slams attract an affluent and well-educated audience. The men’s tennis viewer is predominately male, with the audience consisting of 65% male and 35% female. However, the male tennis viewer is broad in age, with 16% landing in the range of 18-24, 18% in 35-44, and 20% in 45-54.

Similarly, the WTP and women’s Grand Slams audience is well-educated, with 65% of the viewership having some college level education. The women’s tennis audience is more split among men and women, with 43% female and 57% male making up the demographic. Although, similar to men’s tennis, the age range of the women’s tennis audience is extensive, with 18% falling in the age base of 35-54, 20% in 45-54, and 20% In 55-64.

Both men’s and women’s tennis offer extensive coverage with a dedicated and highly engaged audience. The prolonged season and high occurrence of matches offer a number of opportunities to reach avid fans and your target audience.