The broadcaster has secured a last-minute rights sharing deal with Amazon Prime Video to show the final live on free-to-air
Channel 4 is to show the US Open tennis final live tonight, bringing the event to free-to-air TV. The final, with British tennis star Emma Raducanu, comes to Channel 4 after it secured a last-minute deal to share the broadcast with rights holder Amazon Prime Video.
Channel 4 is taking Amazon Prime Video’s live feed and broadcasting it for free. Meanwhile, Prime Video’s broadcast will be available to stream for Prime members via the Prime Video app on smart TVs, game consoles, mobile devices, set top boxes and online.
Raducanu is the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977.
Raducanu plays Canadian Leylah Fernandez, with Channel 4’s coverage starting at 8pm.
Channel 4’s chief content officer Ian Katz said: “Emma’s meteoric rise to secure a place in the US Open Final is just sensational. We’re glad to have worked with Prime Video and pulled out all the stops to get it on air and I’m sure viewers will be thrilled at the prospect of watching Emma in this Grand Slam final.
“We didn’t know we’d secured the deal until late on Friday night and so many people have gone above and beyond to make it happen. But Channel 4 is all about finding ways to let our viewers share great national moments, whether it’s Bake Off or big sporting events like the cricket World Cup final or US Open final.”
Alex Green, md, Prime Video Sport Europe, added: “Emma’s journey from qualification through to the US Open final at the age of 18 is a truly magical story for British sport and we think it’s important that we extend our coverage to as many people as possible to support her in this historic moment for women’s tennis.
“Young tennis talent such as Emma need the right support to become the stars we see today and we’re delighted to be able to commit even more investment to the next generation of women’s tennis in the UK.”
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