BBC Sport and British Eurosport has signed a three-year agreement with the International Tennis Federation to broadcast live coverage of all Great Britain Davis Cup World Group ties until 2016.
The new deal brings Davis Cup tennis back to BBC television for the first time in five years as the Great Britain team returns to the elite World Group of the competition after a six-year absence.
Leon Smith’s side face the USA on clay in their first round tie of the 2014 competition on January 31-February 2 in San Diego, with both the BBC and British Eurosport screening every rubber live.
In addition, the BBC will also broadcast live coverage all further Great Britain Davis Cup ties in the World Group for the next three years, though it is not clear whether the corporation will cover GB ties if the team gets relegated during this time.
BBC Director of Sport, Barbara Slater, commented: “2014 has the markings of a fantastic year of sport and I’m pleased that we can now add Great Britain’s Davis Cup matches to our coverage on the BBC.
“These ties are a welcome addition to our existing sport portfolio which this year includes the Winter Olympics, the World Cup, Wimbledon, Commonwealth Games, The Open, ATP World Tour Finals and Formula 1.”
The BBC’s return to covering Great Britain’s Davis Cup exploits comes as the side returns to the World Group, the top table of the competition’s structure, for the first time since 2008.
Great Britain’s defeat to Poland at Liverpool’s Echo Arena was the last to be covered by BBC TV in September 2009, a result which relegated John Lloyd’s side to Euro/Africa Zone Group II.
Since then, all of the team’s ties at various levels of the competition have been screened in the UK either by British Eurosport or online via the LTA website.
As well as the Davis Cup, British Eurosport’s new three-year deal with the ITF also guarantees live coverage of other international team competitions including Fed Cup and the Hopman Cup.
This includes all ties featuring the Great Britain team in both the Davis Cup – shared with the BBC – and the Fed Cup, the women’s equivalent, which will screened exclusively live on British Eurosport.
British Eurosport’s deal renews the pan-European channel’s association with the Davis Cup after it took over the UK rights to World Group ties from Sky Sports from the start of 2012.
In addition to GB ties, British Eurosport will also cover another World Group tie over Davis Cup weekend, starting with France v Australia in round one.
British Eurosport’s managing director David Kerr said: “We’re really excited to be continuing our coverage of the Davis, Fed and Hopman Cups for the next three years, especially with the inclusion of all the British team ties.
“It adds to an already very strong tennis portfolio that includes the Australian, French and US Opens.
“It’s great to be showing GB’s return to the Davis Cup World Group with what should be a thrilling match in the US and let’s hope the team can progress even further!”
ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti says: “This new agreement will guarantee that British tennis fans have widespread access to our premier team competition, and sees a return of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas to free-to-air television in the UK for the first time since 2008.”
Davis Cup 2014: USA v Great Britain live on the BBC & British Eurosport
