The Italian Tennis Federation (FIT) and the Telecom Italia Group have signed a three-year agreement on a major joint project to revitalize and relaunch Italian international tennis tournaments and national tennis. In addition to its role as Title Sponsor, the Telecom Italia Group will work alongside the FIT on promotional activities linked to the tournament and handle the domestic tv rights for the events.
The FIT has recovered full control of the promotional and advertising rights for the Italian Internationals following the dissolution by mutual agreement of the contract, which had been assigned to the US firm of IMG after ISL went out of business. The Federation will create an ad hoc company to handle the rights.
“The decision by one of the biggest industrial groups in Italy to start investing in tennis again is a source of great satisfaction for the whole sport and shows that the toughest days are behind us”, said FIT President Angelo Binaghi. “Italian sport is moving into a new better phase and this partnership will act as an incentive. Telecom Italia’s contribution in terms of prestige, technology and know-how will help us to regain visibility on television and achieve the other aims in the reorganization as soon as possible: strength the standing of the Rome tournament as one of the main highlights of the year, placed immediately after the four Grand Slam tournaments, and turn it into a great instrument for promoting tennis in Italy”.