Samsung Sets Exclusive Deal for Tennis Channel’s T2 Launch in U.S. (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorSamsung, the world’s largest maker of connected TVs, is looking to flex more muscle in content distribution through a pact with Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Tennis Channel to carry a new free streaming channel in the U.S.Dubbed T2, the Sinclair-owned channel will feature an advertising-supported 24/7 live stream of matches from major tournaments that might otherwise never be televised.

The channel will be available only in the U.S. and exclusive to the Samsung TV Plus platform for the first 12 months. T2 will be accessible on TVs starting with Samsung’s 2017 models.Samsung’s move to partner on the T2 exclusive channel launch underscores the consumer electronics giant’s ambitions to ramp up its content distribution biz.

Samsung TV Plus is among the next-generation digital distributors embracing the rise of FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) channels like T2 as an alternative to traditional cable TV. “As we see cord-cutting taking ahold of the entire industry, we believe Samsung becomes the next version television,” Takashi Nakano, the Los Angeles-based senior director of business development and content acquisition for Samsung TV Plus, told Variety. “The next phase for us is this FAST evolution.

This is distinctly broadcast (airing live) but it’s also over-the-top and can have dynamic advertising. This is a good way to deliver users the content they want.”T2 is carried by Samsung TV Plus on an ad-revenue share basis.