Al Jazeera Media Networks is eyeing the Tennis Channel as it looks to become a player in the US sports market, The Post has learned.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera has an affiliate called BeIN Sport, a global network of sports channels that could likely benefit from a toehold here.
“The Tennis Channel is in play and the Qataris are looking hard, ” said a source, referring to Al Jazeera’s deep-pocketed backers in the Gulf state.
Qatari investors own French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain. They also pursued a bid for sports and entertainment giant AEG in partnership with Colony Capital.
“They are very focused on their worldwide sports empire, through Al Jazeera Americas and Paris Saint-Germain,” said a source familiar with talks.
BeIN Sport is carried by Dish, DirecTV and Comcast Systems, according to its website.
The Tennis Channel would also add to Al Jazeera’s growing collection of niche cable channels. In January, it paid $500 million for Current TV, the struggling network started by former Vice President Al Gore.
Al Jazeera Media Networks couldn’t be reached for comment.
A group of private-equity firms, including Apollo, Bain, Battery Ventures, CCMP Capital and Columbia Capital, owns the Tennis Channel.
Last year, the channel reaped about $100 million in revenue. The network’s value is hard to peg, but sports programming is considered valuable to a lot of media players.
“We are starting to see the ultimate exit of the owners of that company [Tennis Channel],” a source familiar with talks said. “Sports is all the rage and Tennis Channel has long-term rights locked up.”
Tennis Channel declined comment.