Direct TV closed out 2007 by adding the Tennis Channel in HD to its ever growing lineup of High Definition channels. The Tennis Channel HD is now available to subscribers on DirecTV channel 217. DirecTV is the first carrier to pick up the Tennis Channel in HD.
The Tennis Channel was launched in 2003, and now has more than 20 million subscribers. It recently inked and agreement with Wimbledon, to carry more than 100 hours of coverage over the two week tournament held each June and July. The channel already had agreements in place with two other major tournaments, the French Open and the Australian Open.
The launch of the Tennis Channel HD coincides with the networks move to new facilities in Culver City, California. The new facilities were designed to help simulcast the Tennis Channel to HD according to this press release from the network.
For DirecTV, it caps a great year in their HD expansion initiative. After starting the year behind Dish Network in High-Definition programming, DirecTV ends 2007 with 87 HD channels, near their stated goal of 100 by 2008.
