The WTA Tour will broadcast a free live match on its Web site in select countries this weekend. It’s the first of eight Tier I tournament finals the WTA plans to stream live. However, the women’s final Sunday in Indian Wells, Calif., will be shown in all countries except the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe. They already have broadcast agreements in place in those countries according to Roger Gatchalian, the WTA’s director of digital media. The women’s professional tour said Thursday it would stream the final at the Pacific Life Open on its Web site, SonyEricssonWTATour.com. In 2009, fans may be charged to view live matches on the site. The men’s tour shows live matches on its site, but it charges by the day, the tournament or the year.

The business model is going to be determined by what they discover this year. Gatchalian said. They are re obviously looking to make this a revenue-generating venture. Men have already had a foray into this for a couple of years. Their plans are just kicking into gear. The next Tier I event is the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. The Family Circle Cup follows in April in Charleston, S.C. Other Tier I events include the German Open and the Italian Open in May, the Rogers Cup in Montreal in July, the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September and the Kremlin Cup in Moscow in October.

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