Making a Contender Tour that’s financially sustainable and fascinating to spectators around the globe will nonetheless be a monumental problem. And with present ATP and WTA 250 occasions more likely to be downgraded to Challenger Tour occasions, there will likely be many event homeowners with a product they will not promote.
“The Premium Tour won’t occur for positive – I’m satisfied,” stated the proprietor of 1 event that’s more likely to be considerably affected by the proposals.
“The gamers won’t agree – as a result of the gamers, they should play. A man ranked 50 or 60 goes to lose each first or second spherical, so he won’t be able to maintain his rating. Their intention is to have essentially the most variety of jobs in the course of the 12 months. The Premium Tour will likely be for the highest 20 gamers, that’s all.
“Tennis is fabricated from proximity and variety. So variety is that you would be able to play all over the place; proximity is that even in a small metropolis, you’ll be able to meet the gamers. It’s the power of tennis.”
If a brand new unified tour does emerge, it would require compromise and is more likely to take a few years, because the WTA’s Simon instructed the BBC firstly of the month.
“We don’t have a clear sheet of paper,” he stated. “You’re going to find yourself spending all of your time in court docket versus getting one thing performed.
“There after all will be rules you wish to try to, but it surely’s going to take time to try this. You may’t simply blow up 1,000, 500 and 250 occasions as they’ve invested quite a bit, are necessary and all play their roles within the ecosystem.”
His ATP counterpart Gaudenzi highlighted the objective of “a brand new unified governance for the game” within the One Imaginative and prescient technique launched in 2022.
And the excursions are actually changing into extra aligned: in addition to joint conferences, the ATP and WTA will this week proceed very optimistic discussions in regards to the basis of a joint business entity to handle property corresponding to broadcast rights, knowledge and sponsorship.
WTA Ventures was created in March 2022 to run the WTA’s business pursuits and its partnership with the non-public fairness agency CVC Capital Companions.
‘Tennis Ventures’ could be the subsequent step, and would convey ATP and WTA business property collectively beneath one roof.
Tennis is transferring in direction of a brand new future, however no-one but is aware of the ultimate vacation spot.