Saturday, April 28, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Players Voice Concern Over Team Cup Competitions
Nineteen ATP players requested that the International Tennis Federation, which runs the country competition, Davis Cup, move the rounds closer to the end of Grand Slams, but the ITF refused. This occurred earlier this year. Many tennis insiders still complain that the competition, with rounds in February, April, September, and December, is too spaced out and hard to follow in countries such as the U.S. where tennis is not as popular a sport. Some have proposed changes to the format.
ESPN tennis commentator suggested putting the semifinal and final together at the site of the defending champion, to create a year long build up.
Hall of fame tennis player Jim Courier advocated for a Ryder Cup like competition, occurring every other year for two weeks hosted in one country for the last 16 teams. Earlier rounds would still take place in other countries.
Tennis great Billie Jean King, founder of World Team Tennis, would like to see the competition played in a format similar to the WTT with men and women playing together: her matches are played in five sets with one set of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles each. "These are the kind of values we want to transmit through sports: men and women, working together," she commented.
The task of keeping sports fans engaged in Davis Cup is one of concern to those who think it could be grander. Right now it is little known in the U.S., except by those with a keen interest in keeping up with it. Some lament that the ITF will be slow to change the format of these competitions which have such potential for showcasing drama.
But there is still great room for improvement to make the competition more fair. Currently it is played on a home and away basis between countries, alternating home field advantage. Who ever last hosted the last tie between two countries, which could have been years ago, plays the tie away. The home country has both the advantage of choosing the surface, and crowd support. A neutral site, and a fairer way of choosing the surface would go a long way toward making the competition more fair.
ESPN tennis commentator suggested putting the semifinal and final together at the site of the defending champion, to create a year long build up.
Hall of fame tennis player Jim Courier advocated for a Ryder Cup like competition, occurring every other year for two weeks hosted in one country for the last 16 teams. Earlier rounds would still take place in other countries.
Tennis great Billie Jean King, founder of World Team Tennis, would like to see the competition played in a format similar to the WTT with men and women playing together: her matches are played in five sets with one set of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles each. "These are the kind of values we want to transmit through sports: men and women, working together," she commented.
The task of keeping sports fans engaged in Davis Cup is one of concern to those who think it could be grander. Right now it is little known in the U.S., except by those with a keen interest in keeping up with it. Some lament that the ITF will be slow to change the format of these competitions which have such potential for showcasing drama.
But there is still great room for improvement to make the competition more fair. Currently it is played on a home and away basis between countries, alternating home field advantage. Who ever last hosted the last tie between two countries, which could have been years ago, plays the tie away. The home country has both the advantage of choosing the surface, and crowd support. A neutral site, and a fairer way of choosing the surface would go a long way toward making the competition more fair.
An Idea
The European tennis heads might consider changing the color of the tennis balls used during the clay court tournaments, to something that stands out better on television. (Something that would not be too dramatic a change for the players.) A few years ago the United States Tennis Association changed the color of U.S. tennis courts for pro tournaments to blue, making green ball more visible to the TV audience. Changing the color of a clay court could be problematic, a new ball?
Monday, April 16, 2007
ESPN2 to Share Grand Slam Coverage
The Tennis Channel has bought the right to subcontract converage of the Australian and French Opens from ESPN2. Most of the coverage of the French Open will be moved to the Tennis Channel (100 hours on TTC, and 55 hrs on ESPN2). ESPN2 will keep the women's semifinals, while the TTC will air the men's semifinals. The TTC will produce the broadcast for each station, but each station will use its own anchors.
The problem with the TTC, thus far anyway, is that they haven't done that great of job with coverage of the small events that they produce -- even of the event they sponsor -- The Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas. I assume that they'll use better cameras which will help. Second, they need new on air talent. Jimmy Arias is OK, but for two weeks of Grand Slam, that may get a little old. ESPN2 has P-Mac, who is fun, and Cliff Drysdale, who is a bit forgetful but fun as well, and a few other offensive women who I won't mention. But the TTC anchors tend to be on the dry side.
The Tennis Channel was picked up by DirecTV, the satellite provider, which will expand its reach to households, starting in August of this year. Picking up rights to broadcast most of the Australian and French Opens is great for the Tennis Channel which will widen its audience, and ESPN2 -- who gets to broadcast 1/3 of the coverage while still claiming the right to call themselves the "Grand Slam Network" -- and for the cable providers. The catch is that the Tennis Channel is still available currently only on the most expensive cable package from satellite provider DISH network. So by taking most of the coverage of these two events away from ESPN2, giving it more time to show billiards, etc -- it's actually being taken out of more households. More coverage is great, it would also be great if cable providers would downgrade the Tennis Channel to a less expensive package.
The problem with the TTC, thus far anyway, is that they haven't done that great of job with coverage of the small events that they produce -- even of the event they sponsor -- The Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas. I assume that they'll use better cameras which will help. Second, they need new on air talent. Jimmy Arias is OK, but for two weeks of Grand Slam, that may get a little old. ESPN2 has P-Mac, who is fun, and Cliff Drysdale, who is a bit forgetful but fun as well, and a few other offensive women who I won't mention. But the TTC anchors tend to be on the dry side.
The Tennis Channel was picked up by DirecTV, the satellite provider, which will expand its reach to households, starting in August of this year. Picking up rights to broadcast most of the Australian and French Opens is great for the Tennis Channel which will widen its audience, and ESPN2 -- who gets to broadcast 1/3 of the coverage while still claiming the right to call themselves the "Grand Slam Network" -- and for the cable providers. The catch is that the Tennis Channel is still available currently only on the most expensive cable package from satellite provider DISH network. So by taking most of the coverage of these two events away from ESPN2, giving it more time to show billiards, etc -- it's actually being taken out of more households. More coverage is great, it would also be great if cable providers would downgrade the Tennis Channel to a less expensive package.
ATP Plans to Cut Masters Events
Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal are protesting the ATPs plans to downgrade Masters Series Monte Carlo and Hamburg to lesser tournnaments starting in 2009. They claim the changes are coming too soon and wonder why none of the four North American Masters Events have been cut. Perhaps they like playing the big events at home.
Apparently, ATP chief Etienne de Villiers is more interested in expanding ATP tennis, as he has added a Masters Series event in Shanghai. The sad thing is that downgrading both these clay court events would make the road the French Open less interesting. Although De Villiers wants to change the indoor Masters Madrid to an outdoor spring tournament.
Tennis execs want to have a U.S. Open Series lead up to each Grand Slam eventually -- six weeks of tournaments with points at stake; the winners eligible for increased the prize money at the U.S. Open. It would be nice to see one or two Masters Series events before each Grand Slam. And what about extending the grass court season to have a Masters Series event on grass? The goal, as hinted in December of last year, was to reduce the number of Masters Series events in general to four or five.
Some wonder why this is that the goal? Why not 6 or 7? If shortening the season is the goal, there are plenty of other ways to do that. The fans, and many players both enjoy having so many big tournaments.
Apparently, ATP chief Etienne de Villiers is more interested in expanding ATP tennis, as he has added a Masters Series event in Shanghai. The sad thing is that downgrading both these clay court events would make the road the French Open less interesting. Although De Villiers wants to change the indoor Masters Madrid to an outdoor spring tournament.
Tennis execs want to have a U.S. Open Series lead up to each Grand Slam eventually -- six weeks of tournaments with points at stake; the winners eligible for increased the prize money at the U.S. Open. It would be nice to see one or two Masters Series events before each Grand Slam. And what about extending the grass court season to have a Masters Series event on grass? The goal, as hinted in December of last year, was to reduce the number of Masters Series events in general to four or five.
Some wonder why this is that the goal? Why not 6 or 7? If shortening the season is the goal, there are plenty of other ways to do that. The fans, and many players both enjoy having so many big tournaments.
Taking the Stigma Out of Scalping
A few months ago I got an email from a ticket 'broker', who claimed to :
"Create a private ticket brokerage that did more than sell tickets. That's right. They don't just sell tickets. They provide the gateway to the hottest in events in town - in a quick, easy and stress-free manner. Whether through a few clicks of the mouse or a quick phone call, will get you into the action."
I had no idea what ticket 'brokers' did until yesterday. A presale of tickets was offered for the U.S. Open by ticket master starting April 14. By the the 15th all the tickets were gone except for the top row, that's right, row Z of the 23,000+ seat Arthur Ashe stadium.
Then it occurred to me that maybe these tickets had been bought by these 'brokers' or scalpers. So I went to website I remembered from the email, and there were the tickets listed at twice the price. I feel so naive.
This above broker claimed to have a rating from the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau is giving out ratings to scalpers. I never thought I'd live to see the day....
"Create a private ticket brokerage that did more than sell tickets. That's right. They don't just sell tickets. They provide the gateway to the hottest in events in town - in a quick, easy and stress-free manner. Whether through a few clicks of the mouse or a quick phone call, will get you into the action."
I had no idea what ticket 'brokers' did until yesterday. A presale of tickets was offered for the U.S. Open by ticket master starting April 14. By the the 15th all the tickets were gone except for the top row, that's right, row Z of the 23,000+ seat Arthur Ashe stadium.
Then it occurred to me that maybe these tickets had been bought by these 'brokers' or scalpers. So I went to website I remembered from the email, and there were the tickets listed at twice the price. I feel so naive.
This above broker claimed to have a rating from the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau is giving out ratings to scalpers. I never thought I'd live to see the day....
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