The Corel WTA Tour and Arnon Milchan's Regency
Enterprises entertainment company announced a joint
partnership yesterday where Regency will acquire the
worldwide TV distribution rights to the Tour's Tier I and
Tier II events beginning in January '99. Regency will then
package the events for sale to selected international TV
networks and stations. In addition, the Tour has named Puma
its official shoe and apparel company. Milchan is the
majority shareholder in Puma with a 25% stake in the
company. Regency has produced such films as "JFK," "L.A.
Confidential" and "Pretty Woman" (THE DAILY).
TV DEAL: Corel WTA Tour CEO Bart McGuire said the TV
partnership is a five-year deal, which could extend to nine
years via renewal options. McGuire added that the deal will
"bring us substantially more money" than the reported $5M a
year that the Tour currently receives. There is also a
profit-sharing component in the deal for all revenues in
excess of Regency's guaranteed payment. Milchan said that
Regency's film distribution network will allow it access to
networks "all over the world" and gives it the opportunity
to sell women's tennis programming. Milchan said, "I think
we will use every muscle we have and every leverage we have
... to get the exposure." Milchan said he is "passionate"
about women's tennis: "This is a great sport. Women deliver
today more entertainment than ever before in the sport of
tennis." IMG had distributed the Tour's TV rights (THE
DAILY). In L.A., sources told James Bates that the deal
could guarantee the WTA as much as $200M (L.A. TIMES, 5/12).
INTERESTED IN TITLE DEAL? Milchan also said that he
would be interested in acquiring the Tour's title
sponsorship package when its current deal with Corel expires
at the end of '98. He said he would "wait" and "see all the
offers" before deciding on how to proceed (THE DAILY).
PUMA DEAL: The Tour fills an open category with Puma
becoming its official shoe and apparel company. Puma will
receive on-site exposure and publicity in the Tour's
publications and on its Web site. McGuire said Puma would
"probably" outfit members of the Tour's staff and that they
are talking about a WTA Tour line of Puma clothes. Milchan
said Puma has added French Open champ Iva Majoli and No. 23
ranked player in the world Ruxandra Dragomir to its endorser
roster. Puma also outfits Serena Williams (THE DAILY).
CROSS-PROMOS: Milchan cited the ability to cross-
promote his brands with women's tennis, saying Puma ads
could appear on worldwide broadcasts and that promotions of
Regency films are possible at WTA tournaments. He used his
most recent release, "City of Angels," as an example of a
film whose demographics fit the Tour's demos, which could
lead to further publicity during Tour events (THE DAILY).
WE'RE IN, ARNON! In L.A., James Bates wrote that
Milchan is "hoping to bring an infusion of Hollywood glamour
to the tour," persuading movie stars "to show up at events
and possibly finding roles in films for some of the tennis
tour's stars." Milchan: "Now I can call some of my friends
when the girls are playing in Palm Springs, get a couple of
movie stars who enjoy the sport, fly them there in a private
jet and watch a couple of games" (L.A. TIMES, 5/12).
