A survey of a "significant number of insiders" in the
tennis industry found that off-court income for pro players
ranked between No. 100 to 200 in the world ranges from
$10,000 to $60,000, while "solid top 50 players" get from
$75,000 to $100,000, but the "big dollars are irrefutably
reserved for the superstars," according to Steve Flink of
TENNIS WEEK. ProServ Managing Dir of Tennis Ivan Blumberg:
"The marketplace is more particular now, and so are the
companies. ... Each of the major companies has gone through
its time of needing to make cutbacks, and if they do that
they are going to cut the fat where they think it will least
impact the bottom line. So their focus stays with the top
20 or maybe even top ten players, and players they feel can
reach that category. The marketplace has substantially
softened over the last couple of years." Advantage Int'l
Senior VP Tom Ross: "There is no question budgets are
tighter now and it is a more challenging market." IMG
Senior VP Gavin Forbes, on marketing players ranked between
No. 100 and 200: "It is important to constantly look for
different avenues for these players, to come up with
creative things in their local markets, to find ways to get
them extra income." IMG's Tony Godsick: "For tennis the
marketing dollars aren't really there even for the top
players the way it used to be." SMC's Howard Jaffe: "[T]he
market ... is terrible, especially with the clothing
companies." TENNIS WEEK runs a full list of the top
agencies and the players they represent (TENNIS WEEK, 8/20).
