Formula One Chair Bernie Ecclestone has joined "forces
and resources" with Boris Becker and Prisma, a subsidiary of
German Leo Kirch's TV arm, in a "renewed attempt to gain
control of the men's tennis tour," according to an AP
report. The German weekly magazine Sport-Bild reported that
the "idea would be to create a Formula One-like tennis
circuit, with fewer events and a No. 1 at the of the
season." Sport-Bild reported that the alliance was set to
"invest more than" $180M in the project and had approached
the directors of the "Super 9" events. The ATP Tour said it
had talked to Ecclestone, Becker and Prisma but did not
continue talks "for a variety of reasons." The ATP Tour
said that it had signed a four-year marketing deal with ISL
and Octagon which will "increase revenue for men's tennis by
about" 30%. The deal is "reportedly worth" $25M a year, but
less "lucrative" than Prisma's proposal (AP, 11/12).
PRISMA AT ALL-ENGLAND CLUB: Prisma has signed with the
All England Lawn Tennis Club to become the exclusive
broadcast and marketing partner in Europe for Wimbledon.
The deal runs through 2001 and includes all forms of
broadcast media except radio (Prisma). The German magazine
Der Spiegel reported that Becker and Prisma's three-year
Wimbledon deal is worth $18M (AP, 11/12).
