Ericsson Open Founder & Owner Butch Buchholz "is
negotiating to sell" the event to IMG, according to sources
of Meri-Jo Borzilleri of the MIAMI HERALD. The tournament
is "expected to stay" at its South FL site "even if a sale
is made," but it is "likely" that Buchholz will "continue to
have" a role in the running of the event. Buchholz, at the
Monte Carlo Open, could not be reached for comment. The
Ericsson would become IMG's fourth tennis event, and it
would be its "biggest" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/21). The AP's Jeff
Shain reported that IMG "confirmed" the negotiations
yesterday. IMG spokesperson Linda Dozoretz: "Negotiations
certainly are going on. We'll have to leave it to Butch
Buchholz to officially make any announcement" (AP, 4/21).
AN ACURA-TE REPORT: Acura has become a presenting
sponsor of the '99 TIG Tennis Classic, to be held July 31-
August 8 in San Diego. Acura was an associate sponsor of
the event last year. Qualcomm, The Hoover Company and Van
Kampen Funds have signed as new associate sponsors, and
Corel returns as an associate sponsor (TIG Tennis Classic).
BLAKE-ING OF A STAR? USA TODAY's Doug Smith profiles
Harvard sophomore tennis player James Blake and writes that
IMG and Advantage "are among" the companies that have "sent
agents to Cambridge on multiple, get-to-know-Blake-better
visits." Smith: "Although no African-Americans currently
are ranked in the top 200 on the men's ATP Tour, several
sports firms believe Blake has the tools and temperament to
be one of the game's top stars" (USA TODAY, 4/22).
