Lindsay Davenport, who has "matured into one of the
most outspoken players" on the Sanex WTA Tour, "worries"
that the Tour "isn't maximizing its current leverage to
build a stronger foundation," according to Johnette Howard
of TENNIS. Davenport: "I feel like this is how the tour is:
A sponsor will come in and we're asking for, say, $5
million. And the sponsor will say, 'I'll give you $2
million.' And the tour goes, 'OK, we'll take that,' instead
of going back in there and going, 'Bull----, we deserve $5
million, and you know what? If you don't give it to us,
we're going to walk away.'" Davenport said she told Tour
CEO Bart McGuire, "You really have to take advantage of [the
popularity of women's tennis] these last two years. I don't
think you've done enough." But McGuire says that the Tour's
title sponsorship deal with Sara Lee's Sanex, reportedly
worth "up to" $80M, "proves the tour is holding up its end
of the bargain." McGuire: "It's the largest deal in the
history of women's sports" (TENNIS, July/August 2000).
TENNIS DIVAS JOIN ESPN CAMPAIGN: Martina Hingis will
appear in an ESPN "This is SportsCenter" ad with four of
ESPN's female anchors. In the spot, Hingis and the anchors
are seen "eating popcorn in their pajamas and debating who's
the cutest ESPN male anchor." In another spot to debut next
month, Venus and Serena Williams are featured "beading"
anchor Rich Eisen's hair (TENNIS, July/August 2000 issue).
SERVES & VOLLEYS: Gustavo Kuerten signed a two-year
deal with Brazilian communications company Globo.com. Under
the deal, Globo.com will host Kuerten's Web site, and
Kuerten will wear a Globo.com patch on his left sleeve
during matches. Globo.com joins Banco de Brasil, Diadora,
Head, Pepsi and Rider as corporate partners of Kuerten.
Octagon reps Kuerten (Octagon)....The SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL's Langdon Brockinton reports that SFX Sports Group
has re-signed Legg Mason as the title sponsor of the ATP
Tour event in DC, in a four-year deal through 2003. Terms
were not disclosed (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/12 issue).
