In our continuing series, SportsBusiness Daily/SportsBusiness Journal asks top sports personalities for their thoughts, ideas, aspirations and likes. Today, WTA CMO ANDREW WALKER.
What I like in an insight: Relationships are critical to success. (You can never have enough business friends!)
An influential person in my career: LARRY SCOTT.
An out-of-the-box idea: An idea doesn't need to be "out of the box" to be great.
A timeless idea: It's all about the money.
A business deal: Island of Manhattan for $24 of beads.
A sports facility: Beijing Olympic Park National Tennis Center.
A sports event: U.S. Open tennis.
A strategy: Be more prepared and work harder than everyone around you.
A hire: "Doers," not "talkers."
A brand: Red Bull.
A trend: Mobile consumption.
An innovation: Cameras in tennis balls.
A pro league or team business initiative: Liberal athlete social media policies to drive share of voice.
A story that bears watching: Instability in global financial systems; also anything related to PARIS HILTON.
An invention I wish I had thought of: The Clapper, along with Chia Pet and the Fish Tie, and that knife that can cut through tomatoes and stainless steel.
A fantasy job: Commissioner of professional tennis.
What I like about my job: Marketing the best female athletes on the planet.
Sports: Always unpredictable and usually fun.
Sports business: So much opportunity to innovate and create.
Sports media: Hard working and underappreciated.
Sports technology: Ability to enhance the fan experience.
Competing: Brings out your true character, and helps fight obesity.
The future of sports business: Convergence with entertainment.
Sports fans: Irresistibly optimistic, and strange liking for overprocessed, cheap meat products.
What I would like to change: Earth's temperature -- slightly cooler so we aren't all living underwater.
Change in what I do: Improve distance on Aerobie throw.
See: A talking platypus slapping a stuffed hedgehog with a steaming sack of hot nickels.
See more of in sports: Bitter rivalries.
See more of in sports business: Sales and marketing collaboration within and across sports.
See less of in sports: Canned interviews.
See less of in sports business: Splitting the difference.
See different: Less e-mail, more old-fashioned talking.
Eliminate: Fudge.
What I don't like in general: Successful ventriloquists and their "dolls."
Pet peeve: Broadway show tune whistlers.
In sports: Cheating.
In business: Lack of integrity.
About sports fans: Megaphone voices.
That would surprise those who know me: Yes, I do love rosé wine, even out of season.
Above all else: Gold.
About myself: My own jokes.
Hero: JOHN MCENROE.
Players: All women's professional tennis players.
Team: Knicks.
Cities: New York City and London.
Possessions: Family photos, and gold.
Mementoes: Anything that someone in my family has made I hoard.
Time of year: Spring, because everything is possible!
Music: French rap.
Books: Someone reading this column, please send me a good book as I stopped reading years ago.
Magazine: The New Yorker.
Web sites: www.wtatennis.com, of course! Also NYT.com.
Gadget: Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc.
IPad app: I only use Sony Ericsson and Sony.
Chore: Washing dishes.
Hobby: Drying dishes.
Trips: Anywhere in Lithuania, and anywhere in California.
Movie: "The 400 Blows."
TV: "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
Concerts: U2.
Artist: RICHARD SERRA.
Food: Toro.
Dessert: Molten lava cake (never out of style).
Drink: Double espresso, thrice daily.
Vacation spots: Mayan Riviera and Big Sur.
Car: Porsche 911. There is no substitute.
Singer: MC SOLAAR.
Quote: "The very purpose of our life is to seek happiness" -- DALAI LAMA.
