Menu
Events and Attractions

BNP Paribas Open CEO Calls ATP Decision To Not Increase Tourney's Purse "Bizarre"

BNP Paribas Open CEO Raymond Moore said that the ATP World Tour BOD next week will "vote again on the prize money increase" for this year's tournament, but he is "pessimistic it will pass," according to Leighton Ginn of the Palm Springs DESERT SUN. The ATP voted in November not to approve an $800,000 prize increase for this year's edition of the tournament. Moore said, "It's bizarre to say the least." Moore: "We thought it was a slam dunk. The players approved it unanimously and the distribution formula we offered." Ginn noted three ATP player reps at the BOD meeting "voted for the raise, while the three tournament representatives voted against it." ATP Exec Chair & President Brad Drewett could have "cast the deciding vote, but elected to abstain." The WTA Tour had already approved the increase, but if the ATP does not vote for approval, the WTA's increase "won't happen, because the BNP Paribas Open's sanction is based on equal prize money." Moore added that the tournament will revert to prize money allocations from '11, "resulting in a sizable pay cut for the players on tour." Moore: "There’s an inherent conflict of interest with the tournament directors. It’s the tournament directors who are blocking it. Why would they want to block it? They want to put the muzzle or the bridle on Indian Wells or the BNP Paribas Open, so we don’t outdistance the tournaments around the world. I can’t think of another reason to block it” (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 2/10). Meanwhile, Emirates Airlines announced last week it is extending its sponsorship of the BNP Paribas Open through '15. The airline again will host the hospitality area entitled the Emirates' Garden Club (Emirates).

WAKE & SEE APPROACH: In North Carolina, Owen Covington reported the ATP Winston-Salem Open, which is part of the Emirates U.S. Open Series, will "feature a new center tennis stadium for this year's tournament." The change is "expected to provide less crowded seating areas while bringing more fans closer to the court." A temporary 4,300-seat stadium will "encircle center court adjacent to Wake Forest University's BB&T Field." It is "another step toward eventually building a permanent tennis stadium at the site." Tournament Dir Bill Oakes said that "permanent stadiums comparable to what is expected in Winston-Salem" cost $15-25M. Oakes said, "That is still our plan, but the good part is we think in the short term that we've found a really good solution." Covington noted that "solution" was from Switzerland-based stadium construction firm Nussli. After Oakes visited Nussli HQs last month, the Winston-Salem event "signed a multiyear, long-term lease" for the temporary stadium. WFU Associate AD Mike Buddie said that the university is not "actively pursuing plans to fund a permanent stadium." Covington notes with the event on WFU's property, some agreement with the university would be "necessary for the stadium to be built there" (TRIAD BUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/8 issue).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/02/12/Events-and-Attractions/BNP-Paribas-Open.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/02/12/Events-and-Attractions/BNP-Paribas-Open.aspx

CLOSE