ATP Winston-Salem Open Tournament Dir Bill Oakes said that the event this week is "poised to achieve its first operational profit by the time play ends Saturday," according to a front-page piece by Richard Craver of the WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL. Oakes "expects the tournament -- in its fifth year -- to be self-sustaining even though it has chosen to forgo the potential revenue stream of a title sponsor." Oakes: "Acquisition expenses will be rolling off soon, setting the tournament up to be profitable this year and in future years.” Craver notes the local committee that founded the event "acquired the rights" from the USTA through a "six-year payment schedule." The tourney earlier this month also "renewed its agreement" with the USTA to be part of the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series through '18. The event is "projecting overall attendance of 40,000, already bolstered by what Oakes called the best Sunday attendance to date." He credits mid-afternoon start times for "attracting more fans after Sunday church and lunch." The event's three presenting sponsors -- BB&T, Champion (Hanesbrands) and Flow Automotive -- earlier this month "renewed their commitments" through '20. Each sponsor "agreed to a five-year deal" in '11. Oakes said that the tourney is about 75% "of where he envisioned it would be" when he took over" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 8/25).
