Menu
Events and Attractions

Chicago Selected To Host '18 Laver Cup; Inaugural Tourney In Prague Receives Praise

The inaugural Laver Cup wrapped up yesterday in Prague, and Chicago will host the '18 event, marking a "significant coup for a city that rarely has occasion to stage major events that draw the sport's top athletes," according to Dawn Rhodes of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The event will be held at the United Center from Sept. 21-23 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/25).

TENNIS, ANYONE? In London, Stuart Fraser writes though there was no prize money or ranking points at stake in the debut of the Laver Cup, there was "undeniably the sense" that this had "more meaning to it than your average hit-and-giggle." Rafael Nadal said of the tournament, "It is not an exhibition at all. We are here to try our best" (LONDON TIMES, 9/25). REUTERS' Hovet & Kahn wrote with a "sold-out stadium, compelling matches and a doubles pairing of the world's top two players, organizers of the inaugural Laver Cup got what they wanted in the three-day event." A series of "hard-fought games helped create a competitive atmosphere." Laver Cup organizers signed Rolex, JPMorgan and Mercedes-Benz as "key sponsors" (REUTERS, 9/24). In N.Y., Christopher Clarey writes the Laver Cup is "technically an exhibition, even if it hardly felt like one." The sport can not ignore what "transpired in Prague in an O2 Arena that was sold out for all five sessions, drawing 83,273 fans over the event’s three days." John McEnroe said, "You’ve got to be an idiot if you don’t think this is something that could be great for tennis. I can’t imagine there’s a player that played -- or didn’t play, for that matter, and watched it -- who wouldn’t think this is something we should be supporting." Clarey notes Tennis Australia and the USTA were on board as "investors and partners." But the ATP Tour and the ITF, which runs the Davis Cup, "were not." Clarey notes the Laver Cup "certainly had more global reach this week than low-level ATP Events." Clarey: "Still, we will only know whether this competition really has legs when it tries to to thrive without Federer and Nadal near the peaks of their power" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/25).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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/2017/09/25/Events-and-Attractions/Laver-Cup.aspx

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

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/09/25/Events-and-Attractions/Laver-Cup.aspx

CLOSE