Although the ATP "remains hopeful that its year-ending climax, the World Tour Finals, will be held at the O2 arena" in London for a further three years, reports claiming that the deal has been "finalised have been described as 'distinctly premature,'" according to Barry Flatman of the LONDON TIMES. ATP CEO Chris Kermode was "hopeful of making an announcement after the tour’s six-man board of directors met in Barcelona" at the end of April, but "unanimity could not be reached on several issues." The board will reconvene in London next week before Wimbledon in the "hope of bringing the discussions to an agreeable conclusion." Some of the board think that, although the south London venue has been an "unprecedented success in terms of support with 260,000 spectators attending last November's event, a change to another city would be timely." The involvement of Barclays, the title sponsor since the event moved to London in '09, is "also unsure." The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., has long been the "biggest rival to the O2 but several Middle East concerns, most notably Abu Dhabi, are prepared to come up with both a state-of-the-art venue and sufficient financial backing." ATP World Tour Dir of Corp. Communications Simon Higson said, "Obviously it is premature to say any final decision has been made over keeping the event at the London O2 arena. There are quite a few technicalities to be sorted out before anything can be officially announced" (LONDON TIMES, 6/16).
