The reputation of tennis as a "clean" sport has helped the ATP secure sponsorship deals worth $160M (£105M) over the next five years, according to Ben Martin of the London TELEGRAPH. The governing body of the men’s professional circuit "has struck new deals with five sponsors in recent months," including a "fresh" agreement with the airline Emirates that ATP President Chris Kermode described as the "biggest in the association’s history." The ATP "has also signed new deals with Peugeot, Maui Jim Sunglasses, IT services group Infosys, and Chinese online video business Letv." Kermode said that "sponsors were attracted to tennis because controversies have engulfed other sports, especially athletics and football." Kermode said, "People see [tennis] as a clean sport, it’s a great product with great athletes and I think tennis is in the best place it’s ever been." Kermode said the $160M of new revenue deals the tennis body has agreed "is the biggest amount of revenue in the shortest space of time that we’ve ever had" (TELEGRAPH, 11/22). The ATP and Emirates announced a new partnership on Sunday that will see the award-winning airline elevate its status to the premier partner of the ATP World Tour from '16. The five-year agreement represents the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the ATP. Emirates will benefit from global branding at approximately 60 tournaments worldwide to reach a cumulative broadcast audience in excess of 800 million (ATP).
