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Thursday
August 3, 2006
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USTA Renaming Tennis Center To Honor Billie Jean King

USTA Renaming National
Tennis Center In Honor Of King

The USTA has renamed its National Tennis Center as the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The official renaming ceremony will take place on opening night of the U.S. Open, August 28 (USTA). In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes the USTA “had been searching for ways to honor” King. Putting her name on a grandstand court “was explored,” along with naming a building to be built by ’08 that will have 12 indoor tennis courts. Renaming Arthur Ashe Stadium as Ashe-King Stadium was also considered. USTA Chair Franklin Johnson: “It was readily accepted that we needed to honor her in this way.” USTA Chief Exec of Pro Tennis Arlen Kantarian said that the USTA “hoped that naming the center for King will raise its profile as a public park and help the center educate young players about her career and societal impact.” WMG Marketing President Jeff Knapple said that the USTA is “bypassing at least [$4-5M] annually” in corporate naming rights by naming the venue for King. He added that the USTA “would have to include a bundle of sponsorship and media rights to the Open, its companion [U.S.] Open Series and other association activities to make up for not selling the naming rights.” Kantarian and Johnson said that there had been “brief discussions over the years about selling the naming rights, but bids had never been solicited” (N.Y. TIMES, 8/3).

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