Game, Set, Match: Tennis Channel Selling Vegas Event To ATP
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Tennis Channel Selling Its Las
Vegas Tournament Back To ATP |
Tennis Channel is selling its ATP World Tour Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas to the men's tennis circuit. The pending sale will be announced today, and the deal is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, though the final price will fluctuate based on whether the ATP sells the event. The ATP has not decided whether to retire the sanction, or, as has been speculated, move the event to South Africa or Florida. Tennis Channel bought the tourney in '05 from IMG and moved it to Las Vegas from Scottsdale. The tourney struggled to attract fans, and an ATP schedule change next year that might make the event less desirable for players to compete in, both were motivating factors behind a sale. Also, as the channel approaches its fifth anniversary in May, it has added three Grand Slam tournaments to its lineup in less than a year. Tennis Channel Chair & CEO Ken Solomon: "When we came to Las Vegas we couldn't have foreseen that we'd have French Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon coverage in our lineup so soon, three tent-pole competitions that greatly add to our year-round tournament schedule. Now, with these events in tow and the international tournament schedule changing next year, it's time for us to focus more of our energy on what we do best" (Daniel Kaplan, SportsBusiness Journal).
VEGAS STILL VIABLE MARKET: Solomon added that the move "should not be seen as a sign that Las Vegas isn't a good fit for professional tennis." He added that even if the event does not return, other events "similar to last month's successful'' Pete Sampras-Roger Federer exhibition at MSG "could find homes in Las Vegas." Solomon: "The reason we're selling the Tennis Channel Open has nothing to do with the strength of partnership with the city" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/10).
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