ATP Names BOD Members In Apparent Effort To Unseat De Villiers
 |
Gimelstob Taking Seat
On Six-Member ATP BOD |
The ATP Saturday elected Senior VP/Tennis Industry Relations David Egdes and ESPN commentator and former ATPer Justin Gimelstob to its six-member BOD in what is "believed to be the first step in the effort by players to seize control of the men's tour away from" ATP Tour Chair & President Etienne de Villiers, according to Charles Bricker of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. Gimelstob, who will fill the vacancy created when the 10-member Players Council in May voted Perry Rogers off the BOD, said of his role, "The players deserve to determine the direction that the game goes in." Egdes filled the spot made available when Iggy Jovanovic declined to run for another term. A third spot, which the Players Council created when it fired Jacco Eltingh, "probably will be filled next week" by Council President Ivan Ljubicic. Bricker noted all of the electees are "strongly opposed to de Villiers for various reasons" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/22). Meanwhile, the Tour's top three ranked players -- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic -- were elected to two-year terms on the Players Council. Djokovic: "I think it's fantastic for the sport. We're changing the face, changing the picture of everything in general. ... We have to defend our interests" (USA TODAY, 6/23).
 |
Djokovic (l) And Federer To Take
Greater Role In Leadership Of ATP Tour |
TIME FOR CHANGE: In N.Y. Christopher Clarey wrote Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all have previously "voiced concerns about the leadership of the men's tour, and they intend to get more involved in the game's politics and decision-making process." Djokovic: "We're changing the face, changing the picture of everything in general. We don't have such a big amount of free time. We have to spend it wisely. But we decided together that this is the best for the sport, to join the players council and try to be united in the future to make decisions, the good decisions for us, for everybody" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/22). In Manchester, Richard Evans wrote, "Problems with the calendar and the way the ATP find themselves defending a multimillion-dollar law suit in Delaware next month after they were sued by the German Tennis Federation are just two of the issues that have energised the locker room" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 6/22). In London, Neil Harman writes the promotion of the three players to the Council is the "most significant move in the game since the ATP was formed 20 years ago" (LONDON TIMES, 6/23). The SUN-SENTINEL's Bricker, in a separate piece, writes the newly elected Players Council will address "how to increase their authority" and "whether there should be a restructuring at the executive level of the ATP, regardless of whether de Villiers stays or goes." Under the preliminarily discussed concept, there would be separate ATP CEO and Chair positions, and "one might not necessarily report to the other" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/23).
GAME, SET MATCH? The ATP BOD Tuesday will hold its first meeting with its new members and "high on the agenda will be settlement" of the $75M Hamburg suit, filed by the German Tennis Federation (GTF) after the ATP downgraded and moved its Masters Series event from Hamburg to Madrid. The SUN-SENTINEL's Bricker wonders if the revamped BOD may "find a new way to get rid of this suit before it's scheduled to go to court" on July 23, or perhaps if the GTF would drop the suit if de Villiers resigned. But de Villiers, "far from being concerned about calls for his resignation, is moving forward with the tour's day to day business." Nadal is "believed to want de Villiers out immediately, though that is not a unanimously held position on the new Board" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/23).
 |
De Villiers Says He Was Appointed
As ATP Chair To Introduce Change |
HOLDING SERVE: The FINANCIAL TIMES' Charles Morris wrote de Villiers is a "warier figure than he was two years ago," but his "sense of humour remains intact -- as does his conviction about the need for change in men's tennis." De Villiers, who "argues that he was appointed by the ATP to introduce change," has proposed a reform of the doubles game that has "sparked even more player opposition." De Villiers: "In every other industry in the world you test things, you experiment. Unless you are prepared to fail you never get to the next level. This is a very conservative sport." Part of de Villier's reform is the "revamp of this complex calendar," which led to the lawsuit. De Villiers: "The lawsuit is about the essence of the role of a governing body, which has a duty to do the best for its sport, fans, players, tournaments and sponsors. Are we, or not, allowed to set a calendar and respond to market forces?" De Villiers added, "I only want to be around if people want me to be around." De Villiers said of the ATP BOD, "If they want me, I will stay" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/20).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
Murray Signs Five-Year Deal With adidas
November 4, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Judge: Issues Close In Appeal Of ATP Case
November 3, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
ATP Denied Legal Fees From '08 Court Case
October 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Tennis Growth In Asia Depends On Stars
October 16, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
ATP Players Complain About Season Length
October 13, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
U.K. Panel: Major TV Events Should Be Free
November 16, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Agassi Holds Nothing Back In "Open"
November 12, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Pilot Pen Won't Renew Tennis Sponsorship
November 11, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Murray Signs Five-Year Deal With adidas
November 4, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Judge: Issues Close In Appeal Of ATP Case
November 3, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
