Larry Scott's Departure From WTA Tour Continues Turnover
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Many Agree Larry Scott's Departure From
WTA Tour Is A Loss For Tennis |
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Chair & CEO Larry Scott Tuesday announced he is leaving the Tour to become Pac-10 Commissioner, and the "surprise move ... underlined a dramatic turnover at the very pinnacle of the sport," according to Greg Garber of ESPN.com. In less than three months, "arguably the top three jobs in tennis have been vacated," as both former ATP Tour Chief Exec of Professional Tennis Arlen Kantarian and former ATP Exec Chair & President Etienne de Villiers left their respective positions in December. Garber wrote now "probably is the optimum time for Scott to leave the women's game, which, after struggling over the years, is enjoying unprecedented financial health in uncertain economic times." There was a "time not so long ago when it looked like the ATP and WTA tours might merge," but the "window on the merger appears to have closed and, after apparently falling out of consideration for the vacant ATP job," Scott joined the Pac-10. ESPN tennis analyst Pam Shriver said of Scott, "I'm sure the tour would never have wanted this. It's a real loss for tennis. He'll go down as one of the best leaders they've ever had." Tennis player Serena Williams said Scott "has been a strong visionary leader for the tour and done so much for players" (ESPN.com, 3/25).
AD OUT: SI.com's Jon Wertheim wrote Scott's decision to leave is a "loss for tennis." Scott did a "masterful turnaround job, luring sponsors, instituting his road map and keeping all sides generally happy -- even when, qualitatively, the product dropped." The WTA has "come a long way in recent years." But this is a "precarious period," as the global economy is "in the commode." Wertheim: "Already some of you have asked where the WTA goes from here. When it looked as though Scott would return to the ATP had he been offered the job last fall, the WTA board gave a vote of confidence to his No. 2," WTA President Stacy Allaster. But WTA COO & General Counsel David Shoemaker is also "highly respected," and there are "external candidates who would look favorably on the challenges as well" (SI.com, 3/25).
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