 |
Scott Says Proudest WTA
Achievement Equal Prize Money |
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Chair & CEO Larry Scott is leaving the organization to become Pac-10 Conference Commissioner, effective July 1. Scott, who served six years in his position, will work with the Tour’s BOD to select his replacement. Scott is replacing Tom Hansen at the Pac-10 and will become just the sixth commissioner in conference history (
THE DAILY). Scott said, "I realized after 20 years that I maybe had done the most I could do in this sport." He said despite all the "financial success and commercial success, by far the achievement I'm most proud of is equal prize money." But Scott added, "I regret that I couldn't convince the men's tour that a merger with the women's tour would make sense by making tennis a bigger, stronger enterprise." The Pac-10 first approached Scott about the job in January, and Stanford AD Bob Bowlsby, who led the conference's search, said Scott "has great experience in branding." Bowlsby: "He has great experience in sponsorship development and in television negotiations. He has the right energy to build upon a great foundation with the Pac-10" (
AP, 3/24).
GAME, SET, MATCH: TENNISWEEK.com's Richard Pagliaro noted Scott "helped orchestrate" the six-year, $88M title sponsorship deal with Sony Ericsson in '05 that "dwarfed the Tour's past deals in size and scope and remains the largest sponsorship commitment in the history of women's sports." Scott's successor will face a "major challenge ... in trying to renew the Sony Ericsson sponsorship deal" or securing a new title sponsor. The ATP World Tour has yet to find a new entitlement sponsor after Mercedes-Benz' deal expired in December, and "some insiders believe Sony Ericsson may not renew with the WTA." In addition, Scott was the architect of the Tour's new Roadmap plan, which "streamlined the Tour's schedule." During Scott's tenure, the Tour also signed Whirlpool and Dubai Duty Free as sponsors and "committed to the largest television pact in Tour history with Eurosport" (TENNISWEEK.com, 3/24). In London, Neil Harman writes Scott perhaps was tennis' "most progressive leader," and his departure is "something that tennis is going to take a while to recover from." Scott rightly has been "credited with engineering a remarkable turnaround for the professional game, one which is in a stronger position today than ever before" (LONDON TIMES, 3/25).
 |
Scott Hopes His Network
Experience Will Aid Pac-10 |
THE OLD COLLEGE TRY: In N.Y., Pete Thamel notes Scott's "biggest strengths -- television and marketing -- [match] the Pac-10's greatest weakness," as the conference has a "low national profile and does not have as strong a television arrangement as other conferences." The conference's main cable TV partner is FSN, and Scott said, "I've picked up on the sense that some people feel that the Pac-10 may not be boxing at their appropriate weight, so to speak. One of the skill sets that I bring is dealing with television for 15 years and dealing with all of the major networks over that time." Scott noted the Pac-10 was "looking for a different kind of leader from ... other conferences typical in this position." Scott: "They see this as a turning point for the Pac-10 and are looking for a new approach to promoting and branding the conferences as well as television and sponsorships" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/25). Bowlsby said, "Our search committee was most impressed with Larry's broad range of leadership experiences in both men's and women's sports." Scott noted that he has never met Hansen, but is "eager to learn all he could from the commissioner who led the conference through unprecedented growth" (L.A. TIMES, 3/25). USA TODAY's Jack Carey notes the Pac-10 has long opposed a college football playoff, but Scott yesterday indicated that he "wants to keep an open mind about the possibility" of expanding it. Scott: "I think the reason (league) presidents wanted me was because I come with a fresh perspective and an open mind, and I think they have an open mind" (USA TODAY, 3/25). ESPN's Ted Miller noted Scott's background as a "tennis player and leader of a women's pro sports organization probably eased fears among women's and non-revenue sports advocates that the next commissioner would be all about football" (ESPN.com, 3/24).
RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB: In Tacoma, John McGrath writes under the header, "East Coast Guy Leading Pac-10? It's About Time." With Scott, the Pac-10 hired a "trailblazer capable of rescuing it from the wilderness." Scott's appointment "might be the first progressive move this band of sleepy-headed brothers has made in the three decades" since the conference expanded. The conference's TV package for football, shared with ESPN/ABC and FSN, is "inadequate," and the Pac-10's basketball package, "completely tethered to Fox Sports and its peculiar brand of provincialism, is insulting." McGrath notes the conference "responsible for so much innovation over the years on the football field has become ... a symbol of the doddering, feeble, stodgy status-quo that's preventing college football from reaching its easily achievable potential" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 3/25). Univ. of Washington AD Scott Woodward said Scott's "career and his resume is impressive as a smart guy who understands the business of athletics but also understands the value of good student-athlete support." In Seattle, Bob Condotta reports the other finalists reportedly were outgoing Padres CEO Sandy Alderson and Coca-Cola North American Business Unit President Terry Marks (SEATTLE TIMES, 3/25). Sources said that NCAA Senior VP/Basketball & Business Strategies Greg Shaheen turned down an offer from the conference in January.
