Ross (c) overcame plenty of skepticism in making a deal to move the tennis tournament to Hard Rock StadiumGETTY IMAGES
The ATP/WTA Miami Open began a "new era" yesterday, as Hard Rock Stadium hosted a "lavish groundbreaking ceremony" ahead of the tourney's move there in '19, according to Michelle Kaufman of the MIAMI HERALD. With the tournament's move from Key Biscayne, general admission parking will "increase from 2,500 to 5,166 spaces." On-site courts will "increase from 21 to 30, and there will be 18 practice courts instead of nine." Twenty courts will be "lighted (six are now), and the secondary Grandstand stadium will include a player lounge, locker rooms and a gym." Center court will be "inside the stadium, with 13,800 specially configured seats." Dining and lounge spaces will "triple to 30,000-plus square feet, the gym space will triple, and locker rooms will nearly double in size" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/20). The AP's Steven Wine noted Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross "overcame much skepticism to swing a deal for the move." Ross reached out to WME-IMG co-President Mark Shapiro and "proposed moving it 18 miles north to the Dolphins' home." Ross said, "Mark thought I was crazy -- 'What do you mean? It's a football stadium?' Most people when I spoke to them about the idea said, 'It's crazy. It's not going to happen.' But I think we're going to create one of the truly great sports venues in the world. And this is going to be the greatest tennis tournament in the world." Shapiro said, "We're talking about a footprint here that is really unimaginable, filled with music and art and culinary attractions and culture for families. It will be much, much more than just tennis. Every aspect of the tournament will be improved" (AP, 3/19).
MORE THAN JUST TENNIS: In West Palm Beach, Jason Lieser notes everything Ross "plans to build on what is currently parking space could make the stadium even more attractive" as it bids for future Super Bowls and CFP games. The Dolphins are "already scheduled to host" Super Bowl LIV in '20 and the CFP title game in '21. The Super Bowl is of the "utmost importance." Dolphins President, CEO & Vice Chair Tom Garfinkel said, “We want to get one every chance we get. It’s very competitive, and we’re going to work to get as many as we can." Lieser notes there also are "plans for a large promenade that connects to the stadium and can be used for a variety of purposes, including entertainment and dining." It will have the "versatility to accommodate all kinds of advertiser and fan needs for big events, and the grandstand stadium can easily be reconfigured for concerts and other activities." The construction of tennis-related features "could be an inconvenience" during the upcoming football season, but the team "expects to smooth all of that out by early next year." The overall plan also "includes resurfacing and upgrading the outer parking lots and putting in pedestrian bridges and tunnels connecting them to the stadium block." All of those amenities "could be a selling point for the Dolphins when they present plans for Super Bowls" (PALM BEACH POST, 3/20). Among the concerns about "how the renovations will impact" Dolphins and Univ. of Miami football games, parking is a "chief issue" (PALM BEACH POST, 3/20).
PLAYING FAVORITES? SI.com's Jon Wertheim noted one of the "open secrets of tennis" is that when a management agency owns an event, it "uses its discretion over wild cards to the benefit of the players it represents -- and uses it as a recruiting sweetener." So the IMG-owned Miami Open is "flush with IMG clients." Wertheim: "Fine." But it is a "bad look when players like No. 360-ranked Mikael Ymer is getting an automatic in to a Masters 1000 event" while Frances Tiafoe (No. 64) was "denied." Tiafoe on Thursday "landed in the main draw when Pablo Cuevas withdrew with injury," but it could be argued that there is a "good-of-the-sport moral imperative here." This is just a "bad look all-around" (SI.com, 3/18).
