Tennis NZ Could Lose NZ$1M If TAB Is Outsourced

The recommendation of an outsourced betting agency means Tennis New Zealand and other sports "face uncertain times," with one-third of tennis' income sourced from the TAB, according to George Fisher of STUFF. Tennis, basketball, rugby league and football are among the "most heavily reliant" on TAB commission payments -- they get a percentage of the amount wagered on each sport -- as a "significant proportion of their total income." In the year ending June 30, 2017, Tennis NZ's annual report revealed it received NZ$3.12M in income, with "a tick over" NZ$1M of that coming from the TAB. That increased to NZ$1.2M ($790,000) in the past year. Tennis NZ CEO Julie Paterson said, "Obviously, if there was a shift in ownership of the TAB, that could be of major concern to us, but we really do not understand enough about what may or may not happen next" (STUFF, 9/4).