ATP Chair Andrea Gaudenzi has warned that tennis’ “continued failure to pool commercial businesses and reduce fragmentation between events is leading to billions of dollars in lost revenue,” according to Josh Noble of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Gaudenzi said that bringing together the men’s and women’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the four Grand Slams “would transform the finances of tennis and unlock a huge potential fan base.” He estimates that the current revenue generated across professional tennis of about $3.5B a year “could double or even treble if the entities were to combine forces.” He added that tennis needs to “create a ‘one-stop shop’ for broadcasters, sponsors, betting companies, fans and players that can ‘move, change, adapt, innovate and be ready for the challenges that we will all face in the next 10 years.’” Noble noted Gaudenzi has “long been a vocal advocate” of proposals to bring the two tours, the ITF and the four Grand Slams under a single umbrella that “could strike global deals for TV rights and sponsorship.” Outlines of a deal, backed by private equity group CVC Capital Partners, were initially agreed in 2021, but have since “failed to come to fruition.” Gaudenzi concedes that the “same stumbling blocks that have so far hampered an agreement remain,” but he “still hopes that a deal to unite tennis can be reached” (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/21).
