THE tennisreporters.net NEWSLETTER: TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, NO. 68

EXCLUSIVE
USTA looking at 'US Open Series,'
altering US Open seedings, prize money
Plan would benefit successful hardcourt players; ESPN likely to increase telecasts

By Ron Cioffi and Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

The USTA's plan to bring together the summer hardcourt warm-up tournaments as a "US Open Series" – which would increase tennis broadcasts on American TV – is moving closer to fruition.

Insiders told tennisreporters.net that an announcement regarding the series could come as early as the end of March, when the USTA may announce that it has put together five to six tournaments that will feature prominent weekend television coverage as well as shared sponsorship, or decide to hold off on the series until 2005.

USTA President Alan G. Schwartz said in an interview with tr.net that when the series does kickoff, that the US Open may no longer go strictly off the ATP and WTA rankings, and will seed players partially based on their hardcourt results during the warm-up tournaments.

The last time the USTA decided to do its own seedings was in 1996. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam that currently does not go strictly off the rankings and seeds by surface.

Schwartz also said that pros who do well in the series could get large increases in their US Open prize money. According to one proposal, players could get between 25 and 50 percent more prize money than players with the same finish in the US Open.

The USTA is currently negotiating with three television networks to have tennis on the tube during Saturday and Sunday East Coast afternoon hours – considered primetime for sports viewers – in the seven weeks leading up to the US Open.

The USTA would prefer to have US Open partner CBS and the giant sports cable outlet ESPN take most of the tournaments, but holds an option to put the tournaments on its other US Open partner, USA Network, if necessary.

The idea is the brainchild of USTA Chief Executive of Pro Tennis, Arlen Kantarian.

The summer hardcourt season consists of men's tournaments in LA, Indianapolis, the Tennis Masters Series events in Canada and Cincinnati and Long Island. WTA tournaments consist of Stanford, LA, Carlsbad (SD County), Canada and New Haven.

ESPN currently broadcasts the Masters Series tournaments as well as the women's tournaments in LA, Canada and New Haven. Carlsbad, Calif. has its final on ABC and semis on of Fox Sports cable.

Indianapolis has had a major network partner for a number of years. All the other tournaments have been broadcast regionally on Fox Sports cable or local outlets.

ESPN likely to increase broadcasts
Sources told tr.net that ESPN is very interested in becoming a major partner in the series, because it can more easily promote tennis now that it owns the US cable rights to both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Schwartz said the idea for the series goes back 25 years when former pro Jack Kramer said, "Why isn't tennis on TV when people are playing tennis: in July and August?" Schwartz wants more exposure with better viewing hours.

Once the US Open Series tournaments are concluded, players who have the best overall records in those events could earn a percentage increase in their US Open earnings and receive higher seedings, Schwartz said. "The player who finishes first (in the series) could get as much as a 50 percent increase in his or her US Open prize money," Schwartz said at the recent USTA Southern Section annual meeting in Atlanta.

This year's US Open winner will undoubtedly receive more than the $1 million won by 2003 winners. If so, a top ranking in the US Open Series could mean more than $500,000 more for one competitor than another one who hadn't done well in preceding hard court tournaments.

Schwartz said he expects increased sponsorship dollars will fund the increase in prize money and added that the USTA doesn't need the blessing of the WTA or the ATP, because it can offer any level of prize money or seeding method it wants for the US Open.

"The other Slams are interested in this plan. The Australian Open is looking at cities like Auckland and Sydney, along with the cities in the Pacific Rim. It would be perfect for the French Open and the clay court season," Schwartz said.

Insiders also told tr.net that because of the 2004 Olympics this summer, it will be difficult to find additional sponsorship money for the series, given that many sport-orientated companies already have their budgets tied up in Athens.