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THE
SCOOP: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9
USTA
fires communications chief Jayson
By
Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net
tennisreporters.net
has learned that the USTA fired its communications director, Andrea
Jayson, last Friday.
 The
news comes on the heels of the announcement that Joe Favorito,
Jayson's co-No. 1 in the communications dept., will leave his
post in mid-November to take a job with the NY Knicks (which begs
the question, which is harder, trying to convince the N.Y. media
that Allan Houston isn't soft or the international tennis media
that fans really love the endless Super Saturday?)
Considered to be stand-offish when she was around and all but
invisible much of the year, Jayson was no media favorite. Apparently,
she was given the hook after the USTA decided to hire Stephen
Morello last month as director of association affairs, where he
is slated to oversee internal communications among USTA constituent
groups including the Board of Directors, the 17 Sections and the
volunteers. That's essentially what Jayson was supposed to be
doing.
The USTA already made another recent hire to promote the neglected
department of community tennis, so the brass in White Plains had
to decide whether Jayson was up to its highest profile position
– pro
tennis, which is what Favorito did. Apparently, either one or
all of the Big Four in White Plains – Rick
Ferman, Arlen Kantarian, Pierce O'Neil and Jim Curley – decided
that she wouldn't put the proper face on the U.S. Open/Davis Cup/Fed
Cup etc. It appears a strong NorEaster sunk the Andrea Jayson.
Now the question is whether the USTA will promote any of its staff
to take over for Joe Fav (Bruce Levy, Andre Christopher or Randy
Walker) or bring in some new blood.
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