by Kevin Craig
@KCraig_Tennis
Sinclair Broadcast Agrees To Buy Tennis Channel for $350 Million
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. announced in a press release that they have “entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the stock of Tennis Channel.” The agreement will allow Sinclair to work with various multi-channel video programming distributors in an effort to increase the number of home in which Tennis Channel is carried from 30 million to approximately 50 million. David Smith, president and CEO of Sinclair, stated that Tennis Channel brings “high quality content and advertisers, and is vastly under-compensated and under-distributed relative to the value it brings to its viewers,” in the press release. Barry Faber, Sinclair’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, stated that Sinclair’s broadcast platform will be used to promote Tennis Channel, resulting “in increased viewership, further adding to the channel’s value in attracting and retaining subscribers.” Ken Solomon, CEO of Tennis Channel, hopes the new partnership will increase the advertising and sponsorship revenue that the channel brings in, allowing for an improvement and increase in media rights not only in the United States, but on an international scale. “Our management team is more excited than ever about the future for Tennis Channel under Sinclair’s ownership and anxious to grow as part of such a visionary and transformative company,” stated Solomon in the press release.
First Group of Players Announced for Louisville International Open
The Louisville International Open, a tournament on the Women’s Tennis Association that is set to be played the week before the US Open, announced its first group of committed players to attend the inaugural tournament. According to Louisville Business First, the tournament is owned and operated by Louisville Professional Tennis LLC, which was created by Louisville businessman Michael Bewly. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Roberta Vinci, and Sabine Lisicki were the three names announced at a press conference that would be playing in the first Louisville International Open. The Louisville Boat Club is helping the tournament by upgrading its facilities to include improved dining areas, fitness facilities, and locker rooms. Meanwhile, Louisville Professional Tennis has tagged along with Swiss company The NUSSLI Group and various local construction companies to oversee the construction of the stadium and two other “performance courts,” as well as improving existing practice courts. Tournament director Whitney Collins-Thompson told Louisville Business First that she hopes to see an economic impact of about $600,000 to $800,000 in the first edition of the tournament.
Petra Kvitova Splits Ways with Coach of Seven Years
Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova announced via her Twitter and Facebook accounts that she has split with coach David Kotyza. Kvitova announced no reason for the split with the coach who helped her win 17 titles and two grand slams, but did thank him “for the many things he taught [her] both on and off the court,” in her announcement. The split comes after Kvitova was upset by Daria Gavrilova in the second round of the Australian Open.
David Goffin Officially Signs with Asics
The Belgian No. 1 tennis player has officially signed a clothing deal with Asics. Goffin proclaimed his excitement for the new deal, commenting on how successful Asics is with their “technologically advanced tennis footwear and apparel,” according to Footwear News. Goffin joins Gael Monfils, Philip Kohlschreiber, Samantha Stosur, Johanna Konta, and Julia Goerges in the list of tennis players signed by the clothing company. The executive officer of Asics, Allistair Cameron, claimed that adding new faces to their list of players will help “build on the successes of 2015 and further cement our strong position in the tennis market in 2016 and beyond,” in a press release.
Innovative Company Provides Instant Photo Souvenirs for Fans at Australian Open
Social Playground, a growing business created in Sydney, has created the opportunity for fans to take home printed copies of pictures they take at the Australian Open. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Annabelle Smith created a company in 2013 in which people are able to post pictures on Instagram and have them printed almost instantly. The company is already involved with 2000 events throughout Australia, working with companies such as Jacob’s Creek and Wilson. Smith got the idea for printing Instagram pictures while living in the United States and attempted to bring that idea with her to Australia, but Instagram was not interested in the move. Smith then began working “with a digital agency and industrial design company [in Australia] to create her own version of an Instagram printer,” according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Smith’s business has taken off since she began working with Jacob’s Creek at the Australian Open, currently having partners in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and New Zealand, as well as recently signing deals to get partners in Dubai, Qatar, Iceland, and Denmark. Smith is hoping to continue to grow the business around the world and create new products each year.
Tennis Setting up Independent Body to Investigate Match Fixing
Leading officials from the ATP, WTA, ITF, and grand slam board have announced that they will be forming an independent body responsible for looking into the governance of match fixing in the sport of tennis. The initiative will be led by British lawyer Adam Lewis, along with two others. According to CNN, there is no official timeline or deadline for the review to be finished and published to the public, but Chris Kermode, head of the ATP, stated that the public will be informed of the results of the review once it is completed. One of the main purposes of the review is to examine the effectiveness of the Tennis Integrity Unit, the organization that was put together in 2008 in an attempt to crack down on match fixing. During the press conference at the Australian Open in which this initiative was announced, Philip Brook, Tennis Integrity Board and Wimbledon Chairman, stated how important it was to reassure fans of tennis around the world “that integrity is at the top of [the] pile of things to do.”
Matteo Donati Begins Partnership with Crimson Snow
According to Fresh Plaza, young Italian tennis player Matteo Donati, currently ranked inside the Top 200, has begun a partnership with Crimson Snow, a European brand of apples. As an ambassador of the company, Donati takes Crimson Snow apples with him on and off the court, even having an apple in his chair while playing the qualifying event at the Australian Open and having his picture taken after winning a doubles title on the challenger circuit with his trophy and a Crimson Snow apple in his hand. Donati is joined by Verena Meliss, a fellow young Italian tennis player, in being an ambassador for the apple brand. The main purpose for the partnership between the tennis players and the brand is to “motivate people to consume more apples, one of the most healthy and practical pieces of fruit,” according to Fresh Plaza. The main marketers of the company are based in Italy, so it was an easy decision for Crimson Snow to choose two promising Italian athletes to begin working with.
