The IMTA Thread

[TennisHack]

Woodbridge sounds threatened! Keep an eye out at TMS Miami, guys -- things could get shaky!

Woodbridge: IMTA lacks support, funds
Posted: Tuesday March 11, 2003 9:57 PM

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 11 (Reuters) -- ATP Players' Council vice president Todd Woodbridge says a proposed breakaway International Men's Tennis Association (IMTA) will fizzle out.

"They don't have enough support," Woodbridge told Reuters at the Pacific Life Open on Tuesday following a meeting of 16 of the top 20 men's players the previous night.

"It's unlikely they'll get off the ground because what they are proposing is already in place. We already have representatives and if you don't like them, you can vote in new ones and do it in the system that you have.

"Basically, they are only asking to vote in another player's council."

The proposed IMTA is headed by South African Wayne Ferreira and Laurence Tieleman of Belgium, who have hired a New York law firm to represent them.

They are upset their voices are not heard loudly enough in ATP decision-making and that they do not know enough about the organization's finances.

"We're not trying to close down the ATP," Ferreira said. "We just want someone to represent us who is not employed by the ATP.

"We want someone who does what we tell him to do, rather than what the governing body tells them to do."

But Woodbridge said the 16 players at Monday's meeting, which was attended by ATP chief executive officer Mark Miles, came out in favor of continuing to work within the ATP structure.

The only leading players absent from the meeting were world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Albert Costa and Alex Corretja.

Agassi is injured and has left Indian Wells, Players' Council members Corretja and Costa felt they were already informed enough and did not have to attend while Hewitt told Woodbridge he would prefer not to attend meetings.

"They were 100 percent behind where the ATP Tour is heading right now in terms of the issues Wayne and others have brought up, and with the leadership that's in place," Woodbridge said.

Ferreira has said that the IMTA is planning to launch during the Miami Masters next week. But Woodbridge was skeptical.

"They might keep talking for another month but I don't know who's going to back them. They need to have funds," Woodbridge said.

"Are the players who they sign going to give them 10 or 20 grand each? Who are they going to employ?

"They have to have staff. It's not just saying you are going to do it."

Woodbridge believes the players began to grow dissatisfied after the ATP was forced to eliminate its $10 million bonus pool this year due to lack of funds.

The bonus pool paid players based on their rankings and appearances at Masters Series events.

"Tennis and the whole world economy in general has to readjust and that created this interest," Woodbridge said. "The tour had been rosy for 10 years and then hit a bump in the road.

"It's exactly like the information technology boom, when that bust and everyone said, 'What am I going to do?'

"Guys in the locker room are talking and that's great. They want to know what's going on and they will become unified to solve problems."

The ATP board of directors is composed of seven members, three representatives from the Players' Council, three tournament directors and Miles.

But the player's representatives -- Ricardo Acioly, Tomas Carbonell and Gary Muller -- are paid by the ATP to be on the board, which does not sit well with Ferreira.

"The players need to be more informed about the business and we need to have someone with a business mentality to get valuable information for us so we know what's going on inside," he said.

"We're a little bit isolated from the ins and outs. We need an independent person representing our needs."

[The Chloe]

I know that I have asked this in other threads, but if anybody gets a hold of a way to throw these guys some support, let us know

A website, email, whatever

[TennisHack]

Ferreira turns focus to on-court plans

LONDON (Reuters) -- Wayne Ferreira on Monday switched his focus from tennis politicking to on-court plans as he announced his entry in the 2003 Samsung Open in Nottingham.

The South African is the man behind the proposed International Men's Tennis Association (IMTA) -- a body of players threatening to break away from the ATP.

Headed by Ferreira and Italy's Laurence Tieleman, the IMTA have hired a New York law firm to represent them. They are upset their voices are not heard loudly enough in ATP decision-making and that they do not know enough about the organization's finances.

Ferreira has spent recent weeks lobbying support for the new body, expected to be officially formed later this week, but on Monday switched his sights to the June 16-22 event.

"I see Nottingham as valuable practice for Wimbledon of course, but it is also a tournament I would very much like to win," he said in a statement released by tournament organizers on Monday.

"Nottingham is important in my schedule ... the atmosphere is great."

"To secure a player of Wayne's caliber so far in advance is tremendous news," tournament director Patrick Hughesman said.

[TennisHack]

ITF takes steps to counter IMTA
Posted: Monday March 17, 2003 11:08 PM

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Ticker) -- The International Tennis Federation on Monday discussed ways of preventing a breakaway group from the ATP, promising to work more closely with leading players.

There has been talk of establishing a rival group called the International Men's Tennis Association (IMTA) in an effort to introduce greater player involvement on decisions regarding scheduling and finances.

The IMTA is being led by Wayne Ferreira of South Africa and Laurence Tieleman of Italy, who have hired a New York law firm to represent them. The effort already has received support from world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.

"With my experiences with the ATP Tour, I've got to look at in a very positive way," said Hewitt, who ran afoul of ATP bosses last summer when he failed to conduct a television interview. "Any way things can be helped, that's great for everyone.

Aware of the growing support for the rival group, the ITF met over the weekend in Lausanne to discuss the issue.

In a statement released Monday evening, the ITF admitted players should have a greater voice. The governing body also released several new proposals.

The most interesting is the promotion of a longer offseason, although ITF officials stressed it should last no longer than two months. That likely will be viewed as a positive by the players.

Last year, Hewitt won the Masters Cup in Shanghai -- the final event of the 2002 season -- on November 17.

The 2003 campaign actually started on December 30, 2002 in Adelaide, with the Australian Open getting under way two weeks later.

Several players, including Andre Agassi, have spoken out in favor of moving the first Grand Slam of the year to a later date to give players more time to get in shape.

The ITF's Grand Slam committee also reiterated a commitment to the Davis Cup, the Federation Cup and the Olympics as well as a combined year-end tournament operated by the ITF.

Meanwhile, ATP CEO Mark Miles and WTA Tour CEO Kevin Wulff issued a joint statement regarding the ITF meetings.

While the two executives agreed on the need for restructuring of their tours' schedules, they urged the Grand Slam Committee "to provide fair rewards for professional players." But they "remain concerned that their view of what is appropriate investment towards these ends is significantly less than what is required."

The ATP and WTA also expressed a desire for more dual events like last week's Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells and this week's Nasdaq-100 Open, "with their additional days of competition and larger playing fields."

The tours are hoping to create a third such event in Europe as early as 2005.

Those and other issues should come up for discussion at this week's players' meeting in Miami.

[TennisHack]

From Werthless 3/17/03:

"The breakaway players' group known as is the International Men's Tennis Association (aka the Wayne Mutiny) trolled for support in Indian Wells. Some of the bigger guns rumored to be behind the group were less than unequivocal in their backing. But Hewitt didn't mince words. As he told me last week: "I support them, absolutely. Anything that can improve the tour and the administration of the tour is definitely a step in the right direction" ... The IMTA will meet with players in Miami for a is-you-in-or-is-you-ain't session before going to the ATP. The pending showdown worth following, however, will be between the ATP and the ITF (read: Mark Miles vs. French Tennis Federation head Christian Biemes) over the percentage of prize money the Slams disburse. ... If you want a glimpse into how balkanized and fractured the professional game is right now, check out this Q&A with Charlie Pasarell. Some of Pasarell's points are much more tenable than others, but all credit to him for being so candid and outspoken. Can't all the various and sundry alphabet-soup members go to the Azores (or Yalta or Potsdam or Trent) and work this out? ..."

[TennisHack]

www.asapsports.com/tennis/2003paclife/031403CP.html is the REALLY long interview with Charlie Paserelli that Werthless mentioned.

[Lee]

At this point, I still doubt ATP executives will actually wake up!

[TennisHack]

Top men unite behind Hewitt
Eleanor Preston in Indian Wells
Monday March 17, 2003
The Guardian

The fledgling players' union, the International Men's Tennis Association, will hold its first official meeting tomorrow. The union, fronted by the South African veteran Wayne Ferreira, has the backing of the world No1 Lleyton Hewitt and appears to be gaining popularity.

Hewitt's very public endorsement of the union, which aims to get better representation for players in negotiations with the men's governing body the ATP, has boosted its profile. Though many players are still reluctant to go public with their support, Ferreira claims that more than 20 of the world's leading men have signed up.

The organisation will be set up in conjunction with a New York-based law firm and, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times, has already been incorporated under US law.

According to a memo distributed by the group last week, an extract of which was published in the LA Times, the IMTA's main objectives are to "improve the flow of information from the ATP to the players" and "obtain financial and operational information from the ATP, including information relating to the player pension plan, ATP revenue and expenses".

Little wonder the memo mentions money. The group grew from a widespread feeling in the locker room that the dwindling funds in men's tennis were not being spent wisely. The ATP's revenue has been severely affected in recent years by both the falling value of television rights and the collapse of its $1.2bn (£760m) deal with the sports marketing firm ISL.

News that the IMTA is gathering momentum will not please the ATP's chief executive Mark Miles. He spent last week here meeting players and trying desperately to forestall any rebellion. He is currently negotiating with the grand slam committee - which runs the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open - over prize money, and the last thing he wants is a mutiny among his players.

But Hewitt is not the only big name to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ferreira. Tim Henman has not ruled out joining the IMTA, and the former world No1 Gustavo Kuerten has also lent his support.

"I think the players, if they get together, it's a good sign of power," said the Brazilian. "I think we should have more unity from the players, so basically if he's looking for that I think I will agree, to have the players having more, counting more. They have to get themselves sometimes together, as every sport needs to do."

[TennisHack]

Someone, somewhere, must serve tennis better

Stephen Bierley
Tuesday March 18, 2003
The Guardian

For years now tennis has been crying out for a commissioner - somebody with the clout of the love-him-or-loathe-him formula one supremo Bernie Ecclestone - or failing that a centralised decision-making body capable of knocking heads together and making radical changes.

And yesterday the first steps were taken towards the latter when the grand slam committee, comprising the chairman of Wimbledon (Tim Phillips) and his Australian, French and United States Open counterparts, together with the Italian president of the International Tennis Federation, Francesco Ricci Bitti, invited all the key bodies to get together with the idea of forming a new governing partnership. It is a bold and long overdue move made at a time when the leadership of the professional side of the sport is flailing about hopelessly.

Whether the grand slam committee can punch its weight remains to be seen, but without a doubt the four slams are the most successful tournaments in the world, and the force is very much with those that run them.

Ironically, men's professional tennis broke away from the slams and the grand prix structure in 1990 to form the Association of Tennis Professionals to increase revenue. Just a few years ago, in the idyllic Monte Carlo clubhouse overlooking the Mediterranean, I can vividly recall a senior member of the ATP chiding a European who had dared to suggest that the organisation might be better run from London or Paris rather than Florida. "You may be able to organise tournaments but we Americans sure as hell know how to make money," the ATP official smiled with the maximum of condescension.

And oh how loudly Mark Miles, the ATP's chief executive, trumpeted his $1.2bn (£765m) deal with the Swiss company ISL in 1999. This was an agreement that would make the goose with the golden eggs look like a barren duck, and on the strength of it tournaments throughout the world did the dirty on their long-time sponsors, casting them aside like so much dirty washing.

Then ISL went bust in 2001. Most organisations would have immediately fired their top man but Miles, with an effrontery that was simply flabbergasting, claimed he had somehow saved the day by insisting on bank guarantees for a year. And the players swallowed it - until it emerged that prize money would have to be reduced this year. Then, and only then, did they start to bellyache, and hence the current move to set up an organisation - the International Men's Tennis Association - to challenge the ATP.

Meanwhile Miles was in Indian Wells last week trying to drum up support among the players to press for a greater share of the grand slam profits. Yes, you read it right. Here is a man, who having made a total botch of the ATP finances, is now trying to salvage matters by sponging on those who have succeeded where he has singularly failed. Not that Miles is intending asking baldly for greater prize money at Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and the Australian and US Opens, for that is already astronomic. No, he wants to wheedle extra cash for the players' pensions and for promotions.

Since the 1990 split, the four slams have gone from strength to strength, and the International Tennis Federation clearly had to embark on some persuasive talking in Lausanne at the weekend to persuade the four chairmen and their chief executives, including Wimbledon's Chris Gorringe, to pursue a united front. They were obviously aware of Miles's machinations, and must have been sorely tempted to tell him to get lost. Instead they are set to invite the wolf through the door, although given his record, and the growing dissatisfaction among the players, they may consider him a spent force anyway.

The grand slam committee has made it clear that all parties should retain a clear and distinct voice, but it has not pulled any punches. It wants to see a longer off-season (not less than two months) and a radically revised calendar that will allow the top players to be able to peak for the four slams. In short, fewer tournaments and a series of evenly spaced high-profile events, combined men and women, or back-to-back, that will capture public interest from year to year. At present there is far too much dross.

If tennis is to move forward, this idea of a centralised decision-making body must be made to work.

[TennisHack]

Tennis chiefs meet

As players in Miami threaten this week to form a breakaway circuit, tennis' hierarchy have convened in Lausanne to review complaints. A multi-million dollar year-end tournament, a longer off-season, a revamped calendar and a new series of elite events featuring the sport's top names are all in the pipeline following a summit of tennis chiefs.

They also appeared to open the way for the Australian Open to be moved from its slot in January -- seen as too early in the year for a blue riband event -- to allow players "to build to a peak at the four Grand Slams".

The Grand Slams and the International Tennis Federation said on Monday they had met "to discuss how to generate meaningful change to ensure the long-term health and growth of tennis".

One of those "meaningful changes" is a bid to stave off fatigue -- for both players and fans.

The committee said on Monday it is committed to ensuring a player-friendly, rational and clear tennis calendar that offers "a longer off-season, not less than two months, for the benefit of both players and fans".

Currently, there is a window of just four weeks between the Davis Cup final and the opening tournament of the following season -- allowing top players only a handful of days rest before they begin preparations for the new campaign.

Earlier this year, former world number one Marat Safin said: "We have the shortest vacations in any sport. In every other sport they have...time to recover, vacations with their families and time to prepare themselves for the next season.

"We have nothing. This year I had two weeks of vacation so I mean there is nothing. If you want to fly somewhere to have vacations, you can spend like ten days.

"It's tough to play all the time," added the Russian.

Plans for a combined year-ender featuring both a men's and women's tournament along the lines of a Grand Slam would be a huge boost for the women's showpiece in particular.

Much has been made of the poor attendances at the women's championships in Los Angeles where the Staples Center was almost empty for many of the early matches last year.

The men's event, by contrast, saw fans flock to Shanghai to witness the biggest professional sports event held in China.

Men's tennis chief Mark Miles of the ATP said at last year's season-ender: "I think that all of us here share a view that combining events for a combined year-end finale is a concept that has a lot of merit. Together we expect to explore that possibility with the WTA."

The Grand Slam Committee said on Monday they would be inviting other "key constituents" -- namely the ATP and WTA -- to "participate in a possible new governance partnership".

The committee also reaffirmed its commitment to team competitions and said it would promote international team competition and representation "through calendar priority for Davis Cup, Fed Cup and the Olympics".



Reuters -- Europe

[TennisHack]

Breakaway looms as sport comes full circle
2003-03-20 01:02:28 GMT (Reuters)
By Ossian Shine

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Blighted by warring factions for years, men's tennis is once again braced for an ugly mess of infighting, fragmentation, money grubbing and power struggles.

Thirteen years after players wrested control of their sport from bureaucrats and management companies, discontent is again rife and a damaging schism looms.

Wayne Ferreira and his proposed International Men's Tennis Association (IMTA) are demanding accountability, communication and more of a say from the sport's governing body the ATP.

Not so different from the day 15 years ago when the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) used a car park at the U.S. Open to announce they were taking control of the sport away from the Men's Tennis Council -- the governing body of the day.

That notorious "Parking Lot News Conference" was a gesture as symbolic as it was strategic.

Since players were barred from using an on-site setting at the U.S. Open, ATP chief Hamilton Jordan seized the opportunity to demonstrate how the players were on the outside looking in.

Now, after 15 years of ATP Tour control, new life is being breathed into the same old arguments.

Tennis has rarely courted harmony but its state today is as parlous as its ever been.


NEGOTIATING TABLES

Where once the ATP were banging their fists on the negotiating tables, now they find themselves on the defensive.

On Tuesday, ATP-loyal players expressed their concern at the "dangerous" move by some of their peers who have set up a breakaway union.

At a meeting called by the ATP, the IMTA -- expected to officially launch next week -- was clearly a concern.

Already spats have broken out. ATP Players' Council vice-president Todd Woodbridge believes the breakaway group will fizzle out.

"They don't have enough support," he told Reuters last week. "It's unlikely they'll get off the ground because what they are proposing is already in place. We already have representatives and if you don't like them, you can vote in new ones and do it in the system that you have."

His view was echoed by council president Todd Martin.

"I wouldn't expect it to last too long," was his verdict. "It's important that the players work together but their organisation is going about things in a destructive manner. That's dangerous.

"This is not the time to be fooling around with things like this. I'm concerned that the players leading the initiative don't have full understanding of the issues."

But Ferreira -- who says he has no wish to close down the ATP, merely create better player representation -- says the body has plenty of support.


TENNIS CIRCUIT

Its most high-profile supporter is world number one Lleyton Hewitt who has had a number of tussles with the ATP hierarchy.

Ferreira says more than 20 players have signed up to the IMTA, including Hewitt, who earlier complained: "The ATP hasn't done enough for the players, as the players' voice."

All the accusations, swipes and claims have a familiar ring. It is for these very reasons the ATP was set up.

The parking lot conference was the defining moment in the body's evolution from the ATP, formed in 1972 under the leadership of former world number one Jack Kramer, to the ATP Tour, the governing body of the worldwide men's professional tennis circuit.

"Tennis at the Crossroads," a plan presented at the 1988 U.S. Open by Jordan and top players including Mats Wilander and Tim Mayotte, detailed problems and conflicts confronting men's tennis as well as the opportunities available for promoting and marketing the game.

But the plan was rejected by the Men's Tennis Council, then the governing body of the circuit.

Instead the players formed a new tour in which they played a major role and bore greater responsibility for the future of the sport. The ATP Tour began operation in January 1990.

In October 2000, it announced a couple of changes for the following year -- a new logo and a shortening of the organisation's name to ATP.

The name change, the ATP said, added simplicity and strength to the brand. But the problems remained the same.

Fresh cash concerns were raised when Swiss company ISL went bust in 2001 and with it vanished a $1.2 billion sponsorship deal.

Local sponsors shunted aside to make way for ISL sponsors have, largely, stayed away.

A $10-million bonus pool disappeared as players were hit hard in the pocket.

The ATP is now making noises about getting together with the International Tennis Federation and the Women's Tennis Federation to discuss ways to move the sport forward.

But whether or not it can head off this breakaway remains to be seen.

[TennisHack]

Leading men welcome overhaul to sport's structure
2003-03-19 03:28:38 GMT (Reuters)
By Richard Luscombe

KEY BISCAYNE, Florida, March 18 (Reuters) - The world's leading men's tennis players welcomed an initiative to overhaul the structure of the game on Tuesday and expressed their concern at the "dangerous" move by some of their peers who have set up a breakaway union.

On a night of off-court politics every bit as hectic as anything scheduled on court this week at the Nasdaq-100 Open, the players attended meetings called by the ATP, the men's governing body, and the group claiming the support of several top players, the new International Men's Tennis Association (IMTA).

The ATP meeting heard chief executive Mark Miles outline proposals drawn up by the International Tennis Federation grand slam committee in Lausanne at the weekend.

The proposals included a multi-million dollar year-end tournament, a longer off-season, a revamped calendar and a new series of elite events.

The changes may also see the Australian Open moved from its traditional January slot to perhaps March, nearer the French Open and Wimbledon later in the year.

"It's encouraging that some of the major issues that concern the players are being looked at," president of the ATP players council Todd Martin said on Tuesday.

"They've been a theme in our consultations for some time and now we need to make sure we find some common ground."

Although no mention of the IMTA, formed by South African Wayne Ferreira and supported by world number one Lleyton Hewitt, was made at the ATP meeting, its formation is clearly a concern.

Ferreira and his supporters held an earlier meeting at a Miami hotel to elect an executive committee and decide its strategy.

The group plans to hold a press conference on Wednesday and Ferreira says a formal launch of the IMTA, which has hired New York lawyers to help its incorporation, may follow next week.

Ferreira and fellow IMTA leader Laurence Tieleman of Italy claim their voices are not heard loudly enough in the ATP decision-making processes and they have called for the organisation to be more transparent about its finances.

The South African said more than 20 players have signed up to the IMTA, including Hewitt, who earlier complained: "The ATP hasn't done enough for the players, as the players' voice."

Martin, however, claims the breakaway is probably doomed.

"I wouldn't expect it to last too long," he said on Tuesday.

"It's important that the players work together but their organisation is going about things in a destructive manner. That's dangerous.

"This is not the time to be fooling around with things like this. I'm concerned that the players leading the initiative don't have full understanding of the issues."


BIG EVENT

The Nasdaq-100 Open is the biggest tournament in the sport outside the four grand slams and carries more than $6.2 million prize money.

Play gets under way on Wednesday morning with Nicole Pratt of Australia facing Emilie Lott of France on the Stadium Court in the women's event and Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia taking on France's Nicolas Escude on the Grandstand Court in the men's. The big names are not in action until at least Friday or Saturday, with the top 32 seeds in the men's and women's draws having received first-round byes.

Hewitt and defending champion Andre Agassi are the top men's seeds, and Serena and Venus Williams are seeded to meet in the women's final.

Officials have discussed unspecified "contingency planning" for the tournament as war clouds gather over Iraq, but said an outbreak of hostilities alone was unlikely to affect the schedule.

[TennisHack]

ITF takes steps to counter breakaway players' group
March 18, 2003

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The International Tennis Federation on Monday discussed ways of preventing a breakaway group from the ATP, promising to work more closely with leading players.

There has been talk of establishing a rival group called the International Men's Tennis Association (IMTA) in an effort to introduce greater player involvement on decisions regarding scheduling and finances.

The IMTA is being led by Wayne Ferreira of South Africa and Laurence Tieleman of Belgium, who have hired a New York law firm to represent them. The effort already has received support from world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.

"With my experiences with the ATP Tour, I've got to look at (a breakaway) in a very positive way," said Hewitt, who ran afoul of ATP bosses last summer when he failed to conduct a television interview. "Any way things can be helped, that's great for everyone.

"At the end of the day, I know with my dealings with the ATP that there's a lot of room for improvement."

Aware of the growing support for the rival group, the ITF met over the weekend in Lausanne to discuss the issue.

In a statement released Monday evening, the ITF admitted players should have a greater voice. The governing body also released several new proposals.

The most interesting is the promotion of a longer offseason, although ITF officials stressed it should last no longer than two months. That likely will be viewed as a positive by the players.

Last year, Hewitt won the Masters Cup in Shanghai - the final event of the 2002 season - on November 17.

The 2003 campaign actually started on December 30, 2002 in Adelaide, with the Australian Open getting under way two weeks later.

Several players, including Andre Agassi, have spoken out in favor of moving the first Grand Slam of the year to a later date to give players more time to get in shape.

The ITF's Grand Slam committee also reiterated a commitment to the Davis Cup, the Federation Cup and the Olympics as well as a combined year-end tournament operated by the ITF.

Meanwhile, ATP CEO Mark Miles and WTA Tour CEO Kevin Wulff issued a joint statement regarding the ITF meetings.

While the two executives agreed on the need for restructuring of their tours' schedules, they urged the Grand Slam Committee "to provide fair rewards for professional players." But they "remain concerned that their view of what is appropriate investment towards these ends is significantly less than what is required."

The ATP and WTA also expressed a desire for more dual events like last week's Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells and this week's Nasdaq-100 Open, "with their additional days of competition and larger playing fields."

The tours are hoping to create a third such event in Europe as early as 2005.

Those and other issues should come up for discussion at this week's players' meeting in Miami.

[TennisHack]

From Werthless:

"Wayne Ferreira and the IMTA held their much-ballyhooed meeting last Tuesday in a corporate suite. Sources tell the 'Bag that more than 50 players signed up with the breakaway group, including Hewitt, Marat Safin and Roger Federer. There are also reports that Hewitt's stomach illness was not, in fact, caused by bad room service but rather by his reaction to Todd Woodbridge's speech."

I'm sure there's a in that last sentence . . .

[TennisHack]

IMTA Contacts ATP for Information
Posted on 4/17/2003 at 3:35 PM


The International Men's Tennis Association Inc. Seeks Information
Regarding ATP Finances and Business Operations

New York, New York - April 16, 2003 - The International Men's Tennis
Association Inc. ("IMTA") announced today that it has sent a list of 17
information requests to representatives of the ATP Player Council in an
effort to gain a better understanding of the finances and business
operations of the men's professional tennis circuit.

The information requests, contained in a letter dated April 9, 2003 to ATP
Player Counsel representatives Todd Martin and Todd Woodbridge, are part of
the IMTA's campaign to provide timely information and analysis to tennis
players on the ATP tour. (See attached letter.) The IMTA has garnered the
support of 58 players to date.

Among the items covered by the IMTA requests are ATP financial results,
outside consultant reports regarding ATP operations, information on
executive compensation at the ATP, disclosure of the performance of the
player pension fund, information relating to the ATP's transaction with
defunct marketing firm ISL, data on ATP TV ratings, attendance and licensing
transactions and minutes from various meetings of the ATP Board and Player
Council.

"Without this type of information, the players will remain in the dark about
issues that effect their careers," said Wayne Ferreira, a member of the IMTA
board of directors. "The approach of simply dictating to players on
important operational and business matters affecting the tour is just not
acceptable. The ATP must become more accountable to the players."

Laurence Tieleman, another IMTA director, noted that, contrary to some
reports in the media, the IMTA's letter stresses that the IMTA does not
intend to either set-up a competing tour or replace the ATP Player Council.
"The IMTA hopes to continue to work within the current structure of tennis,"
Tieleman said. "We have been saying all along that we are willing to work
with the ATP."

Apparently in response to the requests, which were first circulated in draft
form at an IMTA player meeting in Key Biscayne last month, the ATP has begun
providing players with some of the requested items. At the Master Series
tournament taking place this week in Monte Carlo, the ATP has distributed
CD-ROMs containing an ATP 2002 financial report, an outside consultant's
report analyzing ATP operations, summaries of certain ATP board meetings and
a list of the salaries for four of the top officers of the ATP.

"It's good that the ATP has started to listen to the IMTA's message and we
certainly welcome any progress toward establishing a more open
relationship," Ferreira said. "We will be reviewing these materials and
comparing them with what was requested."

The IMTA was formally organized in New York in March 2003 as a non-profit
trade association. Additional information about the IMTA can be obtained at
www.internationalmta.com.

www.tennisnews.com/news.php3?id=2609&orig=index

[TennisHack]

Breakaway union backs Hewitt in fight with ATP
2003-04-22 12:53:04 GMT (Reuters)
By Ossian Shine

LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - World number one Lleyton Hewitt has the support of tennis's breakaway union as his rift with the sport's organisers continues.

The maverick union called on the Association of Tennis Professionals to take "immediate steps to address grievances" voiced by the Australian.

The International Men's Tennis Association, which has so far signed up 58 players including Hewitt, said it supports him in his battle and that it is considering proposing changes to the ATP's Player Code of Conduct, in the wake of the affair.

Hewitt plans to sue the ATP unless the organisation issues a public apology and admits wrong-doing in levying a fine against him, it was revealed last week.

At last year's Tennis Masters Series event in Cincinnati the ATP found the player in violation of its STARS Program for failing to attend a mandatory interview and, as a result, Hewitt was automatically fined one-half of the prize money he earned in Cincinnati -- some $105,650.

The indignant Australian appealed saying he had permission to attend the interview and, after a two-day hearing in February, a three-member appeals committee confirmed the violation but reduced the amount to $20,000.

However last week lawyers acting for Hewitt said that they would file a $1.5 million suit in the South Australian Supreme Court in June unless the matter could be resolved.


DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The 22-year-old Hewitt alleges the ATP breached its contract with him, defamed him and claims the body "intentionally and without justification" interfered in his business affairs.

In urging the ATP to swiftly resolve the issue, the IMTA on Monday clarified remarks attributed to Wayne Ferreira, an IMTA director and chairman of the IMTA's Player Executive Committee, regarding the Hewitt matter.

"As the sole player-only organisation in men's professional tennis, the IMTA is supportive of Hewitt and any other IMTA members who feel that the ATP has unfairly subjected them to disciplinary action," Ferreira said.

"We urge the ATP to work closely with Hewitt and his advisers to finally resolve these issues."

The IMTA also announced that it has sent a list of 17 "information requests" to representatives of the ATP Player Council in an effort to gain a better understanding of the finances and business operations of the men's professional tennis circuit.

The information requests, contained in a letter to ATP Player Council representatives Todd Martin and Todd Woodbridge, are part of the IMTA's campaign to provide "timely information and analysis to tennis players on the ATP tour".

The IMTA was formally founded in New York in March 2003 as a player-only non-profit trade association.

[TennisHack]

IMTA wants ATP to address Hewitt's grievance
Posted: Monday April 21, 2003 9:28 PM
Updated: Tuesday April 22, 2003 12:43 AM


NEW YORK (AP) -- The International Men's Tennis Association urged the ATP Tour on Monday to address Lleyton Hewitt's dispute over a fine.

Hewitt, ranked No. 1 in the world, was fined $106,000 by the tour for failing to give an interview to ESPN at a tournament in Cincinnati last August. The fine was reduced to $20,000 on appeal, but Hewitt has threatened to sue over the punishment.

The IMTA, which has secured the support of 58 players -- including Hewitt -- since it was formed last month, said it may propose changes in the future to the ATP's Player Code of Conduct.

Also, the group said that the tour's distribution of hundreds of pages of documents to players, including the tour's 2002 financial report, was a direct response to the IMTA's request for such materials.

"Our initial impression is that this information falls far short of what was requested, but it's a start, and an acknowledgment by the ATP that it must be more accountable to the players," said Wayne Ferreira, the IMTA's director.

[TennisHack]

IMTA Reveals Its Membership Roster
Posted on 6/3/2003 at 7:33 PM


The IMTA has released the names of the players who have signed up to become members of the organization.

They are:

Arthurs, Wayne
Bowen, Devin
Bryan, Bob
Bryan, Mike
Carrati, Kristina
Cibulec, Tomas
Coupe, Brandon
Damm, Martin
DeJager, John-Laffnie
Dent, Taylor
Draper, Scott
Federer, Roger
Ferreira, Wayne
Fish, Mardy
Fisher, Ashley
Gambill, Jan-Michael
Gaudenzi, Andrea
Hairpins, Paul
Haggard, Chris
Healey, Nathan
Hewitt, Lleyton
Humphries, Scott
Huss, Stephen
Ivanisevic, Goran
Jensen, Luke B.
Jensen, Murphy
Johnson, Don
Kafelnikov, Yevgeny
Knowles, Mark
Labadze, Irakli
Landsberg, Johan
Lareau, Sebastien
Lobo, Luis
Maclagan, Miles
MacPhie, Brian
Malisse, Xavier
Mamiit, Cecil
Mirnyi, Max
Morrison, Jeff
Nestor, Daniel
Norman, Dick
Norman, Magnus
Novak, Jiri
Oliver, Graydon
Paes, Leander
Pala, Petr
Philippoussis, Mark
Rikl, David
Rochus, Christophe
Safin, Marat
Sanguinetti, Davide
Sargsian, Sargis
Srichaphan, Paradorn
Silcock, Grant
Shimada, Thomas
Spelling, Simon
Stepanek, Radek
Suk, Cyril
Tarango, Jeff
Tieleman, Laurence
Voltchkov, Vladimir
Waske, Alexander