Oh What A Circus Oh What A Show

Is tennis today struggling to attract an audience? Does it need gimmicks and innovations to be able to compete in todays market?

Ion Tiriac thinks so. What it needs is a new "Slam" with a new surface, new fluorescent balls, dazzling advertising, model ball girls and a bit of controversy to get people talking.

There was another era when such innovations were thought necessary. Back in the day american team tennis was sold as the way to increase the audience. Multi coloured courts, a new "simpler" scoring system and turning an individual sport into a team sport with names such as the Philidelphia freedoms. Notably the Elton John song may be more memorable than the team. During this time Jimmy Conners was persuaded that this was the future of tennis. If he had stuck with tradition he coulda, woulda, shoulda have a grand slam. Meanwhile Sue Barker stuck with tradition and she is now a member of a very exclusive club.

IMO what todays era has in common with the previous one is not that it's struggling. In fact the opposite is true relatively speaking it is doing rather well. It's not that it needs gimmicks. It's that to some it looks like a good way of making a fast buck.

Ion Tiriac is a frikkin genius - the guy's a billionaire for good reason.

He's put Madrid on the map - I started off thinking blue clay was a crap idea but look at the publicity and controversy he's managed to whip up.

Give the drooling hordes this sort of novelty and tennis audiences will skyrocket.

hawkeye wrote:

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It's that to some it looks like a good way of making a fast buck.

People making money out of sport ?

Who would have thought it .....

and there was me, assuming it was just about noble tradition ....

Tennis is actually in healthy place.

The audience is a mix of upper class stiff's, warm bloodied cougars, the tag alongs. Depends what type of audience you feel the sport is missing.

But Tiriac's idea can only work as a unique one-off...it will not spread beyond Madrid. And if the top 2 players dont enter next year he does have a marketing and credibility problem.

I'm all for injecting something new into tennis but to shove what is effectively almost one of the fastest courts all season in the run up to RG seems a bit weird.

As a Billionaire he's used to getting his own way and will be bankrolling Madrid. I wouldnt expect the blue courts to disappear anytime soon, so he'll have to fix the sliding issue.

Weren't fluorescent balls mentioned as the next "innovation"? Or was that a wind up?

reckoner. Tiriac is of course a genius at making money it doesn't mean everyone should automatically let him make more no questions asked.

lags72. Of course people will make money out of tennis but "making a fast buck" means making money with no thought of the future.

legendkillar. Which category do you fall into. BTW nice to see you back posting. Hope that means you are in a better place.

Also have just heard some interesting news. Tiriac may be joining Rafa and Novak in staying away from Madrid next year...

What do you suggest than hawk?

The players not get higher prize money when there is inflation?

I don't believe Tiriac was motivated to change the courts himself, its more likely that Mutua wanted to stamp their authority on the tournament. 1000MS events need to stop being clones of each other.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:What do you suggest than hawk?

The players not get higher prize money when there is inflation?

I don't believe Tiriac was motivated to change the courts himself, its more likely that Mutua wanted to stamp their authority on the tournament. 1000MS events need to stop being clones of each other.

I never said anything about prize money? If it was upto me I would ensure first of all that a clay masters was played on clay. It should of course be a fun day out and viewing experience for spectators. I'm pretty sure both objectives could be achieved.

HE,

I am more of a fan of the sport in general. It is sad to have seen the womens game fall way into the wilderness.

I heard Tiriac is coming away from the tournament.

Interesting quotes as well as they said that they had to press the courts several times over to accomodate the blue stuff. Makes the 'loose' clay dangerous to play on and also that 'court' sliders are at a disadvantage.

I mentioned quite some time ago (before the actual start of the tourney) that the original motivation for the switch to blue was at the behest of Mutua Madrid whose corporate colours are blue.

Clearly some changes have to be made as regards player safety, and the 'sliding' issue mentioned by lydian, but let's not forget that sponsors do plough enormous funds into the game ; and as such they are entitled to a voice in how things are run too.

hawkeye wrote:reckoner. Tiriac is of course a genius at making money it doesn't mean everyone should automatically let him make more no questions asked.

Also have just heard some interesting news. Tiriac may be joining Rafa and Novak in staying away from Madrid next year...

I agree - but unfortunately that is the way of the world.

As for Tiriac staying away - well, let's see how it pans out, I doubt he's finished bringing his "innovations" to tennis!

http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/7749277/Tiriac-sorry-over-courts

Well money bags makes his apologies :laughing:

I am sure he's laughing all the way to the bank.

Haddie-nuff wrote:http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/7749277/Tiriac-sorry-over-courts

Well money bags makes his apologies

Finally. It took Holmes to figure out the complaints from the players were valid. I am glad. Hope Nadal and Djokovic read this before they move to Rome.

reckoner wrote:I am sure he's laughing all the way to the bank.

Well he may well need it if a player sues him for damages