Death of the Davis Cup

Anyone else bothered by this ? Over a century of tradition , epic contests , etc ...jettisoned on the altar of financial interests...

They've retained the name ; but this new format is going to be just another short "exhibition" tournament , probably failing to draw many of the leading players and gradually sinking further down the ladder of public interest.
Maybe because I've lived so long in Australia , where the Cup has been revered , I find this a huge pity. I know there are a lot of competing interests , and it is hard for leading players to fit everything into their schedules ; but , however imperfectly , the Davis Cup still produced some marvelous matches and gathered an immense amount of patriotic support from the countries that made it to the final stages.

I think this is a loss to tennis.

It is odd how it got passed. A number of nations and their players seem dead set against it such as Australia, France, Germany and GB for a start. Players have also voiced their displeasure at the decision. They lament the loss of the home and away fixtures that create such an electric atmosphere and the many classic five set matches which will be lost. I cannot see the main players falling over themselves to take part as the organisers are claiming will happen especially as it will take place at the end of the year. By all accounts it is an attempt by a third party for financial gains - pure and simple. Give it one year of disaster and I would not bet against them reverting back to the old format.

I think something had to be done about the DC. But not sure this is the right answer. I think a move towards three-set matches with a tiebreak in the final set would have been a good move.
There's little doubt that the DC still attracted great support but was also a severe strain on the top players with its three-day, five-set formula.
Interesting that three of the four Grand Slam countries voted against. CC could be right in reckoning this experiment could be shortlived.

I have seen BBC headlines - about the death of the Davis Cup if a certain proposal goes through.   I thought to myself where is the BBC balance?  Rather than running headlines about the death of the Davis Cup - let's have a balanced view as to what led intelligent people to consider there was an issue with the Davis Cup, that it needed changing and the thinking and benefits  behind the suggested changes - and then consider the cons.  The headlining was too one sided and click-bait - more akin to a bottom of the rung low brow tabloid, than a tax-payer funded fair and balanced information source.

I am very much on the same wavelength as alfie and CaledonianCraig on this. They have both made some excellent points.

I have so many good memories of fiery, tense - and at times truly thrilling - DC battles over the years, and do not see these proposals as a positive move. Yes, some adjustment is perhaps necessary, but not in this direction.