Comments on: Anyone for tennis? Representing clients and a 2009 Preview http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/01/12/anyone-for-tennis-representing-clients-and-a-2009-preview/ A blog for sports agents: Discussing sports business news, Sports Law, and other interesting sports related material Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:06:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Chris Lesley http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/01/12/anyone-for-tennis-representing-clients-and-a-2009-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-114987 Chris Lesley Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:06:21 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=3522#comment-114987 Thanks for the input Lynn, I appreciate your view from a different perspective. I have done some research in the field as I am looking to one day represent athletes in this sport. Generally the only information out there is on the top players, and I highlighted how some funding from national sporting bodies is vital to help players survive on the tour as with flights etc. it doesn't leave much left in their pocket. I only highlighted the large stables, because I could have put quite a few more in there and I put in CAA because they are climbing the ranks in the sports industry quite rapidly. I will definately be bookmarking your sites as they look like fantastic reads! Thanks for the input Lynn, I appreciate your view from a different perspective. I have done some research in the field as I am looking to one day represent athletes in this sport. Generally the only information out there is on the top players, and I highlighted how some funding from national sporting bodies is vital to help players survive on the tour as with flights etc. it doesn’t leave much left in their pocket.
I only highlighted the large stables, because I could have put quite a few more in there and I put in CAA because they are climbing the ranks in the sports industry quite rapidly.
I will definately be bookmarking your sites as they look like fantastic reads!

]]> By: Lynn http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/01/12/anyone-for-tennis-representing-clients-and-a-2009-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-114940 Lynn Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:36:33 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=3522#comment-114940 Interesting post. I hate to point it out, but you kinda missed a "big agency": <a href="http://www.experiencebest.com/sports/tennis" rel="nofollow">Best</a>, formerly SFX Tennis, reps the likes of Andy Roddick, Fernando Gonzalez, and Justine Henin. The firm has undergone a major expansion in the past couple of years, reaching into more up-and-comers like some of the folks you note in your post. CAA is actually pretty new to the game, but IMG and Octagon have been in it for quite a long time. I have no idea if you actually talked to any tennis managers when you wrote this or not, but I also have to take issue with what you're saying regarding deal-making. I would argue that 85-90% of the players on the tour barely squeak by on prize money after paying out for travel, coaching, accomodations, etc. You're talking about the very exclusive top-tier in this post. Many of these kids, even those in the top 25, are not getting apparel and endorsement deals that are beyond freebies -- and often times, that's all they can hope for. One of a number of marketing ideas has been proven efficient is to use the 'home court' advantage when they can by doing local appearances in their home countries, and/or finding nationals when they're abroad and connecting with them. One other note is that tennis is probably going to take a hit this year. The global trend is not a rosy one, and much of the major endorsements for the tours and tournaments come from the luxury goods market. Evidence Mercedes dropping the ATP, or many of the finance houses being single-sponsors of tournaments. Anyway, thanks for the interesting read! I don't usually blather on in blog comments, but I write a bit about the sports marketing biz on my site offthebaseline.com and for tennis-x.com, so I'm not a casual observer. ;^) Interesting post. I hate to point it out, but you kinda missed a “big agency”: Best, formerly SFX Tennis, reps the likes of Andy Roddick, Fernando Gonzalez, and Justine Henin. The firm has undergone a major expansion in the past couple of years, reaching into more up-and-comers like some of the folks you note in your post. CAA is actually pretty new to the game, but IMG and Octagon have been in it for quite a long time.

I have no idea if you actually talked to any tennis managers when you wrote this or not, but I also have to take issue with what you’re saying regarding deal-making. I would argue that 85-90% of the players on the tour barely squeak by on prize money after paying out for travel, coaching, accomodations, etc. You’re talking about the very exclusive top-tier in this post. Many of these kids, even those in the top 25, are not getting apparel and endorsement deals that are beyond freebies — and often times, that’s all they can hope for. One of a number of marketing ideas has been proven efficient is to use the ‘home court’ advantage when they can by doing local appearances in their home countries, and/or finding nationals when they’re abroad and connecting with them.

One other note is that tennis is probably going to take a hit this year. The global trend is not a rosy one, and much of the major endorsements for the tours and tournaments come from the luxury goods market. Evidence Mercedes dropping the ATP, or many of the finance houses being single-sponsors of tournaments.

Anyway, thanks for the interesting read! I don’t usually blather on in blog comments, but I write a bit about the sports marketing biz on my site offthebaseline.com and for tennis-x.com, so I’m not a casual observer. ;^)

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