Should the United States Tennis Association Launch a Rival to the WTA Tour?

Whispers of dissension have quickly amplified over the past couple of weeks after the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour published its latest addendums to the Roadmap 2010 plan.

Without going into too much detail, and you can read an excellent analysis of the changes here, the plan calls for a major restructuring of the tournament schedule, and would leave the United States Tennis Association standing out in the cold.

According to the new plan, the highly-successful US Open Series is threatened, not to mention the American clay court circuit - Amelie Island and Charleston - in danger of losing their status, or being forced to fork up even more money to the WTA for the privilege of hosting the events.

The USTA has tried a lot of methods to convince the WTA Tour to at least re-think the current structure, and recently wrote a letter to the board of the WTA not only asking for change, but they included some choice rhetoric just to let the WTA know where its stands with the USTA.

TennisReporters.net obtained a copy of the wording, and here is the abbrieviated quotes from the Houston Chronicle this morning:

“Your plans put the TV package and the race for the U.S. Open bonus prize money in jeopardy and, intended or not, stand to damage this successful and highly praised initiative. How can the USTA stand by and allow this to take place? … Please take this as a formal notice for the tournaments owned or partially owned by the USTA, we have no intention of participating in this plan as currently structured. … We are at a crossroads. … If the WTA is unwilling to re-evaluate the plan based on the concerns expressed in this letter, the USTA will have no option but to re-evaluate its existing relationship with the WTA and explore other alternatives.”

Dale Robertson, the Chronicles’ tennis columnist, goes on to state that “the last part of that suggests the USTA might consider launching a rival U.S.-based tour, which could turn Jim McIngvale, a big believer in that concept, into a player again.”

Having the backing of Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale would only help the USTA’s chances of coming up with a viable alternative. McIngvale has dumped millions into tennis in the United States over the last several years, but has not been a happy camper recently because of strained relations with the ATP Tour. Despite declaring that there is no money in tennis as it stands for him right now, he still remains a stalwart supporter - and would-be financier - for the USTA.

Back to those five potentially volatile words: A rival U.S. based tour. A pretty lofty idea seeing the USA is quickly slipping down the totem pole when it comes to success on the WTA Tour. Only two Americans actually won singles tournaments last season - Meghann Shaughnessy and Vania King. Crafting a tennis tour around a 27-year-old veteran and a 17-year-old newcomer is certainly not going to be the best marketing venture.

Venus and Serena Williams spent more time getting their hair styled than they did last season on the professional circuit, and although Lindsay Davenport is returning for another season in 2007, she is scheduled to play a limited calendar of less than ten events all year.

Even if the US was to come up with a rival tour, and hope to attract the current stars on the WTA Tour - all non-Americans - how are they going to compete with the millions of dollars that the WTA Tour can splash all around the world? Whether you choose to admit it or not, we all know that the players follow the money. A tournament in the heartland of America is certainly not going to be able to compete with money-wielding events in places like Doha, Bali, and Dubai that hand away millions in hopes of attracting the top players.

The future is dim for American tennis and rumors of a split from the WTA Tour only makes it even dimmer. I personally believe that the USTA’s letter to the WTA is only threats and meant to put pressure on the WTA to concede to at least a few of the USTA’s requests. Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott may have implemented a few controversial changes to the Tour since his tenure started in 2003, but he has done a fine job in delivering the money when it comes to sponsors.

He may be holding his cards close to his chest, but you can take it to the bank that he does not want to see the WTA Tour fall apart on his watch.

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