savva0122 wrote:

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Just seen this by chance- new grass ATP tournament in the Nottingham/Eastbourne week in Turkey:

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3592756/Turkey-host-ATP-grasscourt-tournament-2017-World-Tour-250-event-staged-Kaya-Palazzo-Belek-resort-June.html

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The bloody disgrace is that the ATP event is being moved from Nottingham back to Eastbourne next year because last year the stand alone WTA event in Eastbourne lost money.

Fantastic decision guys, once again all major mens tennis events in the UK are in London and the South East. 

I'm pretty sure most of the events in the UK lose money bar Queens

Coup Droit wrote:

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Yes.

I'm never sure quite how they count it anyway.

If it's just prize money v ticket sales then they must all lose money hand over fist.

But do they count the concessions stands? Café/restaurant sales? Hotels? All the other spin-off sales in the town as a whole?

And what margin percentage do they account for them at? Makes a huge difference.

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I would imagine that the BBC cough up a few quid to show Eastbourne.

Whatever the specifics this was a financial decision based on the poor financial performance of the WTA tournament last year. The reality is that the men's game is more marketable and financially lucrative than the women's with is why the WTA are so eager to have as many joint tournaments as possible. In general I don't really mind this unless it has clear negative consequences such as moving the Nottingham event. It isn't in the interests of British tennis to have all major events concentrated in London and the South East.

philwrig wrote:

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You also have to remember that the WTA event is a premier one, so has a lot more prize money than the ATP event. It's all about cutting costs, I for one didn't travel to Eastbourne last year because it was female only, whereas next year, that long trek to the south coast, and it is a great venue, would certainly attract me once again.

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Well that is the point isn't it. As a joint event Eastbourne is more attractive and will make more money. The problem is that while you and handful of people might travel from the North of England to an event on the south coast most people in the Midlands and the North won't, especially those with kids. Having an ATP event at Nottingham means making ATP level tennis accessible to a much larger percentage of the population which in my humble opinion is a rather high priority. 

On the subject of new grass events, the WTA are having one this year in the Spanish sun, in June, same week as Birmingham, in Rafa's backyard, in Mallorca. Uncle Tony & Moya are both heavily involved.
I had to triple check I got that all right, as it all sounded very unlikely, to me, at least.
They also seem to have a very strong and prestige field. Which will weaken Birmingham, but conversely, I suppose, potentially offer better chances for Brit success against whatever's left,