Davis Cup 2015 - World Group Round 1 - 6-8 Mar

Jaffa · Challenger level

RE: Davis Cup 2015 - World Group Round 1 - 6-8 Mar

EddietheEagle · County player

paulisi wrote:
EddietheEagle wrote:
Why not put the tie out to tender? Why not allow tennis clubs up and down the land to pitch for the privilege (and money to be made) of hosting the tie?
I'm sure it does. Subject to capacity, facilities, surface etc.

Not, it would seem, in the sense that a specification is published and put out to tennis clubs as a public tender.

indiana · Tennis legend

scottie1 wrote:
philwrig wrote:
scottie1 wrote:
philwrig wrote:
huntley93 wrote:
what about braehead arena in glasgow, been used before and they players seem to enjoy it up there. also we dont get any top level tennis in scotland so we deserve our turn!
Ever since you guys nearly voted for independence, I'm guessing that your chances of being at the top of the list may have diminished.
so what does that matter! The team is 50 per cent Scottish
I agree, but Glasgow has been used on several occasions recently, and 45% of Scotland would prefer there not to be a GB team with Scottish players in it.
and what has that got to do with a davis cup venue

Re the independence vote, absolutely nothing. It is immaterial and anyway 55% of us voted NO, so we are meant to in some way suffer in such matters by association ??! bleh ( not that the 45% should suffer either ! )

The more relevant matter is that Glasgow has hosted quite a number of Davis Cup ties, so I absolutely understand spreading it about more to somewhere in England or Wales.

If by tender, I agree that it has to be based on certain definite conditions, eg. able to provide surface GB would prefer, sufficient capacity.

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 8th of October 2014 01:42:19 PM

EddietheEagle · County player

If we want to get tennis genuinely spread out among the masses then getting clubs, members clubs in particular, to realise the ambition and prestige in hosting major tennis events becomes an important aspect of that. Tennis does not have to be run like a nanny state with more or less everything dictated and paid for from the centre. In my view, the LTA needs to evolve its enabling function as much as it does its governance. The last tie GB played was at T.C Napoli. Who could fault the way that event was run (apart from a bit of wet clay)? T.C. Napoli won the right to host that tie against a number of others, all pitching in for the privilege. Davis Cup would be one way of enabling tennis clubs to put themselves on the map. Playing surface would be covered as one of a number of factors at the tender stage.

RJA · Hall of fame

EddietheEagle wrote:
If we want to get tennis genuinely spread out among the masses then getting clubs, members clubs in particular, to realise the ambition and prestige in hosting major tennis events becomes an important aspect of that. Tennis does not have to be run like a nanny state with more or less everything dictated and paid for from the centre. In my view, the LTA needs to evolve its enabling function as much as it does its governance. The last tie GB played was at T.C Napoli. Who could fault the way that event was run (apart from a bit of wet clay)? T.C. Napoli won the right to host that tie against a number of others, all pitching in for the privilege. Davis Cup would be one way of enabling tennis clubs to put themselves on the map. Playing surface would be covered as one of a number of factors at the tender stage.

Are there any tennis clubs in Britain that can host an indoor tie with 10,000+ spectators?

baxi2 · Lower Club Player

Not sure about Tennis clubs but another venue with huge capacity - Bolton Arena ? (already a HPC)

RJA · Hall of fame

baxi2 wrote:
Not sure about Tennis clubs but another venue with huge capacity - Bolton Arena ? (already a HPC)

According to Wikipedia it has a capacity of 6,000

Last time we played the Yanks at home in the Davis cup (Apr 1999) is was played at the NIA in Birmingham (recently renamed the Barclaycard Arena) which has a capacity of nearly 13,000. For what it is worth it was an epic clash. Henman lost an epic 5 setter to Jim Courier and Rusedski lost in straight sets to Todd Martin leaving us 2-0 down after day 1. Tim and Greg then won the doubles in 5 sets, Tim beat Martin in 4 and in the decider Greg lost a heart breaker 8-6 in the 5th against Courier.

-- Edited by RJA on Thursday 9th of October 2014 12:03:44 AM

EddietheEagle · County player

RJA wrote:
Are there any tennis clubs in Britain that can host an indoor tie with 10,000+ spectators?

Do you think T.C. Napoli had the kind of capacity you refer to? More like 200, I reckon. They spread into the park outside the club grounds, built a temporary court and massed stands around it. Human ingenuity in spades.

I remember the Birmingham tie well. Great occasion. Sometimes in these stadiums though the crowds aren't there and the atmosphere becomes hollow. I'd rather see four thousand baying spectators packed out on temporary stands.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

It would need to be indoors in this country during March which, even allowing for lots of ingenuity does limit the options. I agree though that a packed stadium has to be preferable to one which is too big for the crowds. Always thought Braehead did rather well in this regard. Don't know what capacity that has though.

RJA · Hall of fame

The Optimist wrote:
It would need to be indoors in this country during March which, even allowing for lots of ingenuity does limit the options.

This was my point. For outdoor events it is pretty easy to bring in temporary stands and various facilities. Indoors it isn't so easy and while many things are possible cost is obviously a consideration.

steven · Tennis legend

Kheredine from the BBC reports that this tie will be held in Glasgow - at the Emirates Arena (not Braehead, thankfully!)

huntley93 · Strong Club Player

loving that this is on my birthday! going to suggest that we get a group of us from aberdeen uni tennis club to go down and have a social with glasgow/strathclyde unis! should be good!

-- Edited by huntley93 on Monday 3rd of November 2014 05:28:07 PM

scottie1 · Futures level

think it holds 7100 capacity should be good!

philwrig · Hall of fame

Glasgow continues it's monopolisation as a DC venue, still at least its only a 3 hour drive from Newcastle.

daisy · County player

Anyone who'd like to can join our block booking ... just a bunch of mad Murray fans who sometimes wear UJ hats and can sniff out a bar at 500 miles.