By Scoop Malinowski
Tennis does not need any bells and whistles and loud music to help sell the product. Tennis enthusiasts don’t need or want extra gimmicks, they want to see tennis, pure tennis, performed by the greatest athletes in the world.
I think the tennis establishment in America is making an unforced error by making the US Open and other US tournaments into a sideshow concert with all the loud music and showbiz.
It’s exhausting to watch the impossible high level of tennis today, every point is a war within a war, many exceeding 20 and 30 ball rallies. Tennis fans need a break to during changeovers too, not to be bombarded with loud music and advertising announcements.
Back in the “Golden Era of Tennis” tournaments didn’t need loud music and gimmicks to sell the product, McEnroe, Connors, Borg, Vilas, Vitas and all their opponents did an adequate job of entertaining tennis fans with their tennis.
I’d like to see tennis go back to their roots and emphasize on the pure tennis. Even if it’s just for a day, call it throwback day at the US Open. No music, no on court announcers, no on court interviews which are nothing by cliche fests. And then let’s see how the paying customers and box seat comps respond, if they like it, love it or complain about it.
Tennis today is like watching live art and a world championship boxing match all in one.
Simplicity is best. Trust the process. Let the action, energy and drama of the sport speak for itself.
(Photo by Aaron Friedrich.)
ATP · Novak Djokovic · US Open · WTA
Scoop Malinowski · September 18, 2023 at 11:34 am
An excerpt of my future book on Vitas Gerulaitis https://courts.club/close-encounters-with-vitas-gerulaitis/