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Tennis players on the ATP Tour could very well earn fixed income like their Golf counterparts on the PGA Tour
Tennis is one of the most followed sports across the globe and it is no surprise that Tennis players are some of the highest-paid athletes in the world. Top tennis stars have several lucrative endorsement deals and sponsorships in their pocket and earn a lot by participating in various professional tournaments across the globe. However, they do not have a ‘fixed income’ yet but, it could possibly change very soon.
The apex governing body of men’s professional tennis – the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) are discussing the possibility of introducing fixed income for the top players on the ATP tour. They are likely to adopt the model of the PGA Tour (Golf) and provide guaranteed annual income to the top 250-300 ranked players.
However, the ATP earns only about US$ 200 million a year, which is much less compared to the PGA Tour. Hence, if they have to pay the top 300 players, they won’t be able to do so without incurring initial losses. The discussions are in a primary stage and it remains to be seen how soon or if eventually the ATP manages to implement it.
The golfers on the PGA Tour are guaranteed a base income of US$500,000 per season. More influential and popular golfers receive an additional fixed income as a part of the Player Impact Program (PIP). The top 20 players during a particular season, who are ranked high and are very popular among fans/media share a pot of US$ 100 million in the form of incentives.
As things stand, it is impossible for the ATP tour to put such a plan in place because they do not have the necessary funds. As an alternative solution, the ATP bosses have encouraged players to also invest in their development. At the moment, ATP’s plan seems to be just helping players with top up payments at the end of the season, especially for those whose income has dropped off significantly due to injury or loss of form.
The ATP operates with a small income (unlike the PGA) because of the difference in the way that the two sports are structured. However, the ATP has to step up soon as the threat of a ‘breakaway tour’ looms large.
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