[AlabamaBoyz]

12 January 2009

ATP APPOINTS ADAM HELFANT AS NEW EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN & PRESIDENT

London, UK - The ATP, governing body of the men's professional tennis circuit, today announces the appointment of Adam Helfant as ATP Executive Chairman and President. Mr Helfant, 44, will begin his role with the ATP immediately and will be based in London.

Mr. Helfant, an MIT and Harvard Law graduate, brings a wealth of global sports, business and legal experience following 12 years as a senior executive with NIKE, three years with the National Hockey League (NHL) as an attorney and four years as an associate at the international law firm Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. Most recently he served as NIKE’s corporate Vice President, Global Sports Marketing a role in which he was responsible for NIKE’s relationships and contracts with athletes, clubs, teams, universities and sports governing bodies throughout the world. Previous to that, he held a number of senior roles at NIKE including Director of Global Sports Marketing and Vice President of U.S. Sports Marketing.

Adam Helfant, ATP Executive Chairman and President, said:
“There is no doubt that men’s professional tennis is one of the world’s most popular sports and, as a lifelong fan, it is a great honour to have been given the opportunity to take the helm at such an exciting time for the ATP. The ATP World Tour is a truly global sporting event, featuring some of the world’s best athletes and followed by millions of the most dedicated sports fans and I could not be more excited about being its new Executive Chairman.”

ATP Tournament Board Representative Graham Pearce said:
“We are delighted to welcome Adam to the ATP as our new Executive Chairman. Adam is widely acknowledged as one of the most talented executives in world sport, with exceptional sports, business and legal experience. The ATP Board believes it has secured a new leader with the necessary strategic vision, operational strength and international perspective to lead the ATP World Tour.”

ATP Player Board representative, Ivan Ljubicic, said:
“I am delighted, on behalf of the players, to be able to welcome Adam to the ATP. It was our intention as a Board to recruit a world class Executive Chairman and in Adam we are delighted and excited to have achieved just that. Adam has outstanding experience of working at the very top of world sport and business and is extremely well qualified to take the ATP World Tour to the next level of its development.”