[Teligacio]

The below is posted in it's entirety from Bodo's blog.

ATP Tour Chairman
Gentlemen:
As you all probably know, I am the father of John, Mark (my “normal son,” the lawyer) and Patrick McEnroe. I have met some of you at various tournaments, Davis Cup ties, etc.
To get promptly to the point, I am interested in succeeding Etienne de Villiers as Chairman of ATP Tour, Inc. I am strongly of the view that the best interests of men players, particularly the top ranked players, have been very badly served by M. de Villiers, to put it mildly, and by his predecessors.
The rules for participation on the Tour are an abomination. My own view is that NO player should be required to play in ANY TOURNAMENT if he doesn’t wish so to do. Also, as long as a player’s ranking entitles him to entry, he should be able to enter any tournament without requiring a minimum of tournaments each year. This is a position I have held for over thirty years.
You are all too young to remember that, in the early 1980s, I represented the “quintessential quintet” (Borg, Connors, Gerulaitis, McEnroe (John) and Vilas), in negotiations with the Men’s International Professional Tennis Council (“MIPTC”) over newly proposed rules. Those rules included proposed "hard designations" by the MIPTC for the top hundred players on the ATP computer. You will not be surprised that the QQ were not happy with that proposal. We were able to negotiate an arrangement whereby the QQ and the Council agreed in advance what the "designations" would be.
I am aware that the Mercedes-Benz international sponsorship of the Tour ends at the end of this year and will not be renewed. As your new Chairman, it would be a major priority of mine zealously to work to find a new sponsor. Also, I would work diligently to find opportunities to monetize various aspects of the Tour in order to ensure its financial foundation is solid.
Additionally, I have represented John and Patrick in connection with all of their legal needs. This includes all of their broadcasting contracts with BBC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, Tennis Channel and Australia’s Channel 7, agreements with respect to special events, endorsement agreements with Nike, Dunlop, Wilson, Snauwert, Sergio Tacchini, etc., not to mention a myriad of endorsements for companies not directly involved with tennis, book contracts and so on. I know and have interfaced with all the constituencies in professional tennis for many years.
Finally, I am currently Of Counsel to the internationally recognized law firm, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP, where I practiced commercial law since 1967. From 1974 through 2000, I was a partner in the Corporate Department.
I would be most pleased to meet in person at a convenient time and venue (the US Open site?) with any or all of you, your agents and anyone else you deem appropriate. Please feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions, comments or suggestions you may have. Thank you all in advance for your consideration of this proposal.
Sincerely,
John P. McEnroe http://tennisworld.typepad.com/tenni...-everyone.html

[Teligacio]

Bodo makes the following point and I agree with him.

JMac Sr is an American and some players may see him as part and parcel of the American system. Will he be able to restore the confidence and regain the trust of the Europeans and South Americans who are ascendant right now?

Is age nothing but a number?

Are three McEnroe's too much for tennis? I certainly don't know but can it get worse than what's been?

Will his personal style win over estranged execs at the ITF and other tennis bodies?

[trowUrillioth]

I was a bit shocked at this yesterday and then kind of laughed it off. I think nepotism is just the thing ATP is missing!

[QxmFwtlam]

I'd have to think about this more, but my initial reaction is a great big Charlie Brown "Good Grief!"