[Zpxbawtz]

I agree. it is NOT a minority surface. It's by far the most common surface in tennis clubs in Europe and South America. If you start playing tennis here, you start on clay. (and as for hobby player like me- we keep playing on clay only, safe winter practise indoors.) I just think cutting back the clay events played is an inbuilt disadvantage for all players growing up in Europe and South America.

Minority surface at the highest levels of a game only!!! Even most challengers are on clay - it's probably cheaper that way...

Growing up on clay is not a disadvantage (vast majority of top 100 players started on that surface) unless you forget to move on to "better things" (that refers to many Italians, Spaniards and Argentineans)...

[gluckmeea]

I don't profess to know, but I would guess that the issue is more about dollars than about surface. Where's the money for event sponsorship, ticket sales, TV coverage...? I would bet that tilts more in favor of North America, which tilts more in favor of hardcourts.

$ = China.

[tuszit]

I would keep same amount of clay events, reduce hardcourts and add some more grass.

Of course that will never happen.

I agree.

I don't profess to know, but I would guess that the issue is more about dollars than about surface. Where's the money for event sponsorship, ticket sales, TV coverage...? I would bet that tilts more in favor of North America, which tilts more in favor of hardcourts.

Have you seen the courts. Many lower profile European events gather more people, specially in the earlier rounds, than Masters in North America. Many seats were empty, at least from what was seen on TV, in the early phases of both Masters.
Maybe mmmm8 and M. Fernandez can shed more light about this year's attendance.

The coverage, I'm not even going to touch that. Suffice to go through the tournament threads to see the TV coverage they get.

[Zpxbawtz]

Carpet and grass, on the other, would qualify is "minority" surfaces. But clay? Definitely not.

Carpet is pretty much extinct and grass is not only because of Wimbledon.

[QxmFwtlam]

$ = China.

Power to the people!

[QxmFwtlam]

Carpet is pretty much extinct and grass is not only because of Wimbledon.

And so the French Open would be.... what?

[ImapFidaarram]

$ = China.

Isn't China also trying to steal work out some arrangement to host the Australian Open?

[ImapFidaarram]

Have you seen the courts. Many lower profile European events gather more people, specially in the earlier rounds, than Masters in North America. Many seats were empty, at least from what was seen on TV, in the early phases of both Masters.
Maybe mmmm8 and M. Fernandez can shed more light about this year's attendance.

The coverage, I'm not even going to touch that. Suffice to go through the tournament threads to see the TV coverage they get.

As long as the sponsors keep putting up the dollars, the empty seats are secondary.

I can say that the first weekend at Indian Wells was completely sold out. And that was only 2nd round matches. And the USO is the highest attended sporting event in the world. So are some NA tournaments hurting attendance wise? Yes. Are the biggies? No.

[tuszit]

As long as the sponsors keep putting up the dollars, the empty seats are secondary.

I can say that the first weekend at Indian Wells was completely sold out. And that was only 2nd round matches. And the USO is the highest attended sporting event in the world. So are some NA tournaments hurting attendance wise? Yes. Are the biggies? No.

I was talking about Cincy and Toronto. Those are big.
But, "Money Talks".

[ImapFidaarram]

I was talking about Cincy and Toronto. Those are big.
But, "Money Talks".

Toronto:
"Despite a series of rain delays and a string of upsets, tournament director Karl Hale was pleased with the success of the Rogers Cup, which included a record $10.7-million in ticket sales, increased sponsorship, and 151,106 tickets sold.

In my experience, this is probably one of the most competitive sports entertainment weekends we’ve had with [Major League] soccer, the golf, and the tennis on,” Hale said. “Our record ticket sales — and attendance that could have been a record without those rain delays early in the week — show the power of tennis and the power of the stars in tennis.”

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...in-review.aspx

Cincy hasn't released official attendance info yet, at least as far as I can find.