PTPA continues to grow: 80% of the players should already be there
Over 80% of the ATP stars are said to already be part of the newly founded players' association PTPA. The structures in the background are slowly but surely taking shape.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Sep 21, 2021, 03:44 pm
The announcement of the founding of a players' association that exist alongside the ATP - but also offer advantages over the current top dog, caused quite a stir at the US Open last year. Led by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, who also showed themselves to be extremely familiar during this year's Flushing Meadows event, the PTPA is pursuing the goal of offering players better representation. The association's vision: "Bringing tennis players together to create transparency and fairness in the decision-making process in professional tennis."
This is well received in the player community, according to a report in the Sports Business Journal to which Schweizer Blick refers, according to which more than 80 percent of ATP players have already joined the PTPA. Vasek Pospisil, who recently put his own sporting career behind a little, and who, according to his own statements, made over 1000 phone calls to make the association attractive to other athletes, played a not insignificant role.
Bringing women's and men's tennis closer together
But Novak Djokovic is also working meticulously on the expansion of his own heart project, in addition to the existing board of directors, the association should also lead the positions of managing director and general manager. The growing professionalization of the structures is currently still free of charge for the players, until 2023 you should still be able to be enrolled in the organization free of charge. Which, by the way, is possible for women as well as men, because a closer cooperation between women and men tours is also a goal of the PTPA.
The central goal of the organization, however, remains undoubtedly a financial equalization between top earners at the tennis circus and the worse-ranked players. A huge gap that the PTPA is trying to close. In addition, players should also be given the tools to increase their own earnings. With access to marketing platforms such as "Getty" or "Opendorse", members of the PTPA have the opportunity to learn more about self-marketing and thus improve their own brand image.
Finally, the team of lawyers, which is made available to the participating players by the PTPA, speaks for the new players' association, which is already enjoying wide approval from the players and has only recently switched its own website live. The central topic there is a vote by the ATP, which should guarantee the Association of Tennis Professionals a 30-year contract for various marketing rights. The PTPA is convinced that a vote should be delayed.