09/02/2012 23:58 CEST - INTERVIEW
The man who brought tennis back to the Garden
TENNIS – Vanni Gibertini had the chance to talk to Jerry Solomon, the man whose BNP Showdown brought tennis back to Madison Square Garden. Lendl's former coach was in Montreal to present a 'legends' tournament starring Lendl, Connors, Agassi and Chang, to be played on the 2nd of March. From Montreal, Vanni Gibertini, translated by Edoardo Dalmonte
On March 5, Madison Square Garden will host the fifth consecutive edition of the BNP Showdown, the special event which brought tennis back to the Big Apple after a 15 year absence. We recently got the chance to interview Jerry Solomon, the man who made this return to one of tennis’ traditional locations possible. Solomon, who used to be Ivan Lendl’s agent, now runs Stargames, a company responsible for scheduling the forthcoming Lendl/Connors, v Agassi/ Chang faceoff, to be held in Montreal on the 2nd March.
What made you think of organizing a winter exhibition match in Montreal?
Five years ago, we staged an exhibition at Madison Square Garden, and it has since become a successful event. So we started to look around in search for further possible venues. To tell you the truth, Montreal wasn’t on our list but Evenko, the main local event promoter, called BNP, sponsors of the Showdown, and they passed on the message. I know tennis is very popular in Montreal. Then, as my experience taught me, where you have a big tournament hosted during the summer, you can find viewers happy to see further matches in the “off-season”. The combination of a summer tournament and a winter exhibition is successful.
How are ticket sales going?
So far, the response has been extraordinary. We’ve got hold of important sponsors like BNP Paribas and Genesis (Hyundai), who has just become our presenting sponsor. Also supporting the initiative are Wilson, Hugo Boss and a number of local enterprises. Thanks to these brands, the event gains credibility, and this generally brings about an increase in ticket sales.
Do you expect to reach a capacity crowd?
I never expect a capacity crowd, it often depends on circumstances we can’t control. Anyway, I believe we’ll have a big turnout and an electric atmosphere in the Bell Centre. Having big stars playing in prestigious venues is a recipe for success. Besides, we’d like the fans know that this isn’t a one-off. We hope to bring this event back next year, and emulate the Showdown’s success in New York.
You managed to bring tennis back to Madison Square Garden, a place which holds an important place in the sport’s history, having hosted the men’s and women’s Masters Cups for many years. What prompted you to undertake such an operation?
One day, Pete Sampras said he would have liked to play an exhibition match against Roger Federer, and Ivan Lendl happened to hear about it. He’s my business partner, I was his agent when he was a player. Ivan didn’t think it was possible to arrange it, but mentioned it anyway, and I began to work on the project. My career started at the Madison Square Garden when, working for Colgate-Palmolive, I organized the Colgate Masters, in 1978 and 1979. So, I’ve a special tie with that place, I believe it’s the most important venue in the world. Events there have a kind of magic. One way or another, I managed to seal a deal with the Garden, a sponsor arrived, then we sold the TV rights and talked with Roger. He was interested but, given to his crowded schedule, gave us a single possible date.
Was the Garden was free that day?
We had to adapt a bit the calendar, but we succeeded in organizing the event in the date that now is the annual rendezvous between tennis and New York. The Showdown was scheduled the Monday before Indian Wells started, a congenial date for Federer and the players.
We also believe that the exhibition in Montreal can have a major impact, because the winter is ending and peoples thoughts inevitably turn to tennis again, and watching the stars would be a perfect source of inspiration. This event won’t simply feature past champions. Next year, we expect to attract the best active players to Montreal.
Did you plan to transform the one-night Madison Square Garden exhibition into a longer event?
We’ve talked about that, but the calendar doesn’t allow it. Then again, everybody seems to like the current formula.
Will Lendl’s new role as Andy Murray’s full-time coach: affect his availability for Montreal?
There’s no problem from this point of view. When they began to work together, they took into consideration their previous commitments and rapidly sealed the deal. They seem to get on very well, I hope they are successful.
What do you think about them working together? What was the first thing you thought of when you found out that Murray had hired Lendl as his coach?
Naturally, I was aware that they were discussing it, and I believe it’s perfect for both of them. Ivan has a lot of experience and achieved great success as a player. He knows the ins and outs of the sport and, though he hasn’t kept in touch in a traditional way, he’s still maintained a connection of sorts. He’s brilliant. I think Andy has made an excellent choice; if he can apply Lendl’s teachings, he’ll go far.
Your company, Stargames, is active in several fields beside the organization of sports events…
We, represent athletes, produce shows in sports events, we have a pair of web-based projects, but 70% of our income derives from live sports events.
Any new projects on the horizon?
We’re working on something, but it’s too early to talk about it…
You wrote a book on how to organize successful sports events. What are the three main aspects to consider?
It’s simple really: the venue, the athletes and the promotion.
When you name the venue, what do you mean exactly? What’s more important: is it its functionality, its proximity to the general public, or something else?
I believe that big events identify themselves with their venues. Wimbledon wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t played at the All England Club. The Daytona 500 is so fascinating because it’s run on that speedway. The success of a particular event is tied to such places where people wish to go because they’re aware that “magic” things can happen there.
Do you disagree with the decision to transfer the Us Open from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows in 1978?
They needed time to overcome the loss of the West Side Tennis Club. They managed to recreate the tradition during the years, thanks also to some unforgettable matches. But it hasn’t been easy. Nowadays, the Open is played at Flushing Meadows and the place has become an icon. But this hasn’t always happened. For example, the Boston Garden, the old sports arena where the Boston Celtics won all their titles: now it’s dismantled and a new arena has been built. But the atmosphere is totally different. It’ll probably rediscover that magic in the future, but it’s not easy to find a place that can to transcend the event, and become so meaningful in the fans’ collective imagination. When we choose a venue for our exhibitions, we look for places like this.
Generally speaking, is it wrong to replace old venues?
Well, sometimes the event becomes too big, or the facilities too old. We just try to identify venues with a relevant and intrinsic meaning. Even the Madison Square Garden faced the risk of a demolition a pair of years ago because it was growing older and didn’t have the facilities to carry on. In the end, it was restored, and the old atmosphere was salvaged. It’s a positive example of how to integrate the past and the present in order to effectively host a sports event.
They’re doing the same with Fenway Park: it would have been impossible to recreate it somewhere else. But there isn’t a right and a wrong solution, it should be judged on a case-by-case basis.
What makes the Ball Centre in Montreal worthy of hosting this exhibition?
First of all, it is the second largest arena in North America, and is home to one of the most successful franchises in history [the Montreal Canadiens, winners of 24 NHL titles]. Montreal has witnessed many key sporting events in the last 50 years, including the Olympic Games. Players like to compete there. When they see the photos on the walls and the big screens, they can feel that they are in one of the world’s best sporting arenas.
Vanni Gibertini
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