May 21, 2020
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Welser Peter-Michael Reichel (67), who lives in Switzerland, is a long-time member of the “Board of Directors” of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and adviser to the Reichel Business Group run by his daughter, which organizes the tournaments in Linz and Hamburg. particularly required in Corona days like this.
VOLKSBLATT: How are you in the current situation?
PETER-MICHAEL REICHEL: Personally good, thank you. But tennis is particularly difficult. We have the problem that even if some countries release tournaments, we don’t know if our people are allowed to travel at all.
“Halfway normal operation from September”
What could happen after all tournaments have been canceled until July 31?
We hope that a reasonably normal operation will be possible from September, albeit with a limited number of spectators and appropriate protective measures.
Your tournament in Hamburg should have taken place in July. What’s next?
We expected this cancellation, but we definitely want to pull Hamburg through later this year, possibly even indoors and on another surface. Many decisions depend on what happens to the US Open.
“We are planning three or four variants for Linz”
Could things go well for your traditional Linz tournament in October?
For the Upper Austria Ladies I am very confident that it will take place. The question is when and in what form. We are planning three or four different versions.
Is there also a shift under discussion?
There are currently many question marks, so the new date for Paris in late September / early October has not yet been confirmed. If he does, the tournament in Beijing will slide back and then we will have to adjust the date as well, because we don’t have to play at the same time as a premier tournament. However, we cannot simply say that the tournament will take place two weeks later because the hall may be occupied. That is why we are considering all options.
Even a tournament without a spectator?
Before nothing happens, you have to do it like this, but ghost games are the very last solution.
What does it mean for an organizer if a tournament is completely canceled?
Of course, this is very stressful, because a tournament is worked on all year round and costs are incurred, but the tournament does not generate any income. We have adopted the short-time working model for us.
“Negotiations for lower prize money”
Can you currently work on a starting field?
We keep in touch with various players and their managers, of course, but a lot depends on the date.
At the association level, how can you help the tournament organizers?
Negotiations are ongoing between players and organizers of WTA and ATP that the prize money will be reduced in order to at least partially compensate for the loss of entrance fees and other income.
And the players ranked worse in the world rankings?
There is the Solidarity Fund, in which all four Grand Slam tournaments as well as the ITF, ATP and WTA participated and raised a total of six million. From this, the players from 100th to 500th place who could not earn money in the end get a nest egg.
“Market tennis together and best possible”
Keyword ATP and WTA, recently voices have arisen again, according to which the associations should be merged. How do you feel about it?
Since I’ve been a member of the board, I’ve been working on marketing tennis together and in the best possible way. That Roger Federer went out with it was good for the cause, there was widespread approval and few votes against.
What would be the advantage?
If the two player organizations act together, then of course they also have a correspondingly strong position, among other things compared to the Grand Slam tournaments.
“Women and men are the best product”
And otherwise?
The fact is that the best product for viewers, media and sponsors are tournaments with women and men. You can see that at the Grand Slams and other big events. If you do it together, there is more money for everyone – but some have to understand that first.
Where could the pitfalls lie?
Of course also with the financial. The men currently have much higher media revenues and certainly do not want to share them with the women. The big question that needs to be clarified: How can you divide up the money you have earned in the future if you freeze the previous income for both men and women? There is a need to find a consensus.
What does the time horizon look like?
If you really want to take this path, which would surely help all tennis, important decisions have to be made this year.
Roland Korntner spoke to tennis maker PETER-MICHAEL REICHEL
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