AO Extra Day is “Money Grab”

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, January 8, 2024
 
The Australian Open’s new Sunday start is all about cranking up cash flow, says Hall of Famer John McEnroe.

The Melbourne major makes history with its first-ever Sunday start this weekend. The Australian Open joins Roland Garros moving to a Sunday start and 15-day tournament.

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Former world No. 1 McEnroe blasted the move as “a money grab” on a Zoom call with the media today to promote ESPN’s Australian Open coverage, starting in the U.S. on Saturday, January 13th at 7 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN+ and at midnight on ESPN2.

Live AO coverage across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ will include all matches from all 15 courts, with every match streaming live on ESPN+. Comprehensive coverage will culminate with the Women’s and Men’s Championships on January 27 and January 28th, respectively, at 3:30 a.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

“It’s a money grab as far as I’m concerned—they just found another way to make some money,” McEnroe said of the AO joining Roland Garros with its Sunday start. “I don’t agree with it.

“I’m a commentator so no one is particularly concerned about my feelings. If the players accept it and if they are getting something from it—like some money for their pensions or retirement or some players who don’t have insurance, I would say that’s a good that they added the extra day, but but I don’t think that happened, just like it didn’t happen at the French Open.

“I completely disagree with it, but that’s probably me being selfish that I have to be away from home an extra day or two.”

The Australian Open, which suffered economic setback during the Coronavirus pandemic, is the economic engine that drives Tennis Australia’s professional and recreational programs. Therefore, TA officials could assert the extra day’s revenue can be applied back into Australian tennis.

Given the expansion of the two Grand Slams as well as some Masters 1000 events, including the Miami Open, expanding its schedule, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has called on tournaments to share revenue from partnerships with betting firms with players.

The Grand Slam king said players deserve a bigger piece of the revenue pie and prefers that tournaments share betting sponsorship revenue rather than players sporting sponsorship patches promoting gambling companies.

“Personally I probably would not get a betting sponsor on my…