Page 36 - Tennis Magazine April 2019
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recently taken up tennis; in his case, has surpassed its longtime rival event, of American tennis,” Ellison told
that meant he had spent $100 million the Miami Open. Last year, Ellison Bloomberg Businessweek in 2015.
to buy one of the sport’s premier also signaled his support for the new, How deeply will Ellison dive into the
events, the BNP Paribas Open in Indian revamped Davis Cup format, and he sport, and how much of it would he like
Wells. In the 10 years since, Ellison has plans to host a round of ties at Indian see transformed? It’s a question that
brought a tech mogul’s deep pockets Wells in the future. may make tennis’ governing establish-
and sometimes-disruptive ambitions Ellison’s largesse has endeared him ment—in particular, its non-billionaire
to many players, tournament owners—nervous. But
including Rafael according to Dr. Timothy Russell, CEO
If Ellison is the ambitious Nadal, who typically of the Intercollegiate Tennis Associa-
newcomer, Hurd is the stays at Ellison’s tion, his organization’s partnership with
nearby 250-acre Ellison, Hurd and Oracle has been as
man who understands estate, Porcupine “great a formula as we can get.”
Creek, during the If Ellison is the ambitious new-
the game’s terrain and tournament. comer to tennis, Hurd is the man who
traditions from the inside. “It’s true that not understands the game’s terrain and
everybody has the traditions from the inside.
possibility to do the “He’s passionate about college
to the clubby world of pro tennis. things that he’s doing for this tourna- tennis,” Russell says of Hurd, “and he
During the Ellison era, Indian Wells ment,” Nadal told Sky Sports, “but has a strategic vision for it, to move
has become the first tournament to it’s the tournament with more courts one block at a time, push the sport
install Hawk-Eye cameras on every for practice, a lot of stadiums for the forward, and increase its visibility.
court. It has opened a second stadium matches and Hawk-Eye on every court. There’s always a focus on both gen-
and dangled a $1 million bonus to Every year there is something new and ders, and on trying to give everyone in
any player who wins the singles and something better.” college tennis a chance to compete in
doubles events. Ellison spent $30 Ellison has also hinted at a desire to major events.”
million on a new parking lot alone. In revamp the American game. Russell also says that Hurd
the competition for the mythical title “I think we simply have to do “recognizes that tennis players make
of the “Fifth Grand Slam,” Indian Wells something to improve the quality good employees.”
“We do a lot of recruiting on
Ellison—below, seated next to Mike Tyson—is a front-row regular college campuses, a couple thousand
at the BNP Paribas Open, the tournament he helped rejuvenate recruits every year,” says Hurd, who
with his financial resources and passion for the sport.
has expanded the sales force at Oracle
over the course of his tenure. “There
are obviously a lot of great people in
the sport, and athletes do well with us.
College tennis is an individual sport,
but in a team concept, which is what
working in a business is like.”
What’s next for Oracle, when it
comes to tennis? “We’re not done
yet, by any means,” Hurd says, while
declining to say what the firm’s future
tennis initiatives might be.
For now, Ellison will make his annual
appearance in the owner’s box at the
BNP Paribas Open, perhaps alongside
celebrities like Mike Tyson, Bill Gates,
Bode Miller or Jared Goff, all of whom
have taken in matches with him in the
past. But when the celebrities leave
town, and the pros move on to Europe,
Hurd and Oracle’s commitment to the
U.S. game, and their still-evolving
vision for its future, will remain. AP
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