£20m to rescue British game

BrITISH tennis pulled together a £20million bailout package last night, as the governing body put its considerable financial muscle behind the sport’s survival efforts. as part of the plan, senior LTa executives will take 20 per cent pay cuts. Some of the other 282 staff will be furloughed next week, with a top-up guarantee meaning nobody will be on less than 80 per cent pay. The idea is that clubs, coaches and venues stay in business until the lockdown ends and normality resumes. It is a prompt and wideranging response to the crisis from a sport which is more fortunate than most.

Some of the money will come from the LTa’s £66m reserves, although there is also a reliance on the Government and taxpayer to support those being temporarily laid off. The LTa’s annual employment costs are just shy of £18m, according to the most recent figures. Wimbledon is continuing to pay its permanent staff in full. among the beneficiaries will be British singles players ranked from 101 to 750 in the world. Grassroots clubs, some of whom are anxious about membership renewals, can tap into a fund offering £13.5m of interest-free loans. There is also a pledge to increase prize money at small domestic tournaments which might take place later in the year. The idea of reviving a one-off closed national championships is said to have support. ‘This pandemic has the potential to put the future growth of tennis at significant risk,’ said LTa chief executive Scott Lloyd. ‘These unprecedented measures are to ensure clubs and venues remain viable and coaches and officials are not lost to the sport.’