ATP changes include expanded tournaments and profit-sharing

The ATP men’s professional tour announced reforms Thursday that include expansion of five Masters 1000 events and 50-50 profitsharing between players and tournaments starting next year. Changes approved by the ATP Board also include increased prize money, the result of more than two years of negotiations. The plan hopes to increase profits by aggregating tournament revenue into ATP Media and the tour’s Tennis Data Innovations.

“This will open up major growth opportunities in media and data,” the ATP said in a statement.“embracing the digital transformation will also shift the tour away from over-reliance on ticketing, a concerted move seen across many other major sports.”

Players will receive audited tournament financials for the first time and “a ground-breaking 50-50 profit-sharing formula will align the interests of players and tournaments in growing the game as partners in success.” Starting next year, Masters events in Madrid, Rome and Shanghai will grow from eight-day competitions to 12 days in line with Indian Wells and Miami. Beginning in 2025, Canada and Cincinnati events will similarly expand. Prize money at the five expanded events will increase by more than 35%, the ATP said. Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi called approval of the plan “a game-changing moment for the tour.”

Separately Thursday, the All England Club announced that Wimbledon will offer a record total of $50.5 million in player compensation this year, but two singles champions will receive less than the pre-pandemic amount — $2.5 million each, 14.9% less than in 2019.