great Ryan Rodenberg<\/a> a read.)\u00a0<\/p>\nAnd do note the larger stakes: If data is proprietary, a sport like tennis would have much more leverage taking a stance against sports gambling, UTR and the other \u201cdata providers.\u201d (Hey folks, no more real-time betting on challenger events, ripe for corruption and fixing. We own that, and it\u2019s not in our interest to make it available.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
In this case, I see both sides. You work to find a quirky tennis statistic no one else has uncovered. Yes, technically, it is a fact. But it might not have surfaced had it not been for your legwork, and you would like attribution or acknowledgement. Why not extend the courtesy of attribution? On the other hand, the viewer says, This isn\u2019t an original thought, a piece of music, a piece of writing or anything else subject to copyright and ownership. It\u2019s a statistic, a fact, owned by the universe.<\/p>\n
Jon, I loved the podcast with Larry Stefanki. But it got me thinking about what tennis coaches are paid. Any thoughts here?<\/p>\n
\u2022 In other sports, coaches\u2019 salaries are public record. In tennis, it\u2019s very hush-hush. As for the numbers? Well, it really depends. The old rule was that star coaches negotiated a fee, and bonuses were discretionary. Then, bonuses were included in the contracts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, less heralded coaches for less heralded players received what they would make at their clubs or academies\u2014say $1,500 a week, maybe $2,000\u2014plus business and travel expenses.<\/p>\n
As prize money and player purses increased, so did coaches\u2019 wages. And bonuses, too. I know of one player who won the U.S. Open and paid\u2014happily, but by contract, not discretion\u2014her coach a $350,000 bonus.<\/p>\n
A few scattered thoughts: <\/p>\n
A) Coaches aren\u2019t buying jets, but it\u2019s a good living, the travel notwithstanding. There are credits and minimal debits. On the road, coaches can go days without opening their wallets. Transport, meals and hotels are covered. They\u2019re earning and not really spending.\u00a0<\/p>\n
B) Sometimes players\u2019 federations, including the USTA, can cover coaching salaries. One might ask, Does, say, the USTA really fulfill its mission when it pays the coaching fees of players already making millions? On the other hand, if the federation\u2019s goal is to mint champions, taking care of financial stresses and obligations might serve that goal.<\/p>\n
C) You can imagine the instability for a coach. One day you\u2019re traveling the world, hanging in lounges, poised to earn a six-figure salary. Then, the player releases you, and you\u2019re \u2026 back at the academy? Back home at the club? Back at the federation and hoping to get a new gig? Some of this instability is probably priced in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
D) Conversely, imagine the stress of a player, even a top one. Paying their coach $5,000 to $10,000 per week when they\u2019re averaging $50,000 in weekly wages is a cost of doing business. Fine. Paying a coach $5,000 to $10,000 per week when you\u2019re injured, idle or losing early is a tough outlay to swallow.<\/p>\n
![\"Aryna](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/01km0m7y3yad4w9m1wnj.jpg\" "\\"Aryna")
<\/p>\n
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina to claim the Indian Wells title. | Andy Abeyta\/The Desert Sun \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Hi, Jon,<\/p>\n
What a high quality Sabalenka-Rybakina final. Did my eyes deceive me or there were actually many empty seats for such a high stake match? Not sorry for not being sorry about low occupancy on a Sunday = eye sore. Solution: Price ticket adjustment needed?<\/p>\n
Regards,
Lourdes Pereira
British Columbia, Canada<\/p>\n
\u2022 The bigger Indian Wells eyesore\u2014and this needs fixing ASAP\u2014was the new policy requiring a separate ticket for Stadium 2, which meant that tasty matches were played before vast oceans of empty seats. One of you pointed me to a photo from Victoria Mboko and Amanda Anisomova\u2019s match, and I have no doubt the players had more fans at their practice sessions than at the match itself.<\/p>\n
To your point, this is a persistent problem in tennis. Whether it\u2019s the prime federation seats behind the baseline going unoccupied while the fat cats are eating canapes in suites, a flawed pricing model, or selling out to markets like Saudi Arabia where the fan base just doesn\u2019t exist yet, the optics of empty seats are terrible. You\u2019re trying to sell your product as this smashing, vibrant global sensation. You send breathless press releases about shattered attendance records. The casual fan at home sees your sport\u2019s biggest stars taking the biggest courts at the biggest events \u2026 and it\u2019s tumbleweeds.<\/p>\n
Quick story time: When I covered the NBA, former commissioner David Stern\u2014whose powers verged on unchecked\u2014grew furious watching Miami Heat games. Why? Because fans with prime courtside seats arrived late, stayed in the club lounges well after halftime and left early. So on television, you had the unfortunate visuals of action unfolding before empty seats<\/a>. And, worse, the seats were painted yellow, so the lack of bodies was more pronounced.\u00a0<\/p>\nStern not only told the owner this was unacceptable but also demanded that the yellow seats be replaced with a more neutral color. Tennis needs a David Stern sometimes.<\/p>\n
Hi, Jon,<\/p>\n
As usual, I always enjoy Mailbag. It\u2019s really great to have someone consistently sharing ideas about tennis.<\/p>\n
That said, I found your comment about \u201ccowardly\u201d deferring to the players\u2019 wishes to keep five sets at the slams a little weird. As someone who has advocated, rightly so as you have done often, for the players\u2019 needs and wants to be given more consideration, I\u2019m not sure why that would be a cowardly position. I personally like the idea of standing up for what the players want, which doesn\u2019t seem to happen very often these days. Of course, the flip side is that everyone does have an opinion on what\u2019s best for the sport, especially in the broadcasting realm, and I imagine broadcasters and many commentators would prefer shorter matches than what we get with five sets. And, of course, therein lies part of the problem with all of tennis: Everyone\u2014networks, players, fans, officials, agents, etc.\u2014has a position and it\u2019s hard to wrangle them altogether into something cohesive. Still, I don\u2019t think siding with the overwhelming majority of players is cowardly at all.<\/p>\n
Keep up the good work. You are appreciated!<\/p>\n
Jim Barber, Atlanta<\/p>\n
\u2022 Thanks, that\u2019s kind of you.<\/p>\n
Probably not the best answer I\u2019ve given. To be clear, this was self-effacing. Here\u2019s what I meant by \u201ccowardly\u201d: Like you, I lament the lack of players\u2019 rights and representation and voice in decision-making. (Discussion for another time, but, sadly, it\u2019s become clear to most players that the PTPA ain\u2019t the solution.)<\/p>\n
By the same token, my fallback of \u201cLet\u2019s give the players what they want\u201d is \u2026 if not cowardly, maybe lazy? Input doesn\u2019t mean the discussion is over. I\u2019m sure the players want lots of things; some are reasonable. Some less so.<\/p>\n
Players\u2019 voices should be heard and considered. But we should not be making policy simply because of players\u2019 desires. Simply saying (as I did) \u201cIf the male players want best-of-five matches, best-of-five it is!\u201d is like saying \u201cIf the college kids want no Friday classes, well, there you have it, I guess we\u2019re now a three-day-weekend institution!\u201d<\/p>\n
I really enjoy the Tennis Channel App \u2026 nice to be able to watch every match, have 15-minute recaps, interviews, pressers, etc. but I don\u2019t understand why the match streams can;t be five minutes longer to include the post-match interviews instead of ending abruptly with the handshake\/embrace at the net and the quick wave to the crowd?<\/p>\n
Alan K., Greensboro, NC<\/p>\n
\u2022 Duly noted. At the risk of sounding too cheerleader-like\u2014and obvious conflicts of interest notwithstanding\u2014I think you can expect some significant upgrades coming on the Tennis Channel tech front.<\/p>\n
HAVE A GOOD WEEK, EVERYONE!<\/p>\n
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