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State of the WTA
Good But Not So Great

BY MATTHEW CRONIN

THURSDAY, OCT. 30 - Arlen Kantarian, the hard-charging CEO of USTA Professional Tennis, announced today that he is leaving the USTA after nine years.

Sources said Kantarian, who has expressed interest in the open ATP CEO and Chairman's job(s), was frustrated that he wasn't able to convince the board of directors to give him a substantial raise, as well as take a more entrepreneurial approach. While the former NFL and Radio City executive had a number of allies on the USTA Board of Directors, he was said to be at odds with Executive Director Gordon Smith as well as some other high-level USTA activists. Some sectional and national officials also weren't pleased that a large amount of the USTA's resources were going toward professional tennis and Player Development, while grassroots funding was suffering.

Without question, since he joined the USTA in March 2000, the ambitious Kantarian spearheaded tremendous growth for the USTA, increasing the revenues of the US Open by 80 percent. This year, the tournament raked in more than $200 million. A marketing wizard, Kantarian also played a significant role in the creation of the US Open Series, the introduction of instant replay, the prime-time US Open women's final and jazzed up the tournament as a whole. With Kantarian at the helm, the US Open became a must-attend event for even non-tennis fans, even though there are those who complain that the tournament is being over-sold.

He, along with his friend, former USTA president Franklin Johnson, also lead the USTA in successfully acquiring a portion of the Indian Wells, Cincinnati and New Haven tournaments, and were key in defending the US's tournament turf against hungry foreign investors who sought to move the events overseas. Under Kantarian and his allies, the USTA became once again a major power player in the sport internationally. Most recently, Kantarian oversaw the launch of the USTA's new Elite Player Development program, took a title in the department himself, and hired Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe to lead the effort. Kantarian is said to be intrigued by the ATP job as he wants to see just how popular the sport can be internationally. He is also exploring an opportunity outside of tennis.

"I have enjoyed one of the finest rides in sports and entertainment for the last 25 years - with the NFL, Radio City, and the USTA," said Kantarian, who will work through the end of the year helping in the transition phase. "We have now accomplished all that we set out to do at the USTA, and I attribute that to one of the finest staffs in the business. The best time to move on is when the business is at an all-time high, and a solid foundation has been built for the future. I have no doubt the US Open, Olympus US Open Series, and the sport of tennis will continue to prosper and grow. Meanwhile, I am committed to working with the USTA to ensure a successful transition. And then, some time off with family before taking on the next challenge."