ATP plan to add more events to calendar

The ATP is planning major changes to the men’s tour with more 12-day Masters 1000 events and a new prize money-sharing arrangement, according to a letter from ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi to players.

A new strategic plan includes an enhanced profit-sharing formula, long-term prize money levels and “expanding more Masters 1000 tournaments to 12-day events”.

The plan includes turning Rome, Madrid, Canada, Cincinnati and Shanghai into 12-day Masters events similar to Miami and Indian Wells, and adding 250 events during the second week of these Masters tournaments.

Prize-money increases would be set at 2.5 per cent of a base level, plus a bonus pool with a 50 per cent share of the collective profit of the Masters events.

New media rights arrangements will, according to Gaudenzi, increase media revenues for ATP events.

Future plans also include more integration with the WTA Tour and Grand Slam events.

“This represents significant progress for our sport and the way that our player and tournament members operate under the equal partnership of the ATP Tour,” Gaudenzi wrote.