Tennis Australia Is Facing A $200 Million Crisis !

Tennis Australia seems to have landed itself in hot water amid claims that the television rights for the Australian Open was sold under nefarious circumstances. (Tennis Australia Is Facing A $200 Million Crisis)

The TV rights were sold to Seven West Media in a private deal worth over $200 million, with several sources claiming that there was some conflict of interest which could have influenced this deal.

After an international match fixing scandal that took place last year, Tennis Australia has been trying to clean up their image ever since. The documents filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria paint a pretty bad picture and clearly show that there is a fractious environment inside Tennis Australia.

“Should this information get into the media the damage is incalculable,” Mr Healy wrote in an email from December 2015. This was attached to the statement of claim.  (Tennis Australia Is Facing A $200 Million Crisis)

When the 2013 television deal was being negotiated Tennis Australia were wondering about whether or not they should continue it’s long standing deal with Seven West media or start a new partnership with a rival media firm. Ultimately Seven West Media secured the deal for a reported $30 million.

“Tennis Australia has potentially done itself out of a lot of money, and that money could have been invested back in the grassroots of the game. There was no serious follow-up with us, or with Nine, or with anybody else, and it’s very puzzling,” a Channel 10 spokesman told after the 2013 announcement.

A review was then set up which was aimed at finding out the validity of this deal. But Tennis Australia never revealed any information and closed the matter.

“Tennis Australia is very comfortable that no such conflict existed in relation to the sale of its domestic broadcast rights,” a spokeswoman said.

Two executive board members inexplicably in mid-January earlier this year without offering any explanation. (Tennis Australia Is Facing A $200 Million Crisis)

Clearly there is a lot of dirt left in this story!