News - July - December 2004

Smashnova ends season; makes room for Serena Williams in Linz

(October 26) Israel's Anna Smashnova pulled out to create space for Serena Williams to play in the WTA Tour event in Linz, Austria this week.

Desperate to salvage a major title from a disappointing 2004, Williams hopes to earn points for the end-of-season WTA Championships. With only two weeks of the regular season remaining, Serena and her older sister Venus are in danger of missing out on the eight-woman Championships in Los Angeles for the second year running.

Serena, ranked eighth in the race for the WTA Championships, told Linz organizers seven days ago she wanted to play in the 32-strong singles tournament. But, stung by her withdrawal from the Linz event in 2003 and 2002, the organizers told her she would have to be on the waiting list like everyone else.

Serena’s luck came when ITMS Sports client Anna Smashnova was forced to pull out of Linz at the very last moment.

The 28-year old Israeli has been bothered by injuries since Roland Garros, most recently having to default her second round match against Fabiola Zuluaga at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt. A left groin strain was again proving troublesome in practice last week, forcing Smashnova to withdraw from Linz and bringing to a close what has turned into a rather frustrating second-half of the season.

It looked quite different just a few short months ago before injuries started to bother the Belarus-born Israeli.

Smashnova reached the quarterfinals in Warsaw and the third round in Berlin, defeating Magdalena Maleeva and Nathalie Dechy at the German Open. In May, Smashnova reached the quarterfinals of the Italian Open losing to former world No. 1 Jennifer Capriati and then followed with her ninth career title in Vienna.

By beating Alicia Molik in the title match, Smashnova extended her final matches win-streak to 9-0 and earned her second title in three years at that tournament.

But injuries soon started to plague what looked to be another successful year for the top ranked Israeli player.

At Roland Garros, Smashnova advanced to the third round defeating Flavia Pennetta and Klara Koukalova. In a third round match televised live on Eurosport, the strong-playing Israeli badly cramped while leading and was forced to default to eventual finalist Elena Dementieva 6-0, 6-7, 1-0.

Injuries continued to undermine her season and Smashnova has had to watch her ranking slip from 16 to 32 this year, marking this the first time she has dropped out of the Top 30 in three years.

Smashnova, who turned pro in 1991, the same year she nabbed the French Open junior event, is looking forward to 2005 but plans to play less tournaments in the future to prevent the type of injuries that have plagued her recently.

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Single-season attendance record set

(October 6) Major League Baseball finished the regular season with the highest single-season total attendance in history, surpassing the record set in 2000.

Despite losing 14 dates in September due to weather, this year's total was 73,022,969, 3.8 percent higher than the previous record of 72,748,970 and 8.1 percent higher than last year's total of 67,568,397. Average attendance for the season was 30,401, the third-highest in history.

"Setting the all-time season attendance record is further evidence that this great sport has never been more popular," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "We have had a great regular season and all of us in baseball are looking forward to a tense, dramatic and compelling postseason."

Nine teams surpassed the three million mark in total attendance and an additional 11 Clubs drew more than two millions fans. In the American League, the New York Yankees and Anaheim reached three million, while Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, St. Louis and San Diego were the record seven National League teams over three million. A total of 13 National League Clubs drew at least two million fans, setting a new record (12 in 2001).

In addition, seven Clubs set all-time franchise records for total
attendance: Boston -- 2,837,304 (2,724,162 in 2003); New York Yankees -- 3,775,292 (3,465,585 in 2003); Anaheim -- 3,375,677 (3,061,094 in 2003); Houston -- 3,087,872 (3,056,139 in 2000); Chicago Cubs -- 3,170,184 (2,962,630 in 2003); Philadelphia -- 3,250,092 (3,137,674 in 1993); and San Diego -- 3,016,752 (2,555,901 in 1998). The Dodgers' final attendance (3,488,283) was their highest since 1983 (3,608,881).

The New York Yankees set an all-time Major league record for road attendance (3,308,666) and became the first American League Club in history to draw more than three million fans on the road. The 2000 Cincinnati Reds set the previous mark of 3,016,074.

Combining the Major League total attendance with this year's record-breaking Minor League Baseball total attendance of 39,887,755 shows that nearly 113 million fans attended affiliated professional baseball games in 2004.

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Ichiro Suzuki named FAZ "man of the week"

(October 4) Ichiro Suzuki’s (Seattle Mariners) record-breaking season is making headlines all around the world. Internationally acclaimed German newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" even honored the Japanese baseball superstar as its "man of the week." Here’s what FAZ’s Sunday edition had to say about the man they simply call Ichiro.

Once again, Ichiro Suzuki has struck hard. This year alone, Ichiro has
connected 262 times, a new best for hits in one season. Before Friday, 84 years of Major League Baseball action had gone by without anybody breaking the previous record set by George Sisler, who had 257 hits in 1920. Only once did somebody even come close to breaking Sisler’s mark during that period, when New York Giant Bill Terry managed to connect 254 times in 1930. However, all of this came to an end during last Friday’s home game with the Texas Rangers, when Ichiro finally made himself a part of baseball history. After his record-breaking hit, the Japanese native took a bow in front of Sisler’s 81-year old daughter and proceeded to shake hands with her. "My father would be very proud and happy," said the old lady, who had attended the game as a guest.

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US Open breaks records

(October 1) Last month's US Open set several records in attendance and website traffic according to figures released by the United States Tennis Association.

The final attendance of 631,870 is the second highest of all-time. The combined day and night session attendance record of 58,438 was set Monday, September 6. Overall television viewership on Eurosport was up 20 percent over last year. Likewise, viewership on USA Network was up 19 percent over 2003, averaging a 1.1 rating. Figures for the first three days of US Open coverage on CBS Sports (Labor Day Weekend) were up 19 per cent on 2003. Visits to usopen.org reached a record 15.4 million. Unique users to the site reached a record 2.8 million, up 15 per cent on last year.

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Major League Baseball returns to Washington

(September 30) It has been confirmed that Major League Baseball's Montreal Expos will be relocated to Washington for the 2005 season.

Expos president Tony Tavares told reporters of the move after the Expos' final home game against the Florida Marlins, ending a two-year search for a new home.

That news was later confirmed to Washington mayor Anthony Williams by MLB officials.

It is the first North American baseball franchise relocation since the American League's Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers 33 years ago.

The Expos ran into financial difficulties since a labour dispute disrupted the 1994 World Series when they were National League title contenders. The club has been financed by the other 29 MLB club owners for the past two years.

According to the MLB website, the Expos will be renamed and plan to play the next three seasons at RFK Stadium. A new $400 million ballpark is being built along the Anacostia River waterfront near M and South Capitol Streets - now the preferred site among the four proposed in the district last year.

The deal is dependent on the district's city council passing the funding for the new ballpark, including a $13 million package to refurbish 43 year-old RFK Stadium.

It must also be approved by a 75 per cent vote of the owners, which is
considered to be a formality.

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German national champion pulls out of elite league

(September 27) German national team champion TC BW Sundern withdrew from the country’s elite tennis league, the bundes league, just one week after winning its second national title. The surprising decision came after the club’s president and sponsor announced that he would no longer be able to fulfill his duties due to illness.

Sundern’s sudden departure from Europe’s premiere tennis league brings an unfortunate and abrupt end to a tennis fairytale that began in 1993, the year that the club retained ITMS Sports as a consultant to build up it’s tennis program. In just 11 years Sundern experienced an unprecedented ascent from the fourth division to the very top of the bundes league.

Anchored by ITMS Sports’ expertise and boosted by a string of tennis stars that included luminaries such as Boris Becker and Sergi Bruguera, Sundern became a major powerhouse in Germany. By the turn of the millennium the club had already emerged as a serious contender for the national league championship. A third place finish in 2001 was promptly followed by a runner-up finish the following year. Sundern then went all the way to win its first national championship in 2003 and successfully defended its title earlier this month in Dusseldorf.

But Sundern’s unprecedented success wasn’t just limited to the bundes league. The club evolved into a hotbed of tennis even as the rest of Germany saw the popularity of the game plummet. Last year, the German national tennis federation moved an important Davis Cup tie there and ITMS Sports staged a memorable tournament with former champions Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase, Henri Leconte and Mansour Bahrami.

ITMS Sports remained the club’s advisor throughout this run both directing many of the activities and arranging for the scores of tennis stars to play in Sundern.

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Tennis players among favorite female athletes

(September 24) Four female tennis players rate among teenagers' favorite female athletes according to a poll conducted by Gallup Tuesday Briefing Youth Survey.

In early August, 13 to 17-year-olds were asked to name their top three favorite male and female athletes. Among the females named, Serena Williams was named by 14 percent of those surveyed, while Venus Williams came in second with a close 13 percent.

Anna Kournikova was named by six percent of those surveyed and Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova gained two percent of the poll. Other non-tennis females named include soccer standout Mia Hamm, WNBA players Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes, track star Marion Jones and figure skater Michelle Kwan.

Retired basketball superstar Michael Jordan led the way of favorite male athletes with 10 percent, while others receiving the most picks include Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods and Allen Iverson. ATP star Andy Roddick finished sixth with 3 percent. Others receiving votes include Brett Favre, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Tracy McGrady, David Beckham, Michael Vick, Pedro Martinez and Lance Armstrong.

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Major League Baseball to smash attendance record

(September 2) Major League Baseball looks set to draw a record 74.3 million fans, with the New York Yankees notching up 3 million fans already and seven other clubs on track to do the same.

The record is 72,748,970 set in 2000, but after Tuesday the majors had drawn 60,035,551 fans, reports USATODAY.com. "It's been a remarkable year, and no matter how you measure - TV ratings, radio, attendance - baseball has never been more popular," commissioner Bud Selig said.

The Anaheim Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals are all in line to draw 3 million fans.

The Boston Red Sox would hit 3 million, but Fenway Park holds just over 35,000, leaving it impossible for the team to hit the magic figure even though the stands are full for every game.

According to MLB, 14 teams have drawn at least 2 million, and every team except the Montreal Expos has reached 1 million.

Selig said the attendance is improving because baseball has been building on a great 2003 postseason, interesting off-season story lines — including the Alex Rodriguez trade — improved marketing, two new ballparks and parity in the standings.

"There's hope in Detroit, and that's why the Tigers' attendance is up,"
Selig said. "There's hope in a lot of cities."

Eight clubs have shown an attendance drop, including the Toronto Blue Jays (down 84,000) and Kansas City Royals (down 89,000), but most clubs' lower numbers are minimal, he said.

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Owners give baseball World Cup the go-ahead

(August 20) Major League Baseball’s owners have voted to approve a World Cup.

The World Cup-type tournament that Major League Baseball has been planning for a year is on. It is slated to be played for the first time during Spring Training of 2006, Commissioner Bud Selig announced on Thursday after the quarterly meeting of the 30 owners.

The year delay from a stated goal of staging it prior to next season was done primarily to accommodate the Japanese, who can't field a team in 2005 because of contraction and restructuring of their own major leagues. If all goes according to plan, the first such international tournament to include Major League players would be held again in 2009 and then every four years after that.

At yesterday’s meeting Commissioner Bud Selig also received a contract extension through 2009. Owners praised his 12-year reign, with one suggesting the 70-year-old could have had a 10-year extension if he had wished.

Under Selig, baseball expanded the playoffs from four to eight teams in 1995, started Interleague play in 1997, vastly increased revenue sharing among the clubs and got players to agree to a luxury tax on high-payroll clubs. Two years ago, players agreed to a labor contract without a work stoppage for the first time since 1970.

“This sport was a dinosaur. It didn't change, and then when you tried to change it, it obviously had a lot of critics,” Selig said. “But the competition among other forms of entertainment and other sports will just intensify, and we have to be smart enough to always stay ahead of that curve.”

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MLB International to conduct Elite Baseball Camp in Europe

(August 10) Major League Baseball International (MLBI) will stage the fifth Europe Elite Baseball Camp in Amsterdam, Holland, from August 11-15.

The event, which will offer top-flight instruction to the best young
baseball players in Europe, will take place at Sportpark Ookmeer. The 2004 Europe Elite Baseball Camp will include 50 of the top 15-to-17-year-old baseball players from 15 different Baseball Federations in Europe including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

"The goal of the Elite Camps is to give specialized training and instruction to players who are already gifted with the ability to play baseball at a high level," said Jim Small, Vice President International Market Development for MLB. "It is Major League Baseball International's hope that this instruction will help make the difference in these players someday having long careers playing baseball."

Former Major League Baseball player and manager Jim Lefebvre will be the Head Instructor. Lefebvre, the National League Rookie of the Year in 1965 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has managed the Brewers, Cubs and Mariners. Lefebvre, a long-time contributor to MLB International game development efforts, managed the Chinese National Team during the Asian Championship tournament in Sapporo, Japan last year.

Other instructors include Bruce Hurst (former major league pitcher with the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres), Rod Delmonico (Head coach of the University of Tennessee and former NCAA coach of the year), Alex Agostino (Florida Marlins Canadian Scouting Supervisor), Pepito Centeno (MLB Scouting Bureau Puerto Rican Supervisor), Rick Dell (MLB Envoy program regional coordinator - Asia and Pacific Rim) and Pat Doyle (MLB Envoy Program Coordinator).

The Europe Elite Baseball Camp will provide high-level skills training,
including hitting, pitching, fielding, catching and base running. National and Junior National-level coaches from each federation will accompany the players and will benefit from the Camp's instruction by participating in many of the activities. The Camp will culminate with an intra-squad game where coaches and family members will be invited to attend.

In addition to baseball skills training, an off-field training component
will be offered consisting of "Life-Skills Seminars." The Life-Skills
Seminars will include instruction on proper nutrition, career goal planning, strength conditioning, and injury prevention and cure.

This is the sixth year that MLBI has conducted Elite Baseball Camps. Last year, camps were staged in Montreal, Canada and Bonn, Germany. Since 1999, the Elite Camps have produced more than 70 participants that have been drafted by Major League Clubs.

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Greg Maddux reaches mound milestone

(August 8) Chicago Cub's star Greg Maddux has become major league baseball's 22nd pitcher to notch 300 career victories.

Maddux led the Cubs to an 8-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, improving his career record to 300 wins against 170 losses.

The 38-year-old Maddux, a winner of four NL Cy Young Awards, is the 22nd major leaguer to reach 300 victories and the first in the National League since Philadelphia's Steve Carlton in 1983. Before Maddux, Roger Clemens was the last man to make the 300-win club on June 13 last season with the New York Yankees.

Maddux has 11 wins and seven losses this season after earning his fourth straight decision on Saturday.

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Europe’s best baseball players at home in majors

(August 6) Generally when people think of baseball, they think of America. After all, it is commonly referred to as ‘America’s Favorite Pastime.’ But it is quickly becoming an international sport as talent is recruited from countries around the world. Over 25 percent of Major League players are not American born. While many of the players come from areas like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, there are a number of players from Europe who have found their way into Major League Baseball clubs. The Netherlands have contributed most players from Europe with seven players playing on farm teams in America.

Events such as the Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands contribute to the spread of baseball through out Europe. This weeklong Olympic warm up tournament featuring six teams from around the world was held last week in Haarlem. The home team took home the title after beating Cuba 1-3 in the final game. Other teams that attended the tournament were Japan, Italy, Chinese Taipei, and the Reno Astros. With the continuing development of international play, more countries can expect to see their players making the trip across the Atlantic to join various Major League clubs.

European players in the majors
Rogear Bernadina, Den Haag, Netherlands, OF, Expos, .254
Jeffrey DeVrieze, Almere, Netherlands, C, Marlins, .188
Nestor Perez, Teneriffa, Spain, SS, Devil Rays, .321
Danny Rombley, Amersfoort, Netherlands, OF, Expos, .212
Vince Rooi, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 3B, Expos, .207

Pitchers
Kenny Berkenbosch, Flevoland, Netherlands, Marlins, 1.8
Ferenc Jongejan, Utrecht, Netherlands, Cubs, 2.05
Alex Smit, Eindhoven, Netherlands, Twins, 2.54
Rick Vanden Hurk, Eindhoven, Netherlands, Marlins, 2.66

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German verdict could provoke Olympic boycott

(August 5) The German Olympic committee's refusal to send the nation's top two women tennis players to the Athens Olympic Games could cause some women to boycott this month's Olympics.

The German Olympic Committed has opted against sending the top two German players — 55th-ranked Anca Barna and 72nd-ranked Marlene Weingartner — despite the fact both women qualified for the Games under the International Tennis Federation guidelines. According to published reports, the WTA Tour players are meeting to discuss their options, which may include an Olympic boycott by some players.

"We discussed the matter at a players meeting on Monday," Nathalie Dechy told The Globe and Mail. "And I think there's a real chance of a boycott."

WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott said the WTA is trying to work with the ITF and IOC to resolve the issue, but that the German Olympic committee has refused to reverse its position.

"We've been doing everything possible (to solve the problem)," Scott told The Globe and Mail. "We're working with the ITF and with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), and (IOC president) Jacques Rogge has been involved. But the final veto is with the German Olympic committee because they name the players and they are not willing to budge. There is a real chance we won't be able to resolve the matter before the (entry) deadline at the end of the week."

The eight-day Olympic tennis tournament will be staged at the Olympic Tennis Center of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, August 15-22.

Both women were ranked in the top 52 on July 15 to qualify for the list of 56 accepted entrants into the Olympic main draw, but the German Olympic committee set additional requirements — reaching a Grand Slam semifinal or a Tier I final — to qualify for the Olympics. Neither Barna nor Weingartner met either requirement.

"This is an injustice to our players, so we're lobbying the IOC and the German Olympic committee to reverse their decision in the interest of our sport," Scott said.

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Smashnova hopes to be at Games despite sponsors row

(August 1, Reuters) - Israel's top tennis player Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi wants to compete at the Athens Olympics despite a sponsorship row over whose clothes she should wear.

"Being chosen to represent your country is special to every athlete," Smashnova-Pistolesi said in a statement released on Sunday by her management company, ITMS Sports.

"I've worked very hard for this and I deserve this chance to both serve and make my country proud," she added.

Smashnova-Pistolesi, the world number 17 and a winner of nine career WTA titles, is one of her country's best medal hopes at the Games starting on August 13.

However, the Israeli Olympic Committee has said there is a real possibility the player will not be at the Games if she does not accept wearing only the clothes of the team's sponsor.

Smashnova-Pistolesi's regular clothing sponsor, Lotto, says it will allow her to wear the clothes of Speedo, the Olympic team's supplier, for all events in Athens expect her matches.

Speedo, however, insists Smashnova-Pistolesi should wear its clothes at all times.

ITMS Sports said in Sunday's statement it was still pushing for a solution despite the fact that the two companies had stopped corresponding directly.

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Sponsorship row threatens Smashnova's Olympic hopes

(July 22, Reuters) A deadlock between Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi's sponsors and the clothing firm providing uniforms for the Israeli Olympic team may prevent the country's top tennis player from competing in Athens.

"Unfortunately, there's a real possibility that Anna will not be able to play in Athens," Israel Olympic Committee chairman Zvi Varshaviak said on Thursday.

"She knew that she must appear with our sponsor, we have an agreement with Speedo, Lotto will have to give way on this."

Smashnova's regular clothing sponsor, Lotto, says it will allow her to wear the clothes of Speedo, the Olympic team's supplier, for all events in Athens except her matches.

Speedo, however, insist Smashnova should wear their clothes at all times.

Smashnova, the world number 17 and winner of nine career WTA titles, is due to compete in the singles event in Athens.

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Pittsburgh set to host 2006 All-Star Game

(July 21) PNC Park will be the site of the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Tuesday's announcement was the culmination of collaborative effort between the Pirates and local city and county officials to bring the game back to Pittsburgh.

As many as five other cities, most notably San Francisco and Phoenix, were also in the running to host the event, and for good reason. According to Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig, the city of Houston generated an additional $80 million while hosting the 2004 All-Star Game earlier this month.

With a seating capacity of 37,898, PNC Park is smaller than every Major League ballpark except Fenway Park in Boston. Demand for tickets to the 2006 Midsummer Classic will be great. The Pirates saw an increase in ticket sales of 40 percent prior to hosting the 1994 All-Star Game at Three Rivers Stadium after offering full and partial season ticket holders the first opportunity to buy tickets for the festivities. A similar ticketing plan is expected for the 2006 game.
The Pirates are hopeful that fans will see many of their own current crop of young players on the field for the 2006 All-Star Game.
"I'm going to love to see a lot of the young players who we have out there right now be on the field to play in this All-Star Game," said Pirates CEO and general managing partner Kevin McClatchy.
The 2006 All-Star Game will be the fifth to be held in Pittsburgh. The city was also the site of the 1944 and 1959 games at Forbes Field and the 1974 and 1994 affairs at Three Rivers Stadium.
Those cities that failed in their bid to host the 2006 Midsummer Classic won't likely be upset for long. Selig told reporters that he plans to announce the host cities for the 2007-2009 All-Star Games later this summer.

"What I'd like to do during the course of this summer is at least award the games for 2007, 2008 and 2009 so that they have enough time to work on it," said Selig . "We have a lot of cities that have new ballparks and have a really intense desire to have an All- Star Game. I'll just have to try to be as fair as possible."

Detroit will host the 2005 All-Star Game.

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MLB Roadshow introduces German kids to game

(July 14) The Play Ball! Roadshow, Major League Baseball’s interactive baseball event tour, has once again been a major hit all over Germany. Over the past six weeks, nearly 9000 students in 18 German cities have taken advantage of the opportunity to participate in a unique introduction to the world of baseball. For once, paper and pencils were dropped in favour of bats and gloves as MLB coaches instructed kids in over 70 schools in all elementary phases of the game. Tips in pitching, hitting, and running, as well as comments on tactics and strategy were all taken up with enormous interest by the kids as they prepared for the up-and-coming league games. Highlight of each week was the official start to the Play Ball! League, launched in style by Burger King and MLB with fun games, picture session, and the unveiling of the official Play Ball! jerseys. Kids, parents, and bystanders flocked to these events in masses as Burger King and Major League Baseball once again joined forces to provide great times at MLB’s Play Ball! Roadshow in Germany.

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Baseball enjoying popularity gain with fans

(July 12) Major League Baseball’s appeal seems to be nearing a new high according to a poll by USA TODAY. With an increase of over 11 percent from last year, attendance after 1,222 games is at its highest point since 1999. In total, an average of 29,906 spectators have passed the gates in MLB ballparks so far this year.

MLB attendance since 1999

Year Avg. attendance
1999 - 27,924
2000 - 29,283
2001 - 29,566
2002 - 27,719
2003 - 26,842
2004 - 29,906

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Women’s Tennis still more popular

(July 7) Maria Sharapova’s upset of top seeded Serena Williams in last week’s Wimbledon final apparently created quite a stir among American television viewers.

With an overnight rating of 3.9 on NBC, the Sharapova – Williams duel easily outmatched the 3.6 rating for the men’s final between Andy Roddick and Roger Federer. Small consolation for the men: This year’s match-up achieved the highest rating since the days of Pete Sampras back in 2000.

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