TV Time For ITA Tennis: You Can Kiss It Goodbye!

One of the most fun things about collegiate tennis these days is discovering which format you are going to be using and then the 15 different variations of that format.  Maybe we can enlist the collegiate deans to come to the matches and help us make sense out of all this mess...

How many times have we heard the refrain, "We want to simplify collegiate tennis so we can get more tv time" or "We want to make collegiate tennis "user friendly" so we have bigger crowds and get more tv time" or "We have to shorten the format so ESPN will televise the NCAA's."  All of that sounds wonderful but unfortunately there are some truths that need to become self-evident...

First of all, the NCAA is going to use the old format at the NCAA's this year--and that means matches that can last forever.  When we began this year using the new format, we saw matches well under 2.5 hours.  After a bunch of schools and conferences switched back to the old format, we are seeing matches regularly go over 4 hours and some over 5 hours in length.  And do people actually believe that ESPN is going to televise a 5 hour women's collegiate match???  Not in this lifetime.

Second, in all reality collegiate tennis is not going to be a big sell in the television market.  The truth hurts but the truth is the truth.

Since everyone in America (and the universe for that matter) have put their two cents worth in on the "format discussion", here would be my recommendation:

*  All matches for men and women alike would be no-ad.
*  All dual matches would use a 9 point system with all singles and doubles matches counting as one point.
*  Play the doubles first and play an 8 game pro set.
*  All dual matches would have a 10 minute break between doubles and singles.
*  All singles matches would be 2/3 sets with the final set being a match tiebreak.

May not be the best solution but doesn't dilute down doubles (which is the biggest crowd pleaser in a dual match) and will shorten the time for dual matches.

Here are some other options that might be considered to increase fan attendance:

*  Give away "tacos from Torchy's" at every home match.
*  Always have free popcorn and hot dogs during the match.
*  Give away a new Babolat tennis racket in every match in the time between the doubles and singles matches.  The format used for the give-away should be left up to the home school.
*  Have a drawing and let the winner go into the locker room for the winners' post-match celebration.  Not sure how this will work if a woman wins the drawing on a men's match or vice versa...
*  Give a school shirt to the "oldest person" at the match (and not a t-shirt but a good shirt with buttons).  Since lots of the older people want to protect the "purity of the sport" then this would increase their attendance.
*  Play as many matches as possible beginning at 6:00 p.m.
*  Offer free nursery care to those who need it.
*  Offer gas vouchers for those who travel over 50 miles to attend the match.
*  Have a drawing before the match and let 6 lucky people sit on the benches during the doubles matches.  Of course that means two people on the bench for each match.
*  In each conference the team that has the largest attendance for the year should have a huge party (with food and alcoholic beverages) for the fans at the end of the year.
*  Shave the winning coach's head following the completion of the match.  Not sure what you do on their second winning match of the year and not sure what you do with a female winning coach.  Those details need to be worked out in advance.
*  Play a "best of seven points" exhibition doubles match between the doubles and singles featuring the #1 player from each team paired with a fan.
*  Make the players available after the match to take photos with their adoring fans.  At no charge of course...
*  At least one time during the year, have a student propose marriage to their boyfriend/girlfriend and televise the proceedings and the result.  And to assure diversity--there are no limits on who can marry whom.