1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Well, 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: at that time of year where the US Open takes 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: over New York City, we love it. It's the quintessential 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: New York sporting event. It's also, of course a Grand Slam. 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: And no one better to dig into the business of 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: tennis than Patrick Mortoeglue. He is the coach, the coach 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: with a capital C in many ways, but also a 8 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: business builder and has built a tremendous business not just 9 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: around coaching but around the future of tennis. So it's 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: really good to have you here. Love doing stuff in person. 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: It feels like the world is changing a little bit, 12 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: all right, It's a very different U s Open. So 13 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: let's start there. Um, we're taping this the morning after 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: a massive storm. You were there until two in the morning. Um. 15 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: But setting that aside, what has this Open felt like? 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: It feels great because the crowd is back. And we 17 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: knew that sports with the crowd is completely a different field, 18 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: but we I think forgot a little bit how great 19 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 1: it was. And uh, and the fact that we're in 20 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: New York with a very special crowd. And I don't 21 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: say that because I'm in New York. I don't do 22 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 1: this kind of stuff. I think the crowd of New 23 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: York is special, that the center of court is unique. 24 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: Is the first is the biggest in the world, twenty 25 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: three thousand seats. And second, there is an atmosphere that 26 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: you have nowhere else in the world. And I always 27 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: say that the night session in in New York you 28 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: have to do it once in your life. It's really special. 29 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: So with the crowd, we have such a great feel. 30 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: Everybody is so happy. You can feel people in the 31 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: crowd are so happy to be able to also attend 32 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: an event like that, and and the players for them, 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,279 Speaker 1: it's a rebirth kind of Really, why is it different 34 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: in New York? You've seen it. I mean you've literally 35 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: seen it all. You've seen every major, You've seen every 36 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: minor for that matter, Um, what is it? I always 37 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: say that Americans know how to do a show with 38 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: sports better than anyone else. There are four Grand Slams 39 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: when it's in France, when it's in England, so Europe. 40 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: For them it's the sport. And they don't think the 41 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,799 Speaker 1: sport as an event, as a business, as a as 42 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: a show. I mean business, yes, but not a show. 43 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: The only other one that is great is to me 44 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: is Australian Open because they're real sports and tennis fans 45 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: and there is this kind of soccer feel like they 46 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 1: compainted and I mean there is something magic there. But 47 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: the U s Open again, it's a show. It's a show, 48 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: and it's funny because sometimes I mean, I don't get 49 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: my tickets because I have badge, but when I go 50 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: to the basketball they tell you when you give your 51 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: ticket at the entrance, welcome to the show, which is 52 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: for a French guy, the show, welcome to the sports. 53 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: What I mean the show. Yeah, it's a show and 54 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: that's great. I think I think this is the future 55 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: of the sport. To make it a show, right, it 56 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: has to be a show. It's stays sport. But you 57 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: need sport and entertainment and New Rooks. That's all right, 58 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 1: we're gonna get into that because you've got a big 59 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: idea that you've been working on around that in just 60 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: a minute, but just staying with New York. It also 61 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: feels to me having been many times that you know, 62 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: from the top of ash to the bottom, you sort 63 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: of get all these layers of New York to write. 64 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: I mean, you get every um almost nuance of the 65 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: city's complexities in many ways, and it gives it a 66 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: certain rowdy feel but also a sophisticated feel, sort of 67 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: depending on where you are um in the arena. Totally true. 68 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: And everything is well thought. Also you have all the 69 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: this booth where you can you have an indoor part 70 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: so people can eat, but at the same time watch. Uh. 71 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: It has been thought the right way business wise, And 72 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: as you said, everybody is represented in the stadium and 73 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: that's that's really a cool thing. I think. Yeah. And 74 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: and also you know, Americans, I feel consumed sports differently 75 00:03:55,480 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: than Europeans. It's also a place to be with friends discuss, uh, 76 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: stay where Whereas in Europe when you go to the 77 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: to the sport is just to watch, right. I mean, 78 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: you eat because you're hungry, but it's not a place too. 79 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: It was friends discuss and stuff like that. And you 80 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: have this sound on the center court of New York, 81 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: this permanent sound that you have nowhere else in the world, 82 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 1: because everywhere else in the world when tennis starts, when 83 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,559 Speaker 1: they started play, everybody shuts up right out here. That's cool. 84 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: Different totally. I remember going to my first football match 85 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: in Europe years ago. And you know in America, as 86 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: you know, at any time during the game, you're getting 87 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: a hot dog, you're getting a beer, you're doing whatever. 88 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: But that notion of like you sit down forty five minutes, 89 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: you get up, you come back, you sit down, and 90 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 1: then you're gone, it is a very different approach. I 91 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: can talk to you all day about the quality of 92 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: the tennis, uh and maybe we'll talk about that a 93 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: little bit later on, but I do want to ask 94 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: you about as you approach this and as the players 95 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: that you work with approach this from a business perspective. Obviously, 96 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: this has been an incredibly difficult eighteen months for the 97 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 1: business of tennis. No fans in in flashing last year, 98 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: as you say, the fans are back. How do you 99 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: look at the state of tennis from a business perspective? 100 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: Usually rights it was I think for a lot of 101 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: businesses it was a very tough year and a half. 102 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: I hope we're finally going back to something that looks 103 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: like normal. Otherwise for many businesses is going to become terrible. 104 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: Like we see, we'll see a lot of bankrupts for tennis. 105 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: It's been tough. As you said, because there is there 106 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: are no fans, so all the events lost the ticketing. 107 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: Because the TV channels and I mean I can talk 108 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: about the sports c T t V channels, Uh, they're 109 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: struggling also because there is much less advertising, so they 110 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: get less income, so they have less money to pay 111 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: the events to broadcast, so the TV rights went much lower. 112 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: Same for the sponsorship, so a lot of events started 113 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: to lose a lot of money. The main governing bodies 114 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: like the a TP and the Doubility are helping as 115 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: much as possible those events. First, the prize money as 116 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: went a lot down, so for the players it was 117 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: tough too, because of course, when you're top ten in 118 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: the world, it's not a big deal. You still have 119 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 1: a lot of money on the side. But when you 120 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: are a hundred in the world and you're already almost struggling, 121 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: suddenly with the low price money, you're basically losing money 122 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: every single week. And we've went through crazy situations with 123 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: someone who wins an a TP to fifty because he 124 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: came with his wife and his coach. He ended up 125 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: losing money and he won the tournament. So imagine the 126 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: guys who lose in the first or second round, So 127 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: that's why, so the prize money went down. The a 128 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: TP and the deputy as much as possible, they tried 129 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: to to help financially the tournaments giving them more money, 130 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: but then they're struggling, so they had to go through 131 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 1: I mean re event, try to reinvent the business, but 132 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: in a way there is they didn't really find a 133 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: way to reinvent it. So what they did they found 134 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: ways to survive and they wait for better days. But 135 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: it's been a really rough yere and so what needs 136 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: to change in your estimation? Uh, well, that's a that's 137 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: a big question to answer. Um. I think to answer 138 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: that question, I have to go through the demographics, and 139 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: that's what I always go through because, as you said, 140 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: tennis is my business, but tennis is also my passion 141 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: since I'm four years old, and most of my businesses 142 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: around tennis. I have other businesses in other sports, but 143 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: that's most of my business and that's my passion. And 144 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: I found out that the demographics are not great because 145 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: a lot of studies have showed that the average age 146 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: of the tennis fan is sixty one years old. I'm 147 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: not talking about the guys who are going into stadiums 148 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: or playing tennis. I'm talking about the people who are 149 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: following tennis all year long and watching tennis on TV 150 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: or on digital. So for sports. For sports, sixty one 151 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: years old is old for average for a fan base. 152 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: And what is even more worrying is that every year 153 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: this average age gets one year older, right more or less. 154 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: And that's just shows that the fan base of tennis 155 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: is an old fan base that fell in love with 156 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: tennis like me, by the way, in the seventies or 157 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: the eighties, and when you fell in love with tenniss 158 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: for life. So those guys are very, very loyal to tennis. 159 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,119 Speaker 1: They're still here, they still love tennis. But tennis doesn't 160 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: renew its fan base and uh and especially doesn't get 161 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 1: young people on board. So that's why we're in this situation. 162 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: And when I look at it like that that way, 163 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: I feel like, but it's a death announced in a way, 164 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: because when your fan base gets one year older every year, 165 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: what's going to happen. It's quite clear. So I mean, 166 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: talking to the governing bodies, I found out that something 167 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: that I knew but it's not a surprise, but it 168 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: confirmed that the fan base is very, very classic, very traditional, 169 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: very conservative, and that it's very difficul to make changes, 170 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: which is fine. I don't want to change tennis. I 171 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: love tennis personally the way it is. On the other hand, 172 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: um so I thought, what's the situation, what's what's the solution? 173 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: Is their solution? Shall we change tennis or not? I 174 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: don't think so. I think we have to find a 175 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: way to bring young fans on board. It's not by 176 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: changing tennis. And I thought, why not we? Why don't 177 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: we We imagine a new tennis, a different tennis, a 178 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: different league that will would live next to the classic 179 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: tennis league, and that would have that function to go 180 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 1: and get new fans on board. And that's all the idea. 181 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: But in order to this the UTS, this is the UTS. 182 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: But in order to do that, I have to understand 183 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: why do young people don't watch tennis? And I also 184 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: realized that there has been a huge change those last 185 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: twenty years in the way people consume, the type of contents, 186 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: the digital in general has completely changed everything. And if 187 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: you look at all, the first of all, the offer 188 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: is huge. You have you have the social media as 189 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 1: the streaming platform, the video games, the sport and huge 190 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: amount of different sports, and if you look at all 191 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: the formats that really work, they have a few characteristics. First, 192 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: they're short. Tennis is extremely long. We never know how 193 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: long it lasts. Actually two days ago I was at 194 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: Stefano's match against Murray and the match lasted five hours. 195 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: So they're short, they're very dynamic. Then it's is slow. 196 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: They're very immersive and they're authentic. And if you look 197 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: at it, so tennis is long, it's slow because the 198 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: time when the the amount of time when the ball 199 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: is in play is represent only fifteen percent of the 200 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: time of a tennis match. So the rest of the 201 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: time is people walking doing there the routines. So it's slow. 202 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: It's very slow, it's not immersive, and it's not very 203 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: authentic because very very cons already, so everybody pretends to 204 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: be a very nice guy. You know, it's not real. 205 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: It's not real like in other sports. They don't pretend 206 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: there themselves. You like like them, you don't like them. 207 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: But so then it slacks all the ingredients that would 208 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: seduce the young generation. Right, So I created UTS, which 209 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: means Ultimate Tennis Showdown, with the goal to propose a 210 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,959 Speaker 1: format next to the A T P Andubier that would 211 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: fit and that we're young people would love and follow. 212 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: And so what's interesting about it because I've read up 213 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: on on on what you've been doing with with the UTS, 214 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: and it's interesting to think about the history. I think 215 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: you and I are roughly the same age, and like 216 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: I came along when there were some big personalities John McEnroe, 217 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: you know, and you know it's the one that sticks 218 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: in everybody's mind, especially you know, honoring him since we 219 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: are here in New York. Um, so it wasn't always 220 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: the case that it became and I'm quoting you back 221 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: to you here somewhat robotic. I believe that that's a 222 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: term that that you have used. So how do you 223 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: so let's take that piece of it. How do you 224 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: sort of enable empower tennis athletes in the way that 225 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: basketball players have been empowered. Football players both both kinds, 226 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: both in Europe and and here in America, have been empowered. 227 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: How do you give that to to tennis players? Yeah, 228 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: I totally agree with you, And I'm on tour all 229 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: yearlong and I'm in contact with the fans, and when 230 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: I hear what I hear every single day of my life, 231 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: when I talk to defense, is tennis was better before? Yeah? 232 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: And I ask them why and they always answer the 233 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: same thing, We had better personalities before. And I always 234 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 1: answer them, You're not right. We have great personalities. But 235 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: you are right in a way because they don't really 236 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: show themselves. They don't show their personalities. You may see it, 237 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: but I don't. Is really when it comes as a fan, 238 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: I don't see it as a coach. You do you 239 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: see more personalities than you want? Probably? Yeah, no, no, 240 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: But I mean, of course there's strong personalities all of them, 241 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: like they're really real competitors, tough. They look nice because 242 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: that the image they want to give to people. But 243 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: before they were not caring about their image. They were 244 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,679 Speaker 1: just being themselves. The mcnros, the Connors, the girlitists to 245 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: names three Americans and not totally different personalities and great, 246 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,839 Speaker 1: great guys, very fun very you either love them or 247 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: hated them, but you were feeling something and even into agasy. 248 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: And Sambra said, and and you know, I don't know 249 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: who the last grade that we saw in America was. 250 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: That's all different topic. But so anyway, so get back 251 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: to tell me, how do you engender this? How do 252 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: you convince them that this is good for their business. Basically, 253 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: first a lot of discussions, Um, they can't do it 254 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 1: on the Classic Tour because the rules are extremely tough. 255 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:47,079 Speaker 1: If they do something wrong, they get fined. But more 256 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,079 Speaker 1: than being fined, they are pointed out as bad. People 257 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: write like It's like in the I mean, I remember 258 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: at school. I don't know if you were a bad 259 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 1: guy at school or not. I was not the best. 260 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: So I remember the teachers pointing at you. You did 261 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: something bad, You're bad in front of all the classroom. 262 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: It's the same thing, but in front of millions of people. 263 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,559 Speaker 1: So nobody wants that. So they kind of stay like that. 264 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 1: And actually they complain not only to me, but they 265 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: did complain to me about this, the fact that they 266 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: were not able so to be themselves. So I don't 267 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't have to convince them. I just 268 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: tell them, listen, you have I give you a place 269 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: where you can be yourself. You can show your brand, 270 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: you can show who you are, and you're free. So 271 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: feel free to be yourself. I don't ask you to 272 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: do anything special, just be yourself. So, just to come 273 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: back to this format, we revisited tennis and The idea 274 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: was to say, if we had to create tennis today, 275 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: knowing what we know about the way people consume that 276 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: type of content, how would we do it. So we 277 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: decided to do a forty five minutes match to the 278 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: time decides when it's the end. It's four quarters of 279 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: eight minutes. Much less time between the points, coaching between 280 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: every point. The players of cards that give them advantages. 281 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: They can have extra serve or whatever. They can use 282 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: two cards per recorder. There is only one serve. We 283 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: don't want to see aces and serve winners all the time. 284 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: We want to see realities. It's more fun. Um there 285 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: is an interview that every changeover, so it's completely revisited. 286 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: The players are free to be themselves. They can even 287 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: talk to the opponent during the match and say whatever 288 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: they want. So we want we think we're gonna win 289 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: this battle if we have two ingredients. The first one entertainment. 290 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: It has to be really entertaining, fun, exciting, a lot 291 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: of suspense to watch, and very serious at the same time, 292 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: like players have to really fight as well, because that's 293 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: what's also why we we love sports, right, So this 294 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: is the two ingredients that we brought in we started 295 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: last year first event last year. From the first event, 296 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: we had top players, we had, we were broadcasting in 297 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: more than a hundred countries in the world, reached twenty 298 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: million households. We had you know, dominic teams, very Bird 299 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: in the Citsy Pass, Medved, most of the top ten's played. 300 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: It was fun. They loved it. They said they want 301 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: to play again again. We were in everywhere in the world, 302 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: so I think it was the proof of concept was made. 303 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: We all already have one point three million fans on 304 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: Facebook after just four events, so it's great. We also 305 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: realized that half of our fans are non tennis fans, 306 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: which is the goal bring new guys on board. The 307 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: average age of our fans is forty compared to sixty 308 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: one for tennis. So I mean, I think we we 309 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: get the format. We get it. I think we can 310 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: improve it for sure, and we will. But the proof 311 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: of concept is made and now we're ready. We're actually 312 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: into a capital raise. We want to raise fifty million 313 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: euros to go to the next level and go full 314 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: with a full year with a full calendar, ten events, 315 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: ten players, ten cities. And if I have five more 316 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: minutes to explain, that. Of course, you've got a lot 317 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: of the time you want. This is the idea of 318 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: the fans. Do not know nine of the players. How 319 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: interested is it to watch guys you don't know? So 320 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: what we decided is to do a tour with only 321 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:12,160 Speaker 1: ten players. We're going to choose the ten most marketable, fun, 322 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: exciting and good players at the same time to compete 323 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 1: all year long and to become one guy is going 324 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: to become world champion of uts at the end of 325 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: the year. So exactly like Formula one, you know all 326 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: the drivers in tennis, you don't know of them. You 327 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: know only the ten ten guys that are the best 328 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: ones and and or the most exciting ones. Like Curios 329 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: is four in the world, but everybody knows him because 330 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 1: it's fun. He embodies in many ways what came before 331 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: and has not been present. So ten players, ten events, 332 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: because we don't want to have three or six events 333 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: every week like other leagues, because we think an event 334 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: has to be something extremely important and exciting, the same 335 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: form of a one. You don't have three events every 336 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: week in from that one. So every event has to 337 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: be something like something you look forward to watching. You know, 338 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: you know all the ten players are going to start 339 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 1: the year with zero points and it's going to be 340 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: a race only along to become world champion at the 341 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: end of the year, and after every event, the ranking 342 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: will change, so you're gonna wait for that event to 343 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: see what's gonna happen, who's gonna win, and who's gonna 344 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: be number one at the race? And ten cities, because 345 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: the idea is to have cities compete to host our events. 346 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: And the beauty of UTS. One of the beauties of 347 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: UTS is that because we have only ten players, we 348 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: just need one court and one practice court. That means 349 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: that we can build a stadium just for the event anywhere. 350 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: And we go to the cities and we say, okay, 351 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: tell me which is the most what is the most 352 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: iconic place of your city that you want to highlight 353 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: all around the world. I mean Cairo, I would say 354 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: the pyramids. Okay, We're going to create a stadium in 355 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: the desert with three sides, and the fourth side is 356 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,880 Speaker 1: going to be the pyramids, and the ten most exciting 357 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: players in the world are going to compete in front 358 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 1: of the pyramids and it's going to be shown all 359 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: around the world. How exciting is it? For a for 360 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: a city. So that's the plan going forward. And uh, 361 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: and the the other thing I would like to add 362 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: is that our business model is classic with of course ticketing, sponsorship, 363 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 1: TV TV rights, but we also have created our own 364 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: autity platform from day one. We have already a hundred 365 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 1: subscribers and the goal is to have also this huge 366 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: tool to also monetize the whole the whole business. All right, 367 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: So when you talk to people in quote unquote traditional 368 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 1: tenants about this, did they say, oh, that's adorable, you know, 369 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: like go off and do your little thing. Or do 370 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: they say, hmm, I'm not so sure about this, maybe 371 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 1: I'm a little threatened, like what's been the reaction. So 372 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: I think the world of tennis, the business world of tennis, 373 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 1: the governing bodies, they understand why we do that. They 374 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: know the situation that I just explained, the aging of 375 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: the fans. They know something has to be done. It's 376 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 1: very difficult for them to do it again because their 377 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: fund base is very traditional. They wouldn't like big changes 378 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,719 Speaker 1: in our sport and it's totally fine and let's keep 379 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: tennis the way it is. So they think I explained 380 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: to them that it grows the it grows the pie, 381 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: you know, for the whole tennis industry. If we bring 382 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: new fans, other fans, younger fans, it just grows the 383 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: whole pie. The players are going to make more money 384 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 1: and the whole industry is gonna make more money. So 385 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: it's it's a win win for everyone, and it's the 386 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: goal is not to threaten anyone. And we have ten 387 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: events also to fit into the ATP calendar and for 388 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: those two leagues to be able to live next next 389 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: to each other. I mean, in any industry is great 390 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: to have something traditional, you know what. It reminds me 391 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: of some press agai at some press, the traditional the 392 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: traditional clothes and agacy that was able to ring young 393 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: fans on board. It's kind of the same thing. We 394 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: have the traditional tour and the tour that is more 395 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 1: modern for the for the younger people. The guy who 396 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: brought you know, what was it acid watch Jeanes to 397 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: Jean shorts that I'll never never forget. Thosen't that and 398 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: that hair? All right? So let's let's shift if we can, 399 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: to the business of the academy, because for anyone who's 400 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:27,199 Speaker 1: seen pictures, you have an amazing set up there in 401 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: the south of France, um just outside of Nice, and 402 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: I believe tell me about the process of of building 403 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: that it's the biggest of its kind. I believe in Europe. 404 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: Is that what you say? Um, so tell me about that, 405 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: because that's a big bet in its own right to 406 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: essentially sort of if you build it, they will come 407 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: to to steal another sports metaphor, yeah, if if I 408 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 1: if I can, I just would like to go a 409 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: bit back in time and and just explain something about myself, 410 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: and because it explains why I did that. I was 411 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:01,159 Speaker 1: a crazy tennis fun and a good player when I 412 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: was young. I was one of the best in my country. 413 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: My dream was to become a tennis player, and I've 414 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 1: never thought about something else. And when I was fifteen 415 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: or sixteen years old, my parents said, end of the story, 416 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: not that I had to stop tennis, but they would not. 417 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: You weren't going to be a pro player. They didn't 418 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: want me to be a ploor player because I thought 419 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,239 Speaker 1: it was much too risky. So the dream of my 420 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: life disappeared. He went to work for your dad. I 421 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: did work for my for my for the company of 422 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: my dad. Absolutely to learn something because my life was 423 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: all about tennis, so I learned business and uh and 424 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: I at twenty six, he proposed me to become his 425 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: his business partner because he said, you're ready now we 426 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 1: can we can do some business together. His company was 427 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: already big, so my life was kind of would have 428 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: been kind of easy. And I said to him, listen, 429 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: I'm lucky enough to have a passion, like most of 430 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: the people don't have a passion in life, so it's 431 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: it's I'm lucky. And second, my story with tennis is 432 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: not finished. You know, for me, it stopped too early. 433 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,120 Speaker 1: I never had the chance to achieve what I wanted 434 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: to achieve. And I realized throughout this experience that to 435 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 1: support is one of the most important thing in life. 436 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,679 Speaker 1: Like I didn't feel supported by you. Um, it's not 437 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 1: to blame you, it was I mean, and I took 438 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: the blame because I should have convinced you guys to 439 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: follow me, and I was not able to do that. 440 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: So it's my fault. But still I want to support 441 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 1: kids when they have a passion, and I want to 442 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 1: help people achieve their dreams in tennis, which is something 443 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 1: that that was my dream and I couldn't achieve it. 444 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: So I want to do that. I don't know how 445 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 1: I'm going to do that, but I want to do that. 446 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 1: And I started at twenty six years old my tennis academy, 447 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: it's a big big word for that time, by renting 448 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,880 Speaker 1: two courts in a club a few hours per day. 449 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,640 Speaker 1: And I started like that, and uh, and then we grew, 450 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: we grew, and at a certain point it became today's 451 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: the biggest academy in Europe. We in terms of of size, 452 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: in terms of of number of players, in terms of everything. 453 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: But when I'm also very proud of is the results. 454 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: Like every year we produced incredible players. We have world 455 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: champions in juniors, we win Grand Slams in juniors, and 456 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 1: we bring them to the top of the game. If 457 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: you look at Coco Go, she's coming from my tennis academy. 458 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: I discovered her when she was ten years old. Titsy 459 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: Pass is coming from also, was was trained since a 460 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: young age at my tennis academy. Olga Run who played 461 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:27,479 Speaker 1: against Novak the other day at eighteen, same from. Yeah, 462 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: it did great. I'm proud of him. So they all 463 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 1: kind of the product of my tennis academy. So this 464 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: is what I'm the most proud of. And as you said, 465 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: it starts to be an important business because it's it's 466 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: a big resort now the hotel with four swimming pool study, 467 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: four courts. We have a literally a school inside a 468 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: friends school and American school. We send players to the US. 469 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: We have to under students full time. Four thousand people 470 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: who come every year for for a camp. So and 471 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: we have also apartment. So it's it's I mean, it 472 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: started a huge bi it's but it's a nice business 473 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:05,239 Speaker 1: that works well in a sector of activity that is 474 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: very difficult, because very difficult, right, and so what was 475 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 1: the thing that you identified that would make it not 476 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: to just name check all your competitors, but that makes 477 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: it different from I MG, that makes it different from Bolletarry, 478 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,400 Speaker 1: Like what's the what's the thing you bring or your 479 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: team brings to it. I think the the philosophy is different. 480 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:29,399 Speaker 1: I mean I really like a Nick Politary, which is 481 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,639 Speaker 1: an incredible person. I really like him. He has his philosophia. 482 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 1: I have mine. And from day one it was a 483 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,200 Speaker 1: world where in which there was all the academies were 484 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,479 Speaker 1: having a system in which the players had to fit in. 485 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: And when I started in N I was already already 486 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 1: saying I respect the players too much to do that. 487 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: I want every player, ideally, that's what we aim at, 488 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:55,680 Speaker 1: to be able to fulfill his potential. And if you 489 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: want to help people fulfilling their potential, you have to 490 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: stand they needs and answer the needs that you cannot 491 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: ask them to fit into a system. So my philosophy 492 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: is to get to know the player. And that's how 493 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: so how I coach. I start with the white page 494 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: and I think I'm gonna I'm gonna learn my player. 495 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: I don't know my player. I want to know who 496 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 1: he is, where it comes from, what's his philosophy, I mean, 497 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: what's his relationship with tennis, of course, his strengths, his witnesses, 498 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: in his environment. I want to have the full picture. 499 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: Once I have the full picture, then I can create 500 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,959 Speaker 1: a system for him. And I think there is an 501 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,199 Speaker 1: ideal method for each player, and that's exactly what we 502 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: are doing at Partical Academy. Rather than telling the players 503 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: go fit in my system and if you if it 504 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: doesn't work, bad luck for you. We I mean ideally, 505 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: but that's the ideal we aim at all the time. 506 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,959 Speaker 1: We work on creating a system that is the ideal 507 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: one for each player. And so as we start to 508 00:26:57,960 --> 00:26:59,679 Speaker 1: wrap up a little bit here awther I can talk 509 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: to you all the about this stuff as we think 510 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 1: about this next generation, a post Big three worlds. I 511 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: know Serena is not done, but a post Serena world, 512 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: how do how do you imagine it? You obviously have 513 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: a window into the proverbial to use the business term, 514 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: pipeline of players, um of players and personalities and all 515 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: these different things. Obviously you're voting with your feet in 516 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 1: terms of uts and also in picking your players. But 517 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 1: how much do you worry about the business of tennis, 518 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: the economics of tennis being able to sort of match 519 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: this what I think we will look back on it 520 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: is a very special era. So it's funny because most 521 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 1: of the people think after those guys are going to 522 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 1: be gone, thennis is going to be in such a trouble. Yeah, 523 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: I don't think so at all. I think we are 524 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: lucky as tennis fans to have been able to witness 525 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: probably the greatest era in the history of tennis. On 526 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,919 Speaker 1: the men's side, the three greatest players of all times 527 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: are playing at the same time right on volievable When 528 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: some press won fourteen Grand slams. All the tennis people 529 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,199 Speaker 1: were saying, nobody will ever beat this record. It's impossible. 530 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,159 Speaker 1: Next generation three guys bat it and not bad it 531 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: destroy it. We're at twenty and it's not finished. So 532 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:22,119 Speaker 1: we're lucky. That's great, that's incredible. But there is not 533 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 1: much suspense. There is not much personality. I mean, they're great, 534 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,920 Speaker 1: they're smart, they're they're great, but they're very clean, they're 535 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: very clear, they're very perfect. So I think what people 536 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: love also is and that's what makes the sport really lively. 537 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: It's controversy, different personalities, people who don't like each other. 538 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: This is also very emotional and people like to talk 539 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 1: about that. Fans love it, you know, that's why we 540 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: love basketball. American football. Soccer is crazy. You know, you 541 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: go to every cafe in the morning in France or 542 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: what happened yesterday? This guy is an asshole. You know, 543 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: That's that's what people like. And you don't have that 544 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 1: in tennis because it's very clean, also because it's very traditional. 545 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: But I think in the young generation, first of all, 546 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: there's gonna be a lot of suspense. I used to say, 547 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 1: because I'm asked before rangars what I think, Who's gonna 548 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 1: win this year? And I say every year. The only 549 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: thing you don't know when Rangaro starts is who Rapha 550 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: is gonna be in the final? So just to say 551 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: how much suspense there is, actually that was not true 552 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: for this year, but he's getting old for a long time. 553 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: That was the case ten years. Yeah, um so more suspense. 554 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 1: Who's going to be the next number one? Nobody can 555 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: say there are a lot of I mean, there are 556 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: several guys that play great. They're all very different. They 557 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: all have fun games, different games, great personalities. They're they're 558 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: not I mean, they're open to be themselves. Is veryfeas 559 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 1: just to name three. A lot of other guys are 560 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: good and good personalities, but the three that are closest 561 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: to number one. Uh, And there is suspense and there 562 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: is a great person and there is also right the 563 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: is between them, you know, and and controversy. So I 564 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: think for our sport, it makes it lovely. So I 565 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: think it's great. I know a lot of traditional people 566 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: tennis fans don't like that. They want everything perfect, everything clean. 567 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: I don't like it because I think it's not life. 568 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: Life is not like that. Life is like like they 569 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: have different personalities, I think, and that's why it's interesting. 570 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: People are different. Not what about watching a movie where 571 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: in which everybody is perfect, everybody's clean, nobody does nothing wrong. Right, 572 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 1: there is no there's no story, you know. That's what 573 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: tennis offers. I like, what's happening with to tie pass 574 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: at the moment? The story about the tho. It's controversy, 575 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: but it makes it fun. You know, you love or 576 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: you hate you, but you feel something. People love sports 577 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: because it makes them feel something. So I think it's 578 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: gonna be great for tennis. Well, you and I were 579 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: talking before we came on air about our our mutual 580 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 1: one of our mutual favorite shows called My Agent, right 581 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: in the sense of like you've got all these personalities, 582 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 1: you mix them up, you start to root for somebody 583 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: here and you're invested, and it feels like people just 584 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,640 Speaker 1: need to be invested, and they have been in in 585 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: the Big Three. What about on the women's side, Oh 586 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: not young Crap. Yeah, yeah for sure. I mean we 587 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: have we have also great players and great personalities. We 588 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: have No MEI, we have Coco Goo who. I think 589 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: it's going to be great for the game. So of 590 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: course after having Serena and Venus and we had Sharapova also, 591 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: who was big. You think, Wow, it's going to be 592 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: difficult because people don't envision what can come next, you know. 593 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 1: And we also have to give time to people and 594 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: personalities to grow, you know, And I think, I mean 595 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: business wise, Nowomi is huge, huge, global superstar, global superstar 596 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: and different. You know, you might like her or dislike her, 597 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: but she's very different in the way she communicates. Um. 598 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: She brought the mental health problem is something that has 599 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: never happened before. So something happens, and again that's what 600 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: we want. And Coco is such an incredible personality, and 601 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: around them there are different people different So I'm not 602 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: worrying on the men's side and the women's I'm not 603 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: worrying at all. All right, So so look into the future, 604 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,480 Speaker 1: if if you will, for for the business of Patrick, like, 605 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: how do you how do you sort of line everything up? 606 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: I mean, no day, I would imagine as like any 607 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: other in terms of all the different um pieces you 608 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,480 Speaker 1: have going at any time. But what sort of your 609 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: north star? You know, as you think about your business, like, 610 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 1: what is it that says I'm going to do this 611 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: and I'm not going to do that. What's the what's 612 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: the test? So first half my tennis academy, which is 613 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 1: my original business, that is number one in Europe. I 614 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:44,880 Speaker 1: think we can still grow, but we're almost we are 615 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: at maximum capacity already, so I would think, what's next. 616 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 1: Do I want to open other ones? I decided to 617 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 1: to open what we call tennis center, so I opened 618 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 1: one in Dubai, opened one in Greece in the nicest 619 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: result of Europe. Greece is unbelievable. And the idea is 620 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: to provide tennis experiences to people, because that's my job. 621 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: I want people when they're in a tennis court to 622 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 1: leave a special experience, make progresses because that's what they want, 623 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: but also spending incredible moments, a special moment, and I thought, 624 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: why don't we offer that to people who are on 625 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: holidays in a very nice resort and would like during 626 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 1: the holidays to also have a tenix experience. So that's 627 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 1: what we've done. So do buy and grace for the moment, 628 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: but we might open others in the future. Now I 629 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 1: think about coaching also because that's my job. My job 630 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 1: is coaching tennis. And I'm thinking, well, you know, I 631 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 1: have one tennis Academy. Okay, it's big, but the world 632 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 1: is so much bigger than that. There is one billion 633 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: tennis fans on the planets and most of them will 634 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: never ever have enough money to come for a week 635 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 1: camp at Mortical Academy. And still I would like to 636 00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:59,959 Speaker 1: do something for those guys. And I thought, we are 637 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: in the era of the digital there is something great 638 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: to do. I'm sure about it. And we ended up 639 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 1: being able to create a technology that allows us, thanks 640 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:16,959 Speaker 1: to the phone and just the camera, to be able 641 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: to have all the datas about the people when they 642 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: play tennis. So you are using your camera, you plug it, 643 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 1: we have a little device, you plug it and what 644 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: do you play? You get filmed by yourself, You upload 645 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: the video and we have all your datas and then 646 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: we can coach you being where we are and you're 647 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 1: being anywhere in the world for an amount that is 648 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: not even close to what you would pay if you 649 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 1: come to the Tennis Academy taking a patron peloton. Maybe 650 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: just the digitization of fitness overall exactly. So we are 651 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 1: developing that the project should be out next year. That's 652 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: for me, a big project. The idea is to be 653 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: able to again propost coaching to anyone and those people 654 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 1: would have their coach in their hand. Seven. That's unbelievable. Yeah, 655 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: and whenever they go on the court, they have the coach. 656 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: They play a match. You know, whoever, you're forty years old, 657 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: you love tennis, you play competition for fun. You can 658 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,759 Speaker 1: have a match, professional match, debriefing after the match. It's incredible. 659 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 1: So that's also something that I put a lot of 660 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 1: focus on and uts because I think it's the future 661 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: of tennis. Now. I have a lot of people who 662 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 1: come to me and propose some some projects. I look 663 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:31,800 Speaker 1: at all of them, might be things that are interesting. 664 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: I'm open to anything, you know, I think tennis is 665 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: just studying. There is so much to do in tennis 666 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 1: because it's an old format, so it has never really 667 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 1: developed the way it can. And I think we're in 668 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: a special moment with a digital when all the doors 669 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 1: are open to do to do fun things. Patrick, this 670 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:50,960 Speaker 1: was so much fun. I really could talk to you 671 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 1: all day. But you have people to coach, and a 672 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 1: Grand Slam tournament to be to be a part of, 673 00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:00,040 Speaker 1: and many business interests across world. Thank you. So I 674 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 1: trually get that was a real pleasure for me. Thank you, 675 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:07,719 Speaker 1: thank you, M