1. Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)

Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)

The Association of Tennis Professionals, commonly called the ATP, is the primary organization responsible for the international men’s professional tennis tour.

The ATP was founded as a players’ association at the 1972 US Open. Professional players wanted a stronger and more unified voice in decisions involving tournament schedules, rankings, prize money, playing conditions, and other matters affecting their careers.

In 1988, the players announced plans for a new tour during the famous “parking lot press conference” outside the US Open. The player-led ATP Tour officially began in 1990.

The ATP Tour includes ATP Masters 1000, ATP 500, and ATP 250 tournaments. These names generally indicate the number of ATP ranking points awarded to the singles champion.

The Grand Slam tournaments are not owned or operated by the ATP, but their results award ATP ranking points and are an essential part of the men’s professional calendar.

The season concludes with the ATP Finals, which features the leading singles players and doubles teams based on their performance during the year.

One unusual feature of the ATP is that it operates as a partnership between players and tournaments. Its board includes representatives of both groups, along with a chairman. The board makes decisions concerning areas such as rules, schedules, prize money, tournament standards, and the future direction of the men’s tour.

This structure is important because the interests of players and tournament owners do not always align. Players may want fewer required events, greater prize money, and improved working conditions, while tournaments must manage expenses, sponsorships, ticket sales, media rights, and profitability.

RSM students should understand… 

The the ATP is more than a tournament schedule or ranking list.

It is a major international sports organization involved in event operations, media, marketing, sponsorship, digital content, player services, tournament relations, data, officiating, and commercial partnerships.

Careers connected to the ATP can include tournament management, player services, communications, sponsorship sales, event production, operations, and coaching or support work with professional players.