AGASSI BLASTS NBTA IMG

In an interview posted through a video in the New York Times Andre Agassi blasts the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, IMG big time. Go to nytimes.com and it is on the main page in the headlines. The interview talks about his new book OPEN and how he was exploited by NBTA. He straight up comes out and shrewdly describes the lack of education at NBTA and how there was no supervision, no adult figures, calls NBTA a "glorified prison" with no love at all at the academy. He has supposedly a tragic description of NBTA described in his book which will sell a lot of books and probably hurt IMG business, blaming its structured programs. Slamming the academy that gave him direction, another ploy to sell books or just brutal honesty?

SERENA WANTS TO ACT!

Fiery tennis champ Serena Williams wants to stretch her acting chops!

Williams, who guest-starred on NBC's E.R. back in 2005, is hoping for the chance to shine in front of the camera yet again.

Says Williams: "I really enjoy acting. I like being in front of the camera. I think I should be an action star. I always wanted to die in acting and then I died (in E.R.) and I was miserable!"

Serena believes her "dying in acting career" is over, and it's time to move onto action!

"I can do a real mean chop and kick," brags the tennis star. "…And I can jump high and run fast and cartwheel."

Maybe if the whole acting thing doesn't work out for her, Serena can move on to stunt work?

Just sayin'!

MARIA UNDER ARREST!

Pilot Pen Not Renewing Sponsorship Of New Haven Tennis Tourney

Pilot Pen yesterday said that it "will not sponsor New Haven's professional tennis tournament beyond the 2010 event," according to Hunn & Baruzzi of the NEW HAVEN REGISTER. Pilot Pen has sponsored the tournament since '96, "making it one of the longest running sponsors on either the ATP or WTA tours." Pilot Pen Corp. President & CEO Dennis Burleigh said that the recession "was the reason for the company's decision." Tournament Dir Anne Worcester said that the tournament "would like to find a new sponsor by late spring or early summer 2010." She added that she "will spearhead the search along with the help of a sponsor services department, tournament partners, tournament investors, tournament chairman Butch Buchholz and CEO Mike Davis." Worcester said that the target sponsor for the joint ATP/WTA event "would be a national company, based in the northeast, that wants to affiliate itself with professional sports." Sources said that the "title sponsor deal is worth about" $1.5M. Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce President Anthony Rescigno said that the event is "still 'a desirable product,' given its uniqueness of being both a men's and women's tournament." Hunn & Baruzzi note tournaments in Indianapolis and L.A. -- "both men's events -- are also seeking sponsors" (NEW HAVEN REGISTER, 11/11). Burleigh said of the tournament, "This is the primary focus of our marketing efforts. We've been involved with this for 14 years. Personally, I love this. But in the end it's a financial decision" (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/11). Worcester said without a title sponsor, "it would not be financially viable to run a tennis tournament, clear and simple" (CONNECTICUT POST, 11/11).

X FACTOR: In Connecticut, Dave Solomon writes the event's "X factor" could be Yale Univ., "which is said to be solidly behind the longevity of the tennis tournament on their grounds." Yale "isn't in the tournament sponsorship business, but its powerful (and affluent) alumni dot every countryside." For some of the int'l companies "run by these men and women from Yale," $1.5M is "like loose change." Meanwhile, Solomon notes there is "no consideration at this point to making this a men's-only or women's-only event" (NEW HAVEN REGISTER, 11/11).

-Sports Business Journal

you cannot be serious!?

Thanks to a tweet by James Larosa (and the stalkeratti) the rumored budding romance between Maria Sharapova + the LA Lakers Sasha Vujacic is def AWN - well, as much as a photo of two happy looking people strolling down a sidewalk holding hands can say.

So I guess the race to name this coupling will begin. Somebody shoot me if I start.

Them Laker boys always snagging up the celebs first the part time amazonian and part time cutie chloe kardashian with the giant lamar odom and now a no-namer off the bench. Come on Maria, don't lead the guy on, he might actually think he's supposed to be good at basketball...or is this just her way to get scandalous with Kobe, now were talkin!