Tampax rejected as tour sponsor
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.TENNIS
The women's tour, concerned about its image and marketing, has rejected a lucrative sponsorship from the manufacturer of Tampax tampons. The New York Times reported yesterday that the tour turned down the three-year offer of at least $10m (£6.4m) despite the fact it has been operating without a major sponsor for the past year.
"We were caught in a Catch-22 situation," Martina Navratilova, the president of the WTA Tour Players' Association, said. "The players wanted to support it, but we came to realise that it was economically unfeasible.
"We couldn't risk losing the local tournament sponsors, which is where our $35m in prize-money comes from, because they didn't want to be associated with a WTA Tour presented by Tampax. It shouldn't be a stigma but apparently it still is."
The tour has been seeking a sponsor since ending its long and much-criticised relationship with the Philip Morris Corp, the maker of Virginia Slims cigarettes.
Tambrandscoei, the manufacturer of Tampax, sought to become the global sponsor but the offer failed to gain the support of tournament officials, including those at the four Grand Slams.
"We received a tremendous backlash for even considering the proposal," Anne Person Worcester, the chief executive officer of the WTA Tour, said. "It's not a personal decision, it's not a political decision, it's a business decision."
An official at Advantage International, the firm hired to find a new sponsor, said the tour made a mistake. "Women's tennis had the chance to do something cutting-edge, to lead instead of follow, and instead they've opted for the path of least resistance," Harlan Stone, Advantage's executive vice-president, said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments