TENACITY CHOSEN AS 2010 CHAMPIONS CUP BOSTON PREFERRED CHARITY
Tennis Stars Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis, Wayne Ferreira & Jimmy Arias Bring Tournament Tennis Back to Boston With Staples Champions Cup Staples, World’s Largest Office Supply Company, Signs Three Year Deal As Title Sponsor for Boston Stop on The Champions Series Tour
Event Marks Borg’s First Return to U.S. Tournament Tennis Since His Fabled Championship Runs
BOSTON (January 12, 2010) – InsideOut Sports & Entertainment today announced that six-time French Open champion and five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg, four-time U.S. Open champion John McEnroe, four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier, three-time French Open champion Mats Wilander and 2003 Wimbledon finalist and “Age of Love” reality TV star Mark Philippoussis will lead the field of eight tennis stand-outs competing in the Staples Champions Cup from Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, May 2, 2010 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena. 1986 French Open runner-up Mikael Pernfors, 1983 Italian Open winner Jimmy Arias and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne Ferreira round out the field of tennis greats.
Tickets for the Staples Champions Cup are available now by logging onto ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (617) 931-2000.
“We are thrilled to bring championship tennis back to Boston with one of our strongest fields to date,” said Courier. “Boston fans are among the most passionate tennis supporters that we meet on the tour and I’m confident that the intensity of this year’s competition will keep them entertained. Although I know it will be difficult battling Borg, McEnroe and Wilander and the rest of the field, I hope this is the year that I fight through the competition to take home the title.”
Courier and Staples’ sports marketing and online manager Sue Develin were at Agganis Arena today to announce that after five years as a supporting sponsor, Staples, the world’s largest office supply company, has signed a three-year deal to become title sponsor of the annual tournament. Henceforth the tournament will be called Staples Champions Cup.
“Staples Champions Cup provides us with an exciting opportunity to raise awareness of Staples among a wide audience of tennis fans,” said Don LeBlanc, senior vice president of retail marketing for Staples. “The elite caliber of this year’s competitors will make it a memorable event for all participants.” Staples sponsorship features on-court signage, a premium on-site booth within the Champions Village at Agganis Arena and image rights of players to advertise, publicize and promote the Staples Champions Cup. In addition, the agreement provides Staples with inclusion in all print, radio, TV and online advertising, partnerships and promotions. “Staples has been a supportive and important partner in this tournament’s development since its first event in 2006,” said courier. “This partnership is an ace for the Champions Series and we are excited to continue connecting the many tennis fans throughout New England with the unique brand experience of the world’s largest office supplier.”
Staples Champions Cup Tenacity, a premier youth development program in Boston and the official charity partner of the Staples Champions Cup, and its President and Founder Ned Eames were also onsite at Agganis Arena. Following the announcement Courier gave Tenacity tennis students a lesson on the finer points of the game during table and mini tennis matches. “We are excited at the opportunity to once again work with Jim Courier and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment during the Staples Champions Cup,” said Eames. “In today’s current economic climate, it is imperative for us to have people like Jim who want to help our cause. We look forward to watching all of the tennis stars including McEnroe, Borg and Wilander compete in the tournament matches.”
The Staples Champions Cup features a single-elimination tournament format with the winners of the Thursday and Friday evening’s opening round matches facing off in semifinal play during the Saturday afternoon and evening sessions. Additionally, exhibition doubles matches will take place during both day and evening sessions on Saturday with player participants still to be determined. A third-place and championship match will conclude the tournament on Sunday.
Founded in 2005, the Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including McEnroe, Courier, Wilander and others. To be eligible to compete on the Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team.
The Champions Series features eight events on its 2010 schedule with each event featuring $150,000 in prize money as well as Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end Champions Series Rankings No. 1. Play will kick-off Thursday, April 29, 2010 with a match between Borg and Pernfors at 7 p.m. followed by a contest between Philippoussis and Ferreira. The opening round will continue at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 30 with Courier taking on Arias and McEnroe facing Wilander. A complete schedule of play is listed below.
Staples Champions Cup schedule of play:
Thursday, April 29
Evening Session Beginning at 7 p.m.
Bjorn Borg vs. Mikael Pernfors
Followed by: Philippoussis vs. Ferreira Friday,
April 30 Evening
Session Beginning at 7 p.m.
Jim Courier vs. Jimmy Arias
Followed by: John McEnroe vs. Mats Wilander
Saturday, May 1st
Day Session Beginning at 2 p.m.
Men’s Doubles Followed by:
Semifinal 1: Jim Courier or Jimmy Arias vs. Mark Philippoussis or Wayne Ferreira Saturday,
May 1st Night Session Beginning at 7 p.m.
Men’s doubles Followed by: Semifinal 2: Bjorn Borg or Mikael Pernfors vs. John McEnroe or Mats Wilander
Sunday, May 2nd
Day Session Beginning at 2 p.m.
3rd place match Followed by:
Championship match Supporting sponsors of the Staples Champions Cup include Parthenon, ASG, Coca Cola and Talon Air.
ABOUT THE CHAMPIONS SERIES
Founded in 2005, the Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including former world No. 1 players Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Pat Rafter, Bjorn Borg and Stefan Edberg. To be eligible to compete on the Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event features $150,000 in prize money as well as Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end No. 1. For more information about InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, please log on to http://www.insideoutse.com/ or http://www.championsseriestennis.com/, or call 646.367.2770.
BOSTON (January 12, 2010) – InsideOut Sports & Entertainment today announced that six-time French Open champion and five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg, four-time U.S. Open champion John McEnroe, four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier, three-time French Open champion Mats Wilander and 2003 Wimbledon finalist and “Age of Love” reality TV star Mark Philippoussis will lead the field of eight tennis stand-outs competing in the Staples Champions Cup from Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, May 2, 2010 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena. 1986 French Open runner-up Mikael Pernfors, 1983 Italian Open winner Jimmy Arias and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne Ferreira round out the field of tennis greats. Tickets for the Staples Champions Cup are available now by logging onto ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (617) 931-2000.
“We are thrilled to bring championship tennis back to Boston with one of our strongest fields to date,” said Courier. “Boston fans are among the most passionate tennis supporters that we meet on the tour and I’m confident that the intensity of this year’s competition will keep them entertained. Although I know it will be difficult battling Borg, McEnroe and Wilander and the rest of the field, I hope this is the year that I fight through the competition to take home the title.”
Courier and Staples’ sports marketing and online manager Sue Develin were at Agganis Arena today to announce that after five years as a supporting sponsor, Staples, the world’s largest office supply company, has signed a three-year deal to become title sponsor of the annual tournament. Henceforth the tournament will be called Staples Champions Cup.
“Staples Champions Cup provides us with an exciting opportunity to raise awareness of Staples among a wide audience of tennis fans,” said Don LeBlanc, senior vice president of retail marketing for Staples. “The elite caliber of this year’s competitors will make it a memorable event for all participants.” Staples sponsorship features on-court signage, a premium on-site booth within the Champions Village at Agganis Arena and image rights of players to advertise, publicize and promote the Staples Champions Cup. In addition, the agreement provides Staples with inclusion in all print, radio, TV and online advertising, partnerships and promotions. “Staples has been a supportive and important partner in this tournament’s development since its first event in 2006,” said courier. “This partnership is an ace for the Champions Series and we are excited to continue connecting the many tennis fans throughout New England with the unique brand experience of the world’s largest office supplier.”
Staples Champions Cup Tenacity, a premier youth development program in Boston and the official charity partner of the Staples Champions Cup, and its President and Founder Ned Eames were also onsite at Agganis Arena. Following the announcement Courier gave Tenacity tennis students a lesson on the finer points of the game during table and mini tennis matches. “We are excited at the opportunity to once again work with Jim Courier and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment during the Staples Champions Cup,” said Eames. “In today’s current economic climate, it is imperative for us to have people like Jim who want to help our cause. We look forward to watching all of the tennis stars including McEnroe, Borg and Wilander compete in the tournament matches.”
The Staples Champions Cup features a single-elimination tournament format with the winners of the Thursday and Friday evening’s opening round matches facing off in semifinal play during the Saturday afternoon and evening sessions. Additionally, exhibition doubles matches will take place during both day and evening sessions on Saturday with player participants still to be determined. A third-place and championship match will conclude the tournament on Sunday.
Founded in 2005, the Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including McEnroe, Courier, Wilander and others. To be eligible to compete on the Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team.
The Champions Series features eight events on its 2010 schedule with each event featuring $150,000 in prize money as well as Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end Champions Series Rankings No. 1. Play will kick-off Thursday, April 29, 2010 with a match between Borg and Pernfors at 7 p.m. followed by a contest between Philippoussis and Ferreira. The opening round will continue at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 30 with Courier taking on Arias and McEnroe facing Wilander. A complete schedule of play is listed below.
Staples Champions Cup schedule of play:
Thursday, April 29
Evening Session Beginning at 7 p.m.
Bjorn Borg vs. Mikael Pernfors
Followed by: Philippoussis vs. Ferreira Friday,
April 30 Evening
Session Beginning at 7 p.m.
Jim Courier vs. Jimmy Arias
Followed by: John McEnroe vs. Mats Wilander
Saturday, May 1st
Day Session Beginning at 2 p.m.
Men’s Doubles Followed by:
Semifinal 1: Jim Courier or Jimmy Arias vs. Mark Philippoussis or Wayne Ferreira Saturday,
May 1st Night Session Beginning at 7 p.m.
Men’s doubles Followed by: Semifinal 2: Bjorn Borg or Mikael Pernfors vs. John McEnroe or Mats Wilander
Sunday, May 2nd
Day Session Beginning at 2 p.m.
3rd place match Followed by:
Championship match Supporting sponsors of the Staples Champions Cup include Parthenon, ASG, Coca Cola and Talon Air.
ABOUT THE CHAMPIONS SERIES
Founded in 2005, the Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including former world No. 1 players Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Pat Rafter, Bjorn Borg and Stefan Edberg. To be eligible to compete on the Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event features $150,000 in prize money as well as Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end No. 1. For more information about InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, please log on to http://www.insideoutse.com/ or http://www.championsseriestennis.com/, or call 646.367.2770.
ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment is a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tennis events featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including one-night "Legendary Night" exhibitions as well as corporate outings, charity events and tennis fantasy camps, including the annual Ultimate Fantasy Camp.
ABOUT STAPLES
Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2008 sales of $23 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples serves businesses of all sizes and consumers in 27 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In July 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express, one of the world's leading suppliers of office products to businesses and institutions. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and is headquartered outside Boston.
ABOUT TENACITY
Tenacity is one of the premier youth development programs in the City of Boston offering both after-school and summer programming that combines tennis, literacy and life skills to help youth develop the skills and self-confidence they need to succeed in life. Tenacity’s After-School Excellence Program currently partners with seven middle schools in Boston to provide intensive after-school services for 200 students. The Summer Tennis & Reading Program operates at 30 neighborhood sites throughout the city and more than 4,500 Boston youth participate.
