By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Thursday, August 3, 2023
Tennis icon Billie Jean King is now a part owner in the long running women’s tennis team event that bears her name.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that it has formed a new partnership with TWG Global, which includes King, to create a joint venture to market and promote the long running Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as Fed Cup.
Fed Cup began 60 years ago and the event’s name was changed in 2020 to be rebranded as the Billie Jean King Cup.
The new entity, Billie Jean King Cup Limited, will have the ITF holding a 51% share and TWG Global 49% in an effort to secure new sponsors, and broadcast and commercial partnerships.
“We want the Billie Jean King Cup to have a positive, lasting sporting and social impact on all 211 ITF Federations. This competition has always been a powerful platform for the global growth of women's tennis and with this news we are committed to having a bold, historic and lasting impact for generations to come,” Billie Jean King said in a statement. “We are thankful to Mark Walter and TWG Global for their investment.
"The goals of TWG Global, BJKE and ITF are completely aligned, and we will work together to build on this event's incredible 60-year history to achieve an even greater future for women and women's sports."
In 2022, thanks to new title sponsorship, women competing in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals received the same prize money as did men for the Davis Cup Finals. The Billie Jean King Cup World Champion, Switzerland, took home an unprecedented $2 million prize.
“It is thrilling and fitting in its 60th year to announce a unique partnership for the Billie Jean King Cup formed by people who have worked in sports and tennis all their lives. This joint venture will be overseen and operated by leaders who bring vast knowledge, experience, and shared passion to the global development our sport and who hold a remarkable track record in growing women’s tennis,” David Haggerty, ITF President said.
“We now have a significant opportunity to elevate the Billie Jean King Cup with this investment and a team of people working on this property every single day. This is a long-term partnership, and it allows us to build the event on multiple levels and make sure we have all of the elements in place, so that it continues to be the preeminent global team competition not only in tennis, but in women's sports. The Billie Jean King Cup is a strong platform to elevate equality and women. Our goal is to help more women secure senior leadership and board positions with all ITF federations; have more women in media so that our story is told around the globe; and to have more women as officials,” Ilana Kloss, CEO of BIKE said in a statement.
Switzerland won the 2022 edition of the long-running event.
A record 134 nations have entered the Billie Jean King Cup competition in 2023 from Regionals to the home and away ties of the earlier stages up to the Qualifiers and Play-Offs. The world’s twelve best national teams have secured their place to its pinnacle event, the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which take place from 7 to 12 November in Seville, Spain.
Photo Credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport