Dancing days are here again for World TeamTennis.
WTT launched free agency on Monday enabling franchises to sign players directly.
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The league's new free agency system eliminates the WTT draft as the player recruitment model.
The free agency approach is "designed to allow teams more freedom to assemble their rosters during the WTT recruitment window," WTT said in a statement.
"We are really excited to jump into this new era of World TeamTennis with our new free agency player procurement model,” WTT CEO and President Carlos Silva said. “This design gives our teams more flexibility to go after players that might be better fits for their franchises. In the draft model, teams were fairly restricted on which players they could select once their draft position rolled around. This way teams can go after whoever they feel appropriate.”
Free agency allows teams to better target players who might have local ties or existing relationships with team executives.
Teams also retain first right to protect and sign players who played for them the previous season.
A salary cap for each WTT franchise has been put in place to help maintain parity across the league.
WTT will celebrate its 45th season adding two new franchises.
The 2020 season will offer a league record $5 million in prize money with an added $1 million awarded for the World TeamTennis playoffs.
The 2020 WTT season is set for July 12th–August 1st.
Photo credit: CameraWork USA/WTT