Diversity helps game flourish despite crunch

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON (Reuters) - Tennis will be able to ride out the credit crunch because it has a diverse pool of investments and is not reliant on a single economy for its survival, outgoing WTA chief Larry Scott said Thursday.

While Formula One, golf, soccer and many other sports have been hit by the financial downturn, tennis continues to go from strength to strength as shown by the record crowds that have flocked through the gates at Wimbledon this week.

"No doubt this economic crisis we're going through is having major impacts on global sport. Tennis is certainly not immune," Scott told reporters at the All England Club.

"Tennis is in the fortunate position, however, of being global on the one hand and, secondly, being very diversified now in terms of our revenue streams.

"The globality is important, because we're not a sport completely dependent on the U.S. financial sector or U.S. auto sector for sponsors," he said referring to those troubled parts of the struggling American economy.

"The diversity of revenue is a very important point in that while six years ago sponsorship title sponsorship was a make or break issue for the WTA, it isn't today."

Scott also said that even in a shrinking economy like the United States, investment in the sport has not waned despite the dwindling number of American players on the tour.

TV RATINGS