Posted on 10/24/2005 3:43:56 PM PDT by martin_fierro
Male models to be ballboys at 2006 WTA championships
Fri Oct 21, 2:04 PM ET
MADRID (AFP) - Male models will be used as ballboys at the 2006 WTA Tour Championships, officials announced.
With female models into their second year of similar duties at this week's men's ATP Madrid Masters, the Spanish organisers believe they are on to a good thing.
Like their counterparts, the males will be kitted out by an international clothing sponsor for their on-court duties during the women's end of season finale which will move to Spain from Los Angeles.
In their second year at the Masters, the females have again drawn attention - and television exposure - to the sellout event which expects to attract a record 120,000 spectators through the gates by Sunday.
Though criticism of sexism mounted briefly a year ago, the innovation appears to be working smoothly at this edition.
"The addition of a touch of fashion adds that extra element of entertainment to the most important event on the WTA Tour calendar," said WTA Tour boss executive Larry Scott.
"The players aren't only great athletes. They are also fashion icons; this idea complements the crossover between sport and fashion."
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Spaniard Rafael Nadal(L) takes a drink during a break in between games while female models working as ballgirls stand by during the ATP Madrid Masters. Spanish organisers announced that male models will be used as ballboys at the 2006 WTA Tour Championships(AFP/File/Pierre-Philippe Marcou)
Now that will make me tune in.
Thanks for the lawn-ping-pong ping.
In other Spanish sponsorship news, pooper-scooper duty for the next Running of the Bulls will be handled by people of unspecified gender, dressed in Red Bull Energy Drink costumes....
Kramer: You got it. Hey Jerry, do me a favor. The next time you see that lineswoman ask her how those ball boys get those jobs. I would love to be able to do that.
Jerry: Kramer, I think perhaps you've overlooked one of the key aspects of this activity. It's ball *boys*, not ball men. There are no ball men.
Elaine: Yeah I think he's right. I've never seen a ball man.
Kramer: Well there ought to be ball men.
Jerry: All right I'll talk to her. If you want to be a ball man go ahead, break the ball barrier.
When I was a youngster, I wanted very much to do the running of the bulls. I was a Hemingway romantic.
Run with the bulls if you like (watch your step).
Just don't show up at any tennis games in fishnet nylons, K?
I would be irresistible, huh? ROFL!
"I would be irresistible, huh? ROFL!"
No, it's just that there's just not enough janitor's sweeping compound in the world to clean up the barfing that would cause....
...Unless, of course, we go ahead and execute some more trees (that deserve to die ANYWAY!) LOL
(Note to all: sweeping compound is mostly sawdust....)
Are you really ELVIRA?! Mistress of the Dark!
Just for Halloween, yep! ;o)
Forget you!
It'll make ME tune in (and I don't even watch sports ;) )
Ok, so I'm shallow.
Sue me.
Men are the sports consumers. Skimpier tennis outfits would be a better way for us fellers to tune into women's tennis. ;o)
I wanted to be a ball boy but I washed out of ball boy boot camp. Drill sergeant said I couldn't maintain my ball bearing.
Yeah yeah yeah,
Talk to the TV screen,
I'm getting a list of air times ;)
Yeah, yeah. You'll be flipping to the I love Lucy reruns in no time. :o)
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