In a statement released by Broadcast Sports News, which was shared on social media by their graphic designer Steph Trudel, the company accuses Bhupathi and the IPTL of not paying 'the fees for labour and associated expenses for the 2016 season'.
Decorated Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi found himself in a soup on Thursday as Broadcast Sports News, the contributing TV production crew and associated tournament service providers of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), pulled the plug on its relationship with the tournament founded by him.
The IPTL enjoyed a successful opening season back in 2016, with superstars like Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray enthralling audiences in India with top-class tennis.
In a statement released by Broadcast Sports News, which was shared on social media by their graphic designer Steph Trudel, the company accuses Bhupathi and the IPTL of not paying 'the fees for labour and associated expenses for the 2016 season'.
Here's Trudel's post on Twitter
Here's Broadcast Sports News' complete statement
Just over twenty two months ago former World No 1 tennis doubles player and founder of the International Premier Tennis League, Mahesh Bhupathi celebrated the conclusion of the annual team tennis competition's third season. The Singapore Slammers were crowned champions for the second successive year with all members of the team enjoying the unconventional format and thriving in the team environment.
Despite considerable patience and understanding from the contributing TV production crew and associated tournament service providers the fees for labour and associated expenses for the 2016 season remain entirely unpaid. The following year featured a comedy of broken promises and sliding payment deadlines and now in the last quarter of 2018 the crew have finally drawn the line accepting the fact that IPTL, despite it's mission statement has indeed 'broken the business code'.
Broadcast in over 125 nations worldwide with a reach of over 300 million households the 'IPTL' featured some of the games' biggest stars playing in front of packed houses in some of the most poorly served tennis communities in the world. Much more than a travelling exhibition, the matches were exciting and compelling with some of the biggest personalities promoting and participating in a surprisingly competitive new event that fans were responding to. With beverage juggernaut Coca Cola as the title sponsor and the world's fastest growing airline, Qatar Airways as the presenting sponsor, the IPTL seemed to be established as a new gem in an emerging generation of television, non-linear and consumer-friendly sports entertainment.
Armed with a modest budget but an abundance of skill, experience and determination, IPTL's behind the scenes crew crafted venue to venue live coverage including an innovative communication system to co. ordinate both the in house and broadcast formats simultaneously. Tennis fans were treated to spectacular fan engaging shows including Dl, dance performances, social interaction and in venue competitions. The broadcast was particularly challenging given that the same principal crew flew from city to city to deliver the event in some cases on two different continents in as many days.
Bhupathi contracted Broadcast Events Bren Hester to build the overall production plans, design the cable schematics and plan the logistical and financial aspects of the league's television department. Hester commissioned a tennis 'dream team' to produce the matches and selected several industry specialists to provide the data, scoring and graphics technology, outside broadcast facilities, venue post production, satellite uplink and signal distribution. During the planning phase Hester authored bespoke survey reports for each of the participating venues and worked closely with IPTL's senior venue manager to help execute the event including supporting the fans' experience and how best to format the event for television. During the latter half of the 2016 season it was clear changes were imminent. Five teams became four and five venues became three as management personnel surveyed several alternative venues as the IPTL scrambled to secure last minute team and venue arrangements. Hester himself absorbed the costs for the additional surveys in India and Malaysia as well as being forced to honour the bill for the strategic animation sequences and transition replay wipes as the finance department appeared to shut down.
Twenty two months later and the entire production crew, technology service providers, satellite uplink and distribution suppliers, chair umpires and court surface provider remain unpaid including their expenses, visas costs, per diems and ground transport fees.
A spokesperson representing the IPTL crew explained, "What is most frustrating is that the IPTL continued in December 2016 while the management team knew there were insufficient funds available to pay for it. There has never been any form of explanation or apology regarding this to a single member of the crew or the tournament service providers. IPTL's management team clearly have no respect or consideration for the individuals concerned. It's an example of unacceptable and irresponsible business conduct and should not be allowed to repeat itself. Many of the freelance crew value each day of their working lives in a competitive market and there is no place in our industry for ignoring the payment commitments to honest, hard working members of the production team or contracted event suppliers."
The IPTL has made no attempt to pay for crew expenses such as daily per diems, ground transport or visa costs with the overall loss attached to broadcast estimated to be $900,000. With revenues available from the two principal sponsors, team sponsors, Maruti, arena ticket sales, advertising boards and television sales, lack of payment to the IPTL's TV Production department remains a mystery.
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