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The OSC Interview: WTT CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss

by Fran Stuchbury
July 22, 2015 - World TeamTennis (WTT)


OurSports Central contributor Fran Stuchbury spoke to World Team Tennis CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss at the Philadelphia Freedoms match vs. the Washington Kastles at the Pavilion on Villanova on Tuesday night, July 21st. Kloss has held her position since February of 2001 and was previously WTT Vice President in 1987 after succeeding Billie Jean King as WTT Executive Director in 1991. Kloss played WTT for several teams including Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami Beach, Oakland and San Francisco before becoming a coach. She led the Chicago Fyre to a 1983 WTT title before joining the league full-time as a player liaison in 1985. Kloss was the world's best doubles player in 1976, winning doubles titles at the U.S. Open, Italian Open, U.S. Clay Courts, German Open, British Hard Courts and Hilton Head. She was also the youngest player ever to be ranked number one in her native South Africa.

Fran Stuchbury: How much does it mean to you that WTT is one of five leagues to survive 40 seasons?

Ilana Kloss: I came to America in 1974 and was drafted to play WTT for the San Francisco Golden Gaters. For me now as Commissioner as I look back at 40 seasons, I got to experience it as a player, as a coach for a team, and now I own a piece of the league and I am commissioner. I think to be mentioned as part of the five leagues to play 40 seasons (with the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL), I think it's a great accomplishment.

I always felt tennis is a team sport; it is so much more meaningful as a player, as an owner, as a coach because you get to be part of a team and you're not out there alone. I think it's about the name on your jersey; you have the city behind you, and I think that is huge.

Obviously this is a very special year. We have to think about how we can continue to make it better - I think help inspire more young Americans to play tennis and hopefully help create a new generation of American champions.

FS: Do you think it helps in your role as commissioner that you have the background to help you envision what a successful franchise will be?

IK: I think the benefit of my experience - that I have been a player and an administrator - I think that is valuable. you can also put yourself in everybody's shoes; I understand the player's point of view. At the same time I have the owner's point of view - what they need - and it's a balance. I think the vision has always been clear; it's really to create a team environment where young kids can come out and watch and see it. You have to see it to be it, for young kids to dream about playing for their home town teams, that's really the essence. It's also important for the sports fan to come out and see WTT and cheer for the team, not just the tennis fan, it's about the pride of your city.

FS: In terms of expansion, what are you looking for in an owner and how many teams would you like to see in WTT?

IK: I think we feel the ideal number of teams would be 16. We have seven now. I think for us it's critical to find the right owners. In the last couple of years, we have really tried to strengthen the existing owners we have and slowly identify owners with the criteria that they love tennis, are someone who cares deeply about their community and also someone who wants to help elevate the team's and league's awareness.

FS: Are the Boston Lobsters in any danger of not having a team in WTT next season if they don't find local owners?

IK: I think our goal is to find a local owner. We have quite a few interested parties. Our hope is to keep it in the Boston and the New England area. If for some reason that doesn't happen, there is a possibility that it would go to another city, but our preference is to keep them in the New England area.

The team has a lot of history; it was originally owned by Robert Kraft who owns the New England Patriots. The Lobsters have had some great players play for them. Our hope would be to find a local owner but no question if we don't, it could potentially leave but that is not our first option.

FS: How important is to have Andy Roddick and Venus Williams as part owners in WTT?

IK: We approached both of them specifically because they have played WTT. It was a great developmental tool for them earlier in their careers. For Andy, when he was 17 he played in WTT for the Idaho Sneakers in 2000, got experience and his career launched playing a lot of matches against players on the tour.

For Venus, when she was 10 years old, she came to a TeamTennis clinic that Billie Jean King did. She never forgot the TeamTennis clinic and it inspired her. So now, she does clinics with kids because she remembers how meaningful it was for her. I think both of them really understand and embody assets that we are looking for.

I think it is important for someone like Billie Jean King, as she is getting older but she still has the energy, to have the next generation get involved. She has always been good about mentoring. I think that's important. Also sponsorship is very important. We can't exist without it. We have a long term deal with Mylan, our title sponsor, and that was significant. We have a media partnership ESPN. ESPN3 carries a match every single night. Our finals are on ESPN2. We have Comcast, The Tennis Channel, so we have a great media package. I think the fourth piece that we have talked about is finding strong owners who really care about community, and we are in that process.

FS: The Washington Kastles have won four straight WTT Championships, would it be better to have more parity in the league instead of one franchise dominating?

IK: For sure, but to be honest the Sacramento Capitals also won four straight titles (1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000). Washington has not dominated as much as other teams, but it's almost as when Serena Williams wins. When the same player wins all the time, in some ways that's great because they are breaking records. The Kastles won 34 straight matches. All of that brings interest. It's fantastic, on the same side sometimes you want different winners, but they play hard and they have earned it. That's what dynasties are.

FS: It's nice to have the marquee players on occasional nights; how important is it for you and Billie Jean King to see that the younger players still want to play WTT to prepare themselves for other events... that they continue to come back every year?

IK: I think the marquee players are always great because of the sponsors and the media. We need that. When you look at the match tonight, it's the high quality of the competition; it doesn't matter who is out there. That you are out there for your team, I think it shows you how entertaining the product can be and it's not about the marquee names. But I think the players that play have a great experience. They are not used to being in a team situation and playing for something more than themselves. So I think they enjoy the experience as well. I think it builds up character.

FS: With a season that lasts from July 12th until August 2nd, how involved are WTT teams in the community?

IK: All of our teams are really involved in the community on a year-round basis. We are visiting schools, we are giving out tennis racquets, we are doing clinics, and we have local charities. The big difference between TeamTennis and the tournament is that we don't visit, we really belong to the community. Throughout the year we are promoting, we are following the team players after the draft, and we bring the players in. Even though the season is less than a month long we are really involved in the community on a year-round basis.

FS: You must love the fact that WTT is very fan friendly with autograph sessions after every single match. You don't get that in regular tennis.

IK: Again, our league's major thing is access. We want to provide access to the fans, to the kids, to the media and to the sponsors. We want to give these kids access and give them that experience that will be inspirational.

FS: Are you happy with the television coverage WTT is getting?

IK: Yes, I think so. I think the sports landscape is very competitive, I think our product is entertaining. You know how long it takes. You know how long it starts; you know how long it finishes, and it has variety. I think our rules are exciting with more critical points. I think what has actually helped smaller leagues likes us is social media because now we can market like anyone else. We can reach millions of fans. In the traditional media way, it's very expensive to do.

FS: What do you envision WTT being five seasons from now?

IK: I think for me it would be 16 teams in the United States. It would be putting the world into WTT whether it is having a world cup or whether it is America vs. the rest of the world. We can do a WTT All-Star match. I think 16 teams in the United States, but I also see international events.

FS: You must be happy to have seen a lot of the WTT rules end up eventually being used by regular tennis.

IK: Absolutely, it is rewarding to have multi-colored courts; it is rewarding to see music changeovers such as in the U.S. Open. It's rewarding to see fans keep balls that are hit in the stands. It's rewarding to see names on the back of your uniforms when you play Fed Cup or Davis Cup. Doubles has no add scoring in the men's and women's tour. You are allowed to coach and come on the court once per set. It's rewarding to see a lot of the innovations we brought forward being used and now being integrated into mainstream. It's practical and it's about making our product better, it's not about doing something gimmicky. It's something that is going make it better for the players and the fans.

FS: For fans that haven't been to a WTT match, why should they attend?

IK: I think you are going see the best professional players in the world competing for your city and I think the format is exciting. In three hours you are going get to see men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. Five events, eight different players, they will play their hearts out, and it's a limited amount of time. They are playing for the names on the front of their jerseys and the cities; it's bigger than themselves.



World TeamTennis Stories from July 22, 2015


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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