World TeamTennis Finals Weekend set to return to Charleston in 2012

Family Circle Tennis Center to host WTT Finals Weekend, Sept. 14-16

CHARLESTON, SC – January 4, 2012 – The World TeamTennis Finals are returning to Charleston in 2012.  WTT officials announced today that the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C., will once again host the WTT Finals Weekend presented by GEICO, September 14-16, 2012.

The Road to Charleston begins when the 37th season of the WTT Pro League presented by GEICO kicks off with regular season action, July 9-28.  The top two teams from the Eastern and Western Conference advance to Charleston for the WTT Finals Weekend.  The Conference Championship matches will be Friday, Sept. 14 and Saturday, Sept. 15, with the winners facing off in the WTT Finals on Sunday, Sept. 16. 

The WTT Finals Weekend is the culmination of three weeks of intense coed team tennis competition featuring some of the biggest names in tennis playing in the WTT Pro League.  In 2011, the Washington Kastles made WTT history in Charleston by completing the first undefeated season and winning their second King Trophy, named after WTT co-founder Billie Jean King.

The WTT Finals Weekend will also feature a national grassroots WTT Recreational League event.

Tickets for the WTT Finals Weekend presented by GEICO go on sale during the Family Circle Cup, scheduled March 31 – April 8, 2012.  Weekend packages will range from $45 to $150, with single session tickets $15-$50.  Tickets will be available through the Family Circle Tennis Center Box Office at (800) 677-2293 or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.FamilyCircleTennisCenter.com or www.Ticketmaster.com.

The extended break between the end of the regular season and the WTT Finals will allow many of WTT’s players to compete in the 2012 Olympics as well as give the Charleston hosts more time to promote the teams and players advancing to the WTT Finals Weekend.  The Family Circle Tennis Center were tremendous hosts last year and all of our teams are excited about the opportunity to play for the title in Charleston again, said WTT CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss.  The tennis fans in Charleston are very knowledgeable and quickly took to the WTT format last year.  The additional time to promote the Finals will give fans from the participating team markets more time to make travel plans to be a part of this exciting weekend.

We are very excited to host the World TeamTennis Finals Weekend for a second consecutive year,” said Bob Moran, General Manager, Family Circle Tennis Center.  “Charleston is the perfect getaway destination for this world class tennis event.  WTT fans from across the country will enjoy Lowcountry beaches, history and southern charm as they cheer their teams on to a League Championship in the Best Tennis Town in America.”

Teams will begin to put together their 2012 lineups on Tuesday, Feb. 14, with the WTT Marquee Player Draft.  Teams draft in reverse order of their 2011 finish, with defending champion Washington Kastles selecting last in the Draft.

Team rosters will be completed on Tuesday, March 13, when the 2012 WTT Roster Player Draft is conducted.  With WTT’s gender-balanced team concept, each team is comprised of two men, two women and a coach.  Team matches consist of five events, with one set each of men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Billie Jean King co-founded the WTT Pro League and coed team format in the 1970s.  WTT is also well known for introducing other innovative elements to tennis including instant replay, cumulative and no-ad scoring, on-court coaching, Supertiebreakers, multi-colored courts and player names on the back of shirts.

Each season, the WTT Pro League features some of the biggest stars in tennis.  Top names from the 2011 season included Venus Williams, Serena Williams, John McEnroe, Martina Hingis, James Blake, John Isner and the world’s top-ranked doubles team of Mike and Bob Bryan.  The League is a showcase for three generations of tennis standouts, including legends, current tour players and up-and-coming tennis pros.

IMPORTANT DATES:  WTT Pro League presented by GEICO

WTT Marquee Player Draft:  February 14, 2012

WTT Roster Player Draft:  March 13, 2012

Regular Season:  July 9-28, 2012

 
WTT FINALS WEEKEND PRESENTED BY GEICO

WTT Conference Championships:  Sept. 14-15

WTT Finals presented by GEICO:  Sept. 16

About WTT Pro League presented by GEICO:

The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the Family Circle Cup and World TeamTennis Finals Weekend, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Meredith Corporation that also hosts a variety of additional events including concerts, festivals, tennis tournaments and other activities throughout the year.  Charleston, South Carolina was named was named “Top City in the US in the 2011 Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards, and Charleston was also voted the “Best Tennis Town in America” in a USTA contest in 2010.  The Tennis Center features a 10,200 seat stadium, Grand Lawn, 17 tennis courts lighted for night play, Pro Shop, and a full service event management staff capable of handling all aspects of an event including ticketing, operations, sales, marketing, public relations, and food & beverage.

Family Circle is the longest running title sponsor of a sporting event in the United States, as well as in all of professional tennis, world-wide.  With over 21 million readers, Family Circle is one of the most widely read monthly magazines in America and is one of 14 leading subscription magazines owned by Meredith Corporation.   The Family Circle Cup receives four days of live broadcast domestically on ESPN2, and is viewed internationally in over 25 countries, featuring over 200 hours of live and delayed global broadcast time, reaching 8.54 million viewers worldwide.