Trading cards offer lifeline to low-income players
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 28, 2025 General view of tennis balls during Britain's Jack Draper's practice session REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
LONDON/NEW YORK - A nearly year-old initiative to sell tennis players' trading cards is generating vital extra income for lower earners struggling to make ends meet, its backers said.
While the world's elite tennis players can earn fortunes, with Wimbledon for example offering a record 53.5 million pounds ($73.5 million) in prize money this year, those much further down the rankings often struggle financially.
Winners Alliance, the commercial partner of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) which wants to address the financial disparities, said the new cards had generated around $20 million since they were rolled out in August.
Some 70% of the income has gone to the 400 players signed up.
"You have the 100th best player in the world and they're struggling to make a living," Eric Winston, president of Winners Alliance, told Reuters. "That's not right."
Winners Alliance has teamed up with the Fanatics-owned Topps brand to produce trading cards for the next 20 years, hoping to emulate the huge popularity of such initiatives in other sports such as soccer and U.S. basketball.
The cards, featuring current and former players, are sold online, at hobby shops and on site at big tournaments including the U.S Open and Australian Opens. The latest release on May 15th sold out in 24 hours.
Founded in 2022, Winners Alliance, chaired by hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, manages commercial opportunities for sports players and their agents. Its aim is to generate a recurring annual income of $100,000 for all ranked players from trading cards, video games and other income streams.
"The level of players in the top 200 has never been so high... and some can barely make ends meet," said PTPA deputy executive director Romain Rosenberg, citing the example of a player near the top 100 who earned $25,000 one year after deducting taxes, coaching and other unavoidable costs.
Rosenberg contrasted tennis with other sports such as football where even lower-tier players earn large salaries, often without the high costs tennis players face with coaching, travel and health expenses.
"It is still early days but the aim is to emulate the success of U.S. basketball and baseball leagues... even reaching 10% of their revenue in five to 10 years would generate meaningful passive income for players," Rosenberg added.
The PTPA, co-founded by players Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020, has backed various efforts to level the playing field between the haves and have-nots of tennis, including legal aid and health programmes.
Sports trading cards have enjoyed enduring popularity, buoyed by record-breaking sales such as a rookie card of baseball great Mickey Mantle fetching $12.6 million at auction in 2022. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
29 minutes ago
- Straits Times
UK junior trade minister visits Taiwan
LONDON - British junior trade minister Douglas Alexander is visiting Taiwan for talks on Sunday, the UK government said, on a trip that is aimed at boosting trade with Taipei but is likely to anger China. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and strongly objects to any official interactions between the island and foreign governments, believing them to represent support for Taiwan's desire to be recognised as an independent country. Britain only has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, but maintains a de facto embassy in Taipei. Junior British ministers hold talks with their Taiwanese counterparts but by convention senior ministers do not meet Taiwanese officials. Alexander's trip comes at a time when Britain and China are looking to mend ties, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to visit Beijing this year on the first trip by a British leader since 2018. But despite those efforts, tensions remain. Last week, China's military criticised the sailing of a British warship through the Taiwan Strait as a deliberate attempt to "cause trouble". Alexander will be in Taiwan for annual trade talks on June 29-30, the Department for Business and Trade said. He will witness the signing of UK-Taiwan trade partnership pillars, and meet President Lai Ching-te as part of Britain's "long-standing unofficial relationship" with Taiwan, it said. "We share a long-standing trade relationship with Taiwan and our trade reached an all-time high last year, but we know there are still more opportunities for British businesses," Alexander said in a statement. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
England retain Euro Under-21 title after Rowe extra time goal sinks Germany
Soccer Football - UEFA Under 21 Championship - Final - England v Germany - Tehelne pole, Bratislava, Slovakia - June 28, 2025 England's Harvey Elliott and Omari Hutchinson celebrate after the match as Germany's Rocco Reitz looks dejected REUTERS/David W Cerny Soccer Football - UEFA Under 21 Championship - Final - England v Germany - Tehelne pole, Bratislava, Slovakia - June 28, 2025 England's Ethan Nwaneri, Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Omari Hutchinson celebrate with the trophy after winning the final REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Soccer Football - UEFA Under 21 Championship - Final - England v Germany - Tehelne pole, Bratislava, Slovakia - June 28, 2025 England's James McAtee lifts the trophy as they celebrate after winning the final REUTERS/David W Cerny TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Soccer Football - UEFA Under 21 Championship - Final - England v Germany - Tehelne pole, Bratislava, Slovakia - June 28, 2025 England's James McAtee lifts the trophy as they celebrate after winning the final REUTERS/David W Cerny TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY BRATISLAVA - Jonathan Rowe came off the bench to score an extra-time goal which gave holders England a 3-2 win over Germany in the Under-21 European Championship final on Saturday after they had let slip a two-goal lead. Lee Carsley's side retained the title won two years ago which brings England's total haul to four, but they were pushed all the way by a German side who came into the final as favourites and had beaten England in the group stage. "I'm so happy for them; to be European champions for the second time is a great achievement and the challenge now is to do it again in two years," Carsley told Channel 4. "I'm going to try and enjoy tonight. It's important. I love my job, I'm very proud of the job I do, I love working with the players. It's important they have a shandy or two tonight." England took the lead in the fifth minute when Omari Hutchinson had his effort saved by the keeper and a defensive clearance fell to Harvey Elliot who had time and space to pick his spot and steer a low shot inside the near post. Elliot began the move for England's second goal with a chipped pass into the path of James McAtee and when the midfielder found his route blocked by two defenders he laid off the ball to Hutchinson who drilled his strike through the keeper's legs. Hutchinson somersaulted away in celebration after his 24th-minute goal but Germany pulled one back in added time before the break. Paul Nebel crossed from the wing and Nelson Weiper rose unchallenged to power a header past England keeper James Beadle. The equaliser came in the 61st minute from a corner kick which went all the way to Nebel, out wide in the area, who pulled inside and drove the ball into the far top corner. Both sides created further chances but extra time was needed and England went back in front within two minutes when substitute Tyler Morton floated a perfect ball into the box and the unmarked Rowe headed home. "I came into the game with the mindset of doing anything I could to help the team," Rowe told Channel 4. "I wasn't starting but I knew, at some point, all of us on the bench would have to come on, make a difference and help the team to push it over the line." Rowe replaced Elliot at the end of normal time, making an immediate impact. After his goal there was no way back for Germany as England held firm under relentless pressure, with the Germans hitting the woodwork in added time. The defeat brought the Germans' 20-game unbeaten run to an end. Their last loss came against England in the 2023 tournament and two years to the day since that game, England triumphed again. England senior manager Thomas Tuchel was watching from the stands and the German, struggling to impress in his early days in charge, may well look to some of Carsley's side, and tactics, for a brighter English future. "I've had a chance with the senior team and I love that, so the best thing I can do is help the pathway and try and help the senior team," Carsley said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Toulouse edge out Bordeaux to secure third straight Top 14 crown
PARIS - Toulouse claimed their third consecutive Top 14 title and a record-extending 24th French championship by beating Bordeaux Begles 39-33 after extra time in a dramatic final on Saturday. Thomas Ramos kicked two penalties in the last five minutes for Toulouse after Bordeaux's Maxime Lucu had converted a penalty on the hooter to take the game into extra time at 33-33. A try from Anthony Jelonch and a brace from Jack Willis put champions Toulouse in control of the match but Damian Penaud, Matthieu Jalibert and Guido Petti also crossed the tryline to keep Bordeaux in touch. Petti and Pierre Bochaton were shown yellow cards and Toulouse, missing talisman Antoine Dupont, won their 11th consecutive final, a year after routing Bordeaux Begles 59-3 in the title match. "Emotions are unbelievable. The scenario is crazy", Jelonch said on France TV. "We were exhausted after 80 minutes, we played 100. When you see all the players' emotions, this one is the most beautiful of all." Bordeaux's Jalibert said he was proud of his side. "We were strong but the coin didn't fall on our side", the fly-half said on France TV. "I think we can keep our heads up. I'm proud of the team because after last year's disappointment, we wanted to come back here." After Toulouse and Bordeaux traded penalties, the holders capitalised on Petti's yellow card to score the opening try when Jelonch found a gap in the defence. Bordeaux responded quickly, however, when Penaud latched on to Maxime Lucu's kick to touch down. Willis restored Toulouse's lead with a powerful finish from a driving maul just before halftime and the English flanker crossed for a second try after Jalibert had dotted down under the posts for Bordeaux. Lock Petti kept the game alive when he went over from a wide position for Bordeaux before Lucu sent the game into extra time. France internationals Romain Ntamack and Louis Bielle-Biarrey did not reappear after halftime, the former due to a shoulder injury while the latter was playing his first match after suffering a concussion. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
