Bagel Bites

Pizza Bites: Food for thought

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Courtney Nguyen

Courtney Nguyen

— 14 min read
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Pizza Bites: Food for thought
Credit: Jimmie48

Internet ephemera from the tennis world and beyond. Have something you want to include? Join the Discord  – we have a really nice and active community growing there – or hmu on Bluesky.

  • Previously on The Bagel: We wrapped up Madrid.
  • The thing about the word "boycott" is that it's thrown around very easily while being a lot less easy to understand why it's an easy word to say, and very difficult – impossible? – one to do in tennis. But without a REAL threat of collective action...it's an empty threat. And the Grand Slams know that. And that's why they're pretty good at ignoring the noise. (The Athletic)
  • Here's Ava Wallace on it:
The MLB, NFL and NBA player associations were all founded in the 1950s. They’re effective in part because of their demonstrated history of being willing to stand together and give up paychecks in the short term for the sake of long-term progress. WNBA players recently held out for a long 17 months of negotiations to get improved player benefits and a higher percentage of the league’s revenue written into their CBA — a process that included voting to authorized a workers’ strike, if necessary.

Tennis players aren’t unionized. Pulling off a Grand Slam boycott would mean getting every individual player of impact to agree to participate. Even if they achieved that, players would then have to negotiate with four independent authorities.

It’s undoubtedly a tall hill players have to climb. But history shows that sports organizations and leagues tend not to respond without collective player action or, in the PGA Tour’s case, a direct threat from a competing league.
  • This is from an article by Pete Bodo from 2019, when the ATP rift concerning Chris Kermode was bubbling up. I should also add that Novak Djokovic was asked plenty about all this boycott talk today at his pre-tournament media in Rome, and his answers pretty much boiled down to "Guys, I've been asked about this for like 10 years, you have my press transcripts." (ESPN):
"In order to form any union, at least by U.S. law, the prospective members must be employees. Their bid must be officially approved by the National Labor Relations Board because a union is exempt from federal anti-trust laws (collective bargaining is a form of price-fixing). Tennis players are not "employed" by tournaments, they are independent contractors. And while ICs are free to form "associations," those groups cannot strike if they have a monopoly in their field (as the ATP and WTA do) because doing so would violate anti-trust laws.

"But there is some wiggle room for the players. John Simpson, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney specializing in employment law at the white shoe law firm of Duane Morris LLP, told ESPN.com, "There has been a lot of flux in the definition of what constitutes being an employee versus an independent contractor. The NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] under the Obama administration focused on that issue a great deal and had a pretty expansive view. The college football players got pretty far with this kind of a case at the board level, but not in court. I think the [tennis] players have a shot here. I don't know that I would bet on it, but it isn't a frivolous claim."

Djokovic has undoubtedly become aware of these impediments to unionization, which might be why he has walked back his earlier comments.

"It's quite different for us, because the unions in other sports are focused on particular countries," Djokovic said the other day. He also acknowledged the sport's structure is "complex," with multiple interests, including the ATP, ITF and the independent Grand Slams. "In the end of the day, the ATP is an organization that is 50 percent players, 50 percent tournaments, which in most of the cases is conflict of interest."

That's the nature of the beast, and those conflicts exist within the ATP brotherhood itself. That's something even the most player-friendly top executive would be hard-pressed to resolve. Elite players don't like rules that force them to enter X number of tournaments, but they agree to them for the good of the tour. The rank-and-file might not like the top-heavy distribution of prize money, but it is the elite players who sell the tickets.

side note: this is awesome.

  • "Easier said than done" is pretty much it. The players aren't wrong when it comes to their demands of a more equitable split. But it's been seven-plus years now of talk and sometimes threats of quasi-collective action. Those threats haven't been for naught. Tours and Slams have made incremental concessions. And when their offerings are unsatisfactory, the players – specifically the TOP players – are right to use their leverage and platforms to name and shame. That's 100% how it should work. The progress may be slow, but there has been progress.
  • But once you have a World No.1 just casually dropping the B word, that's where I stop in my tracks, because despite its headline-generating qualities, what does it actually mean if you can't – or won't – actually do it. To anyone who tries to saber-rattle and threaten a boycott, the automatic follow-up question is: "Wait...like...can you actually?" And if I had to put my speculating hat on, my guess is the answer is: "Uh....I guess I don't know actually?" To which another follow-up would be: "But so on what basis do you think you can actually collectively boycott a tournament?"
  • I don't know, maybe they really do have an answer based on a thoroughly researched legal memo that they, the tennis player, read and annotated line-by-line. I would love to know if they have because I would love to read it! Is collective action, or even partial collective action actually feasible? Because if it's not, it just seems like a waste of energy – and kind of juvenile – to threaten it. Call me cynical, but I just don't actually believe that the game's marquee players, who also happen to be the ones who are playing for history, would just, like, agree to skip not just one – because a one-Slam skip really doesn't feel that impactful – but multiple Slams.
Is an antitrust suit against top tennis organizations a grand slam — or an unforced error? - Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School sports law expert Peter Carfagna says that lawsuits filed by professional tennis players aren’t likely to upend the sport.
Harvard Law SchoolRachel Reed
  • Funny side note: Per the excerpt from the ESPN article above, the NLRB was looking to a more expansive view that might allow tennis players to unionize and thus, strike. But that was under THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. How kindly do you think the current regime looks upon unionization or union-like behavior?
not kindly!
  • But even taking it out of a formal union/strike context: Sure, players can skip any tournament they want subject to a fine. So in theory, the Top 10 could just conveniently all withdraw from a tournament en masse, citing made up excuses. Or they could withdraw and call it a boycott and eat any and all relevant fines. But I'd also think that could trigger the Grand Slam Code of Conduct, with the governing bodies arguing that the boycott is "conduct detrimental" or something along those lines. And that could also lead to big fines (up to $250K) and even permanent suspensions, which....I guess are de facto continuing boycotts anyway? I don't know, I'm just trying to game this illogical threat to its logical end. If you've got other ideas, pop them in the comments below.
  • If you're curious how the Grand Slam Code of Conduct rule works, you can check it out here. (ITF)
  • Of course, after I wrote all that, this piece pops up on the wire: Italian Open, amid Slam push, sides with players on prize money. And this, this I find interesting. (ESPN)
"The players have our full support," Binaghi said. "It's scandalous that we're required by the ATP to share a bigger cut of the revenues with the players and the four Grand Slams hand out a smaller cut.

"It's shameful and creates competitive disparities too, because the four nations [that organize the Slams] have a huge amount of money to invest in their technical sectors that other nations don't have," Binaghi added. "I want to blow apart this monopoly."
  • "Monopoly" probably isn't the right word here, teeeeechnically. He probably meant "hegemony". But just like I'm not going to correct Kendrick about Joel Osteen not being the same person as Haley Joel Osment, far be it for me to interrupt Binaghi when he's cookin'.
  • This feels like a pretty savvy move on the part of Binaghi, the Italian Open, and the FIT and I'm interested to see if more ATP and WTA tournaments take an open stand with the players. It's certainly in their best interests to do so. After all, if the players train their prize money demands on the Slams, that takes some heat off the tour-level events, which, as Binaghi says, are already rightfully peeved that they're paying out higher percentages than the Grand Slams. Stop trying to bleed the 500s for prize money and maybe focus that energy on the Slams? Anyway, I am intrigued by this development!
  • I took a break from mulling over all that to head out to Pietrangeli for the final set of Ostapenko-Ruse. It was delightful. I love that court so much. I love the energy of the crowd, the vibes, the views, it's great. I loved watching Ostapenko play a great game to break, only to hit four consecutive double faults to give it all back and jaw at her team. I loved how, during a back-and-forth deuce game, the guy behind said "Game infinito". It was great. I love Rome.
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Met Gala: Venus makes Wimbledon tribute, Serena stuns in silver, and Osaka is lady in red | Tennis.com
These three tennis greats dressed to the nines as they gave their interpretation of “Fashion is Art” under the “Costume Art” theme.
Tennis.com

i hope this means we eventually get the tea on that 2024 Olympic Team selection stuff

  • Emma Raducanu withdrew from Rome ahead of her first round match but just minutes after her pre-tournament press conference with the traveling British reporters, and that order of events left me scratching my head. (The Guardian)
  • It's not unheard of for players to withdraw after their media obligations, but I've been part of more than a few pre-tournament interviews where the player discloses the withdrawal to the press corp, sometimes asks that they hold it until the player or tournament announces it first, and so by doing that allows the interview to focus on other topics that the media might be interested. It's a win-win: the player looks like they've done the media a solid, and the media don't waste their time asking questions that will be moot in a matter of minutes. It's a gesture of goodwill and respect, and one that many a top player has employed. It's a basic play in the playbook. How do you not run it?
  • Today I learned: Blair Henley majored in economics! I thought her discussion of the whole Grand Slam "boycott" stuff was solid:
  • Here's Steve Tignor's Rome Preview, which I enjoyed in substance, but also because it looked like Iga was giving a TED Talk on the subject:
Rome Preview: Can anyone stop Sinner—and will order return on the WTA Tour? | Tennis.com
Sabalenka, Gauff and Swiatek are left searching for answers, as Djokovic’s comeback headlines a wide-open week.
Tennis.comSteve Tignor
  • Um....and here's Sam Querrey's which, for some reason, Tennis Channel clipped and put on main for everyone to see:
The situation relating to the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) is different from that relating to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus. The NOC of Belarus is in good standing and complies with the Olympic Charter. Whilst the ROC has held constructive exchanges with the IOC on its suspension, it remains suspended while the IOC Legal Affairs Commission continues to review the matter. 

The IOC EB also noted with concern the recent information that has led to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) looking into the Russian anti-doping system. The IOC EB would therefore like to obtain a better understanding of this situation.
  • Ben Rothenberg caught up with Oleksandra Oliynykova, who says the WTA has tried repeatedly to silence her attempts to use her platform to foreground the war in Ukraine and includes a response from the WTA as well. I think the interview is well worth your time. (Bounces)
inside Roland Garros’s prize money crisis
They have no official name, no press office and no public platform. But Project Red is running out of patience with the Grand Slams.
Tennis MajorsCédric Rouquette
Earlier this year, the Grand Slams suggested the formation of a Grand Slam Player Council to engage the players in the decision-making process around key issues at the majors. But that proposal was rejected because it did not cover the other two core demands regarding an increased revenue share and contributions to player welfare.

“We still haven't got a response about those three points. So I don't think we wanted to get sidetracked,” world No 5 Jessica Pegula, an active member of the player power campaign, told The National in Dubai in February.

“There's a million other issues that we could talk about, but it doesn't make sense to talk about a lot of other little things before we talk about the three main things.

“It doesn't need to be a distraction. Like, for instance, with the player cameras [in private areas at tournaments], it's great, I hope slams can respond to that and all that stuff. But that is a separate issue, but it's maybe a quicker solved issue.

“And so something like that, I don't think should distract from the three main points that we discussed and that we formally asked them for a response for and still haven't got. And so I think it's just sticking to what we asked for. And wanting that response.

“Like you said, there's been talks of a council. But that's not really what we asked about. So we're still waiting.”
  • Francisco Roig is on crutches after he ruptured his achilles heal during a training session. I guess that's what you get for challenging Iga to a footwork game.
  • Ice, air con, flooded showers, tiny sodas: The Players Box Ladies absolutely nail the European culture clash that Americans go through every time.
Of course, many in sport dismiss the whole idea of the Enhanced Games, which allows athletes to juice to the gills and also offers them huge amounts of cash to compete including six-figure salaries, $250,000 (£185,000) to win a race, and $1m (£740,000) to break the world record, out of hand.

But a journalist’s instinct is to go where the action is, to hear the athletes’ stories, to ask the difficult questions. Most of all, I wanted to discover in person how much an organisation that violates so many of the values of traditional sport can really be trusted.
  • Drew Magary has a good critique of how Devil Wears Prada 2 treats journalism. (SF Gate)
You got glimpses of Priestly’s human side in the first “Prada,” but only glimpses. Maybe she had a heart after all, but she’d never dare let you know for certain. It was that characteristic that made the movie such an enduring classic in its genre, and it’s how Streep ended up getting yet another best actress nomination for her resume. You could hate Miranda Priestly while also respecting her. 2006 Anna Wintour had that same aura about her.

Seven years after the original film was released, publishing conglomerate Conde Nast promoted Wintour to artistic director for the company’s entire portfolio of magazines. One of those titles was GQ, which I joined as a correspondent in 2012. As Wintour amassed more power within Conde Nast (in 2020, she was named worldwide content officer), she began flexing her muscles across every title. She forced out then-GQ editor Jim Nelson, who himself spooked his underlings but also empowered them to produce some of, in my opinion, the best long-form journalism of that era. She replaced Nelson in 2019 with Will Welch, who summarily forced out every credible journalist on the masthead, myself included, by asking them to take a 50% pay cut. Welch, who resigned his post earlier this year, reduced the magazine to nothing more than a brand logo, kowtowing to decidedly uncool media executives and commissioning hideous puff pieces on the likes of neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes. I don’t blame Welch for killing GQ. I blame Wintour, as the bulk of my former colleagues do. This is not a person I respect.
  • Few things brought me as much joy as Ryan Gosling's scream in the first five minutes of PROJECT HAIL MARY. MAKE NICE GUYS 2 GODDAMMIT. (AP)
  • I've been reading CARELESS PEOPLE and boy that Sheryl Sandberg is a real tool. Quelle surprise!
‘Careless People’ Is the Book About Facebook I’ve Wanted for a Decade
I’ve reported on Facebook for years and have always wondered: Does Facebook care what it is doing to society? Careless People makes clear it does not.
404 MediaJason Koebler
  • Bop of the Day: When in Rome....

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