Neil Amdur to be Editor-In-Chief of Tennis Week
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kent Oswald, Associate Managing Editor
15 Elm Place
Rye,
(914) 967-4890
kent@tennisweek.com
08/22/06 - Rye, N.Y.--Tennis Week magazine, the award-winning publication founded by former U.S. Davis Cup player Eugene Scott, announced today that Neil Amdur, former sports editor of The New York Times, has been hired as the magazine’s new editor-in-chief. Amdur will step into his new role on Aug. 23.
Amdur becomes the second person in Tennis Week’s 32-year history to steer the publication’s editorial direction, through both the magazine and TennisWeek.com. In addition, he will take over the widely-read Vantage Point column, which, historically, has distinguished the magazine from competing publications with its biting and insightful commentary on the leading issues in the sport.
“There is no one better than Neil to maintain and even sharpen the magazine’s edge,” said Polly Eastman Scott, who has managed the magazine’s business operations as Tennis Week president since her husband, “Gene”, died in March. “My focus for the past four months has been to preserve Gene’s legacy, of which Tennis Week is a huge part. With Neil on board, we can ensure that his legacy flourishes.”
Said Amdur, “Tennis Week has a unique voice in the tennis community, and Gene always challenged the game to be better. His message deserves to be and should be heard and extended.”
Before Amdur, Scott was the only editor-in-chief Tennis Week has had. Scott founded the publication in 1974 and, as publisher as well as editor-in-chief, oversaw its growth from an eight-page weekly tabloid to a glossy, four-color magazine. Scott died, however, on March 20 because of amyloidosis, a rare disease in which an abnormal protein builds up in the body’s organs. Upon his death, Managing Editor Andre Christopher continued the publication along the editorial course set by Scott.
Christopher, in an unrelated move, is set to leave the magazine after putting to bed its October issue to become tennis editor at H.O. Zimman, Inc., the Lynn, Mass., custom publishing firm that produces a multitude of books, brochures, catalogs and other publications, including Tennis Championships Magazine, the official program of the U.S. Open and scores more tennis events nationwide.
Amdur joining Tennis Week marks a return to the sport for the esteemed journalist, who was editor-in-chief of World Tennis magazine (1984-90) before pumping life into The New York Times sports section for 12 years. In addition, he collaborated with tennis legends Arthur Ashe and Chris Evert, among others, on the books “Off the Court” and “Chrissie,” respectively.
“The adage that tennis is a sport for a lifetime has never had more resonance,” Amdur said. “More players are playing the game into their senior years than ever, and younger players continue to flourish.
The pro tours have established exciting new rivalries, and the sport truly is international. I look forward to resuming my life-long relationship with the sport.”
Tennis Week is the game’s most influential publication, with power and presence in the tennis community far greater than raw readership. The magazine and web site have been regarded as the conscience of the game, offering independent, balanced and outspoken tennis news, never “playing it safe,” while being swift, informative and responsible to readers and advertisers.
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For more information:
Kent Oswald, Associate Managing Editor
(914) 967-4890, ext. 24
