1st Round DC tie USA vs. Switzerland to be in Alabama

Stupidest venue choice in the history of tennis. You think they would pick something in a really large city. I mean Birmingham is big but places like New York, Miami anything in California or something...sigh
 
NY has the US Open, Miami and Cali have Master Cup events. Maybe they were hoping to let someone else see Fed.

Anyway, anyone know when tickets are going on sale for this?
 
vbranis said:
The USTA has chosen Birmingham, Alabama to host the 1st round Davis Cup tie between the US and Switzerland. The venue is the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena, which is expected to seat more than 17,000.

http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/8954256/USTA-picks-Birmingham,-Ala.,-to-host-Davis-Cup?FSO2&ATT=MA
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Wow Alabama?! WTF?! Gee, thought they would go somewhere different. Actually had no idea they would even consider a place like Alabama. No offense intended for tennis fans in Alabama, but you would think they would pick a more tennis appealing city.
 
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It's not just about picking a "tennis appealing" city. All cities that are interested in hosting the Davis Cup tie had to submit bids to the USTA. All of those big cities listed did not.
 
Its not Siberia here. Mobile, AL has the world's largest public tennis facility fwiw. I will be surprised if the matches aren't all sellouts, and that is the goal isn't it?
 
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idj49 said:
It's not just about picking a "tennis appealing" city. All cities that are interested in hosting the Davis Cup tie had to submit bids to the USTA. All of those big cities listed did not.
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what exactly do these cities offer? i mean is it straight cash?
 
This place will be rocking for this tie & it will be sold out 100%.

The idea that if it's not in Manhattan or Miami that it's a waste is offensive & short sighted. Grass roots efforts are how you grow interest in the sport rather then being an anonymous event competing fro coverage with the Mets, Heat, Knicks, etc...
 
egn said:
Stupidest venue choice in the history of tennis. You think they would pick something in a really large city. I mean Birmingham is big but places like New York, Miami anything in California or something...sigh
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Birmingham is only 2.5 hours drive from Atlanta. I expect they will sell out.
 
A sizable group from my tennis team in Atlanta is planning to road trip it for this. I actually just looked up this thread to find out if there was any ticket information. I have no doubt that they will sell out.
 
beernutz said:
Its not Siberia here. Mobile, AL has the world's largest public tennis facility fwiw. I will be surprised if the matches aren't all sellouts, and that is the goal isn't it?
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Indeed, they had an EXO between Agassi and Roddick at USA in a few years ago, literally five minutes from the Newnan-Cox Tennis Center, which has 50 hard courts.

Also, HELL YES! It's a five hour drive from here but I'm SO going if I'm still in the states by then.

Alabama is so neglected when it comes to professional tennis (even Roddick has said so), and Birmingham is a huge city. So just because it's not California, Florida, or Vegas, it doesn't mean it's not a good venue.
 
I live in NW FL and am looking very forward to this. I was born in that part of Alabama and I can tell you that Bham is a great and progressive city with a great downtown and arts district and one of the top towns for medicine in the country. It will sell out no doubt. People are too quick to judge the south- it's a shame- not everyone is an ignorant redneck as so many seem to think. There are those types of people all over the place, not just in the south.
 
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amarone said:
Birmingham is only 2.5 hours drive from Atlanta. I expect they will sell out.
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then why not have it in atlanta :confused:

17000 seats .. i bet atleast 7000 will be empty.

what are they gonna do for marketing? have fed and roddick hit footballs with tennis racquets? Football is the only sport they understand down there. No offense meant to any Alabama natives on this board :)
 
No, football and NASCAR are the only sports that rednecks care about.

But tennis is still very popular, all considered. I've probably got twice as many world-class golf courses within an hour's drive of here than you anyway.

Let's just say I have literally about 100 courts to choose from within 45 minutes from here (in terms of numbers of actual courts). And MOST of them are free. So while it might not be a tennis mecca, it's a more than healthy presence. Just a while back we had USTA Women's Challenger in Auburn, although there were more players there than spectators, to be honest (but it wasn't advertised).

Also, Atlanta gets plenty of stuff like this. So quit your *****ing.
 
As with Wimbledon's tradition of all white clothing, the DC tie in Alabama carries a dress code of mandatory overalls and wife-beater undershirts to be worn by all players. Shoes and socks will be permitted, but for the most part are frowned upon. Be sure to get there early. The first 1,000 people get complementary snuff.:p
 
To stereotype people in the south as 'rednecks' is every bit as racist as using the n word. It offends me as someone that has lived in the south their entire life. To think all people in the south are a certain way is not fair at all.
Nothing I say on this board will change people's mind, I don't know why I bother. It's really sad and hurtful that people can't get beyond this and realize there are great, progressive people all over the country- and yes in Alabama and the south. Sure there are a holes and backwards type people down here, of course- probably more so than in most parts of the country- but for goodness sakes- give it a rest. I am checking out of this thread because I have always taken this type of criticism a bit too personally. Peace out.
 
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topsltennis said:
To stereotype people in the south as 'rednecks' is every bit as racist as using the n word. It offends me as someone that has lived in the south their entire life. To think all people in the south are a certain way is not fair at all.
Nothing I say on this board will change people's mind, I don't know why I bother. It's really sad and hurtful that people can't get beyond this and realize there are great, progressive people all over the country- and yes in Alabama and the south. Sure there are a holes and backwards type people down here, of course- probably more so than in most parts of the country- but for goodness sakes- give it a rest. I am checking out of this thread because I have always taken this type of criticism a bit too personally. Peace out.
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I think it depends on WHERE in the south. Half of my family is from the south (Mom's side) and from what I've learned in my years, honestly, the stereotype is the standard, not the exception.

Keep in mind, I say that sadly.
 
SirBlend12 said:
I think it depends on WHERE in the south. Half of my family is from the south (Mom's side) and from what I've learned in my years, honestly, the stereotype is the standard, not the exception.

Keep in mind, I say that sadly.
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I would not agree with that- its all about life experiences, education, etc. But look, I won't change anyone's mind and I should just bow out of this thread. I am very happy for Birmingham and I know it will be a great crowd and a big success.
 
tennisdad65 said:
then why not have it in atlanta :confused:

17000 seats .. i bet atleast 7000 will be empty.

what are they gonna do for marketing? have fed and roddick hit footballs with tennis racquets? Football is the only sport they understand down there. No offense meant to any Alabama natives on this board :)
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you're extremely ignorant if you think alabama is only about football..

birmingham is a great place to have it, and they WILL be sold out; you seem to think 17000 is a large number for a Davis Cup tie. it's not; there's hundreds of thousands of fans within 5 hours of Birmingham, and i am 14 hours away, but would go if i had the money.

so yeah, it's not a bad spot. nice new location from the typical big venues.
 
tennisdad65 said:
then why not have it in atlanta :confused:

17000 seats .. i bet atleast 7000 will be empty.

what are they gonna do for marketing? have fed and roddick hit footballs with tennis racquets? Football is the only sport they understand down there. No offense meant to any Alabama natives on this board :)
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Alabama has probably one of the more healthy tennis programs out there out of many of the states. Actually, I'd probably put it in at least the top 10. It's very capable of competing with states like Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, etc.
 
grimmbomb21 said:
As with Wimbledon's tradition of all white clothing, the DC tie in Alabama carries a dress code of mandatory overalls and wife-beater undershirts to be worn by all players. Shoes and socks will be permitted, but for the most part are frowned upon. Be sure to get there early. The first 1,000 people get complementary snuff.:p
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I guess the USTA wants to scare the Swiss gentlemen with this venue selection...
 
are there any ways to pre-order or reserve tickets in advance..
Certainly don't want to miss out..

I called the USTA and they just put you on an email list...
 
Nanshiki said:
No, football and NASCAR are the only sports that rednecks care about.

But tennis is still very popular, all considered. I've probably got twice as many world-class golf courses within an hour's drive of here than you anyway.

Let's just say I have literally about 100 courts to choose from within 45 minutes from here (in terms of numbers of actual courts). And MOST of them are free. So while it might not be a tennis mecca, it's a more than healthy presence. Just a while back we had USTA Women's Challenger in Auburn, although there were more players there than spectators, to be honest (but it wasn't advertised).

Also, Atlanta gets plenty of stuff like this. So quit your *****ing.
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That site wasn't decided on until about 3 weeks before the start of the tournament.
 
tennisdad65 said:
then why not have it in atlanta :confused:

17000 seats .. i bet atleast 7000 will be empty.

what are they gonna do for marketing? have fed and roddick hit footballs with tennis racquets? Football is the only sport they understand down there. No offense meant to any Alabama natives on this board :)
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If you are trying to be funny--try harder.

If you are serious, you are misinformed (I'm trying to be nice) if you think there is no possibility of a sellout or that people here only understand football: http://www.cityofmobile.org/news.php?view=full&news=979
 
egn said:
Stupidest venue choice in the history of tennis. You think they would pick something in a really large city. I mean Birmingham is big but places like New York, Miami anything in California or something...sigh
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it's because the state is changing its name to Alobama
 
droliver said:
This place will be rocking for this tie & it will be sold out 100%.

The idea that if it's not in Manhattan or Miami that it's a waste is offensive & short sighted. Grass roots efforts are how you grow interest in the sport rather then being an anonymous event competing fro coverage with the Mets, Heat, Knicks, etc...
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Absolutely right.

grimmbomb21 said:
As with Wimbledon's tradition of all white clothing, the DC tie in Alabama carries a dress code of mandatory overalls and wife-beater undershirts to be worn by all players. Shoes and socks will be permitted, but for the most part are frowned upon. Be sure to get there early. The first 1,000 people get complementary snuff.:p
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I doubt that a high-profile tennis event like Davis Cup will attract the NASCAR crowd.

This is Birmingham's first time hosting DC and I think it's a great choice. Alabama tennis fans sound thrilled, they worked hard to get the bid:

http://www.cbs42.com/news/local/36356594.html

It was front page news on the Birmingham News. Do you think if New York were hosting DC that it'd make the front page of NYPost or NYT? Don't think so.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?/base/news/122959177796670.xml&coll=2
Forget the sugarplums. Bubba Bussey had Davis Cup dancing in his head.

"All I wanted for Christmas was a Davis Cup and we're going to have a merry Christmas," said the co-host of the Rick and Bubba radio show.

The local radio personality and a host of others got just what they wanted Wednesday when representatives of the U.S. Tennis Association announced that the U.S.'s first-round Davis Cup match with Switzerland will be at Birmingham's BJCC Arena.

Mayor Larry Langford led a standing ovation as the declaration was made. The auditorium at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame was full of enthusiastic supporters who waved American flags and occasionally chanted, "USA! USA!"​
 
I think its really sad that people stereotype the south in the way the first few posts did. I am not suprised in the least, but it sounds just as ignorant as some people here in the south when you post stupid stuff like "overalls" and what not.

With that said, I was actually in Bham for the weekend, and the place is buzzing with this news. I live in Atlanta, but went to college in birmingham at Samford (actually the practice facility for the tie). It should be sold out as like someone said earlier Atl is only 2-2.5 hours away, and places like Nashville are only 4. I think it is a good spot for a "smaller" city to host a tie i.e. not Atlanta or even Charlotte.

I guess only time will tell, but you better believe I will be there in the red white and blue
 
I also am not sure that this is the right place to make the tie.

But what ever Usta likes.

What ever floats your boat.
 
Some info about Birmingham:


Country United States - City 229,800
- Density 1,510/sq mi (583.03/km²)
- Metro 1,188,210
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
Birmingham was founded in 1871, just after the U.S. Civil War, as an industrial enterprise. It was named after Birmingham, one of the UK's major industrial cities. Through the middle of the 20th century, Birmingham was the primary industrial center of the Southern United States. The astonishing pace of Birmingham's growth through the turn of the century earned it the nicknames "The Magic City" and "The Pittsburgh of the South". Much like Pittsburgh in the north, Birmingham's major industries centered around iron and steel production.

Over the course of the 20th century, the city's economy diversified. Though the manufacturing industry maintains a strong presence in Birmingham, other industries such as banking, insurance, medicine, publishing, and biotechnology have risen in stature. Birmingham has been recognized as one of the top cities for income growth in the United States South with a significant increase in per capita income since 1990.[3]

Today, Birmingham ranks as one of the most important business centers in the Southeastern United States and is also one of the largest banking centers in the U.S. In addition, the Birmingham area serves as headquarters to one Fortune 500 company: Regions Financial. Five Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in Birmingham



Birmingham is the cultural and entertainment capital of Alabama with its numerous art galleries in the area and home to Birmingham Museum of Art, the largest art museum in the state. Birmingham is also home to the state's major ballet, opera, and symphony orchestra companies such the Alabama Ballet, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Ballet, Birmingham Concert Chorale, Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival and Opera Birmingham.


Inside the Alabama Theatre in 1996 before its extensive renovation.The historic Alabama Theatre hosts film screenings, concerts and performances.
The Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts is home to Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Opera Birmingham as well as several series of concerts and lectures. It is located on the UAB campus in the Southside community.
The Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), houses a theater, concert hall, exhibition halls, and a sports and concert arena. The BJCC is home to the Alabama Ballet and hosts major concert tours and sporting events. Adjacent to the BJCC is the Sheraton Birmingham, the largest hotel in the state.
The historic Carver Theatre, home of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, offers concerts, plays, jazz classes (free to any resident of the state of Alabama) and many other events in the Historic 4th Avenue District, near the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
The Birmingham Public Library presents programs for children and adults.
Boutwell Auditorium (formerly Municipal Auditorium) is located at Linn Park.
The Verizon Wireless Music Center, formerly Oak Mountain Amphitheater, is a large outdoor venue with two stages.
Other entertainment venues in the area include:

Fair Park Arena, on the west side of town, hosts sporting events, local concerts and community programs.
WorkPlay, located in Southside, is a multi-purpose facility with offices, audio and film production space, a lounge, and a theater and concert stage for visiting artists and film screenings.
Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, a celebration of new independent cinema in downtown Birmingham, was named one of TIME magazines "Film Festivals for the Rest of Us" in their June 5, 2006 issue.
The Wright Center Concert Hall at Samford University is home to the Birmingham Ballet
Birmingham's nightlife is primarily clustered around Five Points South and Lakeview, but an additional $55-million entertainment district has been approved for an area adjacent to the BJCC. Birminghamtrends is Birmingham's Online Guide to the City's Nightlife. Birmingham also has a very popular local music scene that has made the city a breeding ground for some of the nation's best musicians.



The Birmingham area is home to some of America's best schools. In 2005, the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School in Irondale, an eastern suburb of Birmingham, was rated as the #1 high school in America by Newsweek, a national publication. The school remains among the nation's Top 5 high schools. Mountain Brook High School placed 250 on the list. Other local schools that have been rated among America's best in various publications include Vestavia Hills High School and the Alabama School of Fine Arts located downtown. The metro area also has two highly regarded prep schools: The Altamont School, located in Birmingham proper, and Indian Springs School in north Shelby County near Pelham.
 
Fed should watch out for the KKK. They might confuse him for a mexican.
 
andrew_fernando2 said:
so much for reviving tennis in the usa
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Well this actually could spark a lot more interest in tennis in Alabama, at the very least. Which could be good. I was not positive about the venue you choice at first, but it could be good, and I am sure it will sell out I mean its davis cup. Might be good exposure for tennis to bring it to places that are not exactly associated with tennis
 
How much do Davis Cup tickets usually run anyway? I take it it's by the match. How many days should I open up for it? lol
 
great question....
REALLY looking forward to this and am wanting to get a jump on some pre-order tickets.
I understand that it will be mid january before they go on sale.
I just want to make sure I am able to get 5 or so.
Merry Christmas everyone.
 
As expected, tickets sold out as soon as they went up for sale this week. In the US, Davis Cup has become a very popular family sporting event over the past few years. I knew Alabama tennis fans would snatch up these tickets in no time. :cool:

[size=+1]USA-Switzerland Davis Cup Tie Sells Out[/size]
By Tennis Week
1/16/2009

The prospect of the USA facing 13-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, with whom he won the Olympic gold medal in doubles last August, has already created a buzz in Birmingham nearly two months prior to the Davis Cup opening-round tie.

The USTA announced today a sell-out for the 2009 Davis Cup first round match between the United States and Switzerland at Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena in Birmingham, Ala., March 6-8.

"We look at this sell-out as a testament to the health of tennis in the United States," said Jim Curley, Managing Director, Tournament Operations, USTA. "Tennis fans in Alabama and throughout the region have embraced this event, and the stage has been set in Birmingham for one of the most exciting Davis Cup ties ever held in the U.S."

The competition is expected to feature three of the top 10 players in the world. No. 8 Andy Roddick and No. 10 James Blake have been mainstays on the U.S. Davis Cup team along with the world’s second-ranked doubles team, Bob and Mike Bryan. World No. 2 and five-time reigning US Open Champion Federer has announced his intention to play in the first round of Davis Cup for the first time since 2004, and is expected to be joined by 16th-ranked Wawrinka.

This will be the first Davis Cup tie ever played in Alabama, making it the 33rd state to host the prestigious competition. It also will be the first major professional tennis event in Birmingham since the city hosted the 1994 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships.
 
I'm SO fcking angry that I couldn't buy either USTA member tickets, OR regular tickets because I came home from work TWO HOURS too late. I should have just stayed home.

HULK ANGRY!!!!!

I wouldn't be so damn mad if I wasn't an Alabama resident...

Guess I'll have to drive to B-Ham and pay some scalpers 2X what the tickets are worth.
 
Nanshiki said:
I'm SO fcking angry that I couldn't buy either USTA member tickets, OR regular tickets because I came home from work TWO HOURS too late. I should have just stayed home.

HULK ANGRY!!!!!

I wouldn't be so damn mad if I wasn't an Alabama resident...

Guess I'll have to drive to B-Ham and pay some scalpers 2X what the tickets are worth.
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try craigslist. ;)
 
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