Ten million euros of economic impact, more than 1,700 hotel overnight stays for the competition and up to 85% occupancy in Valencia This weekend, there are big numbers that reinforce the commitment of the Generalitat Valenciana, the Provincial Council of Valencia and the City Council for the Davis Cup and that led the city to present its candidacy to host the finals of next tournament in 2025.
But, in addition to all this, having a new pavilion like the Roig Arena that accommodates all the demands that both television and the tournament make it Valencia is “one of the candidates” to host the finals which has accumulated three editions in Malaga and the fate for 2025 will be determined in just two or three weeks.
This was confirmed by the director of the Davis Cup finals, Feliciano Lopez, in the forum ‘Organisation, sponsorship and impact of major sporting events in Spain: the example of the Davis Cup’, where he thanked the “very strong” commitment of Malaga and the Government of Andalusia in recent years for the event.
Recently arrived from New York after the US Open, Feliciano highlighted that “the interest” of the city of Valencia “is” and explained that “I hope it will be done” in the city of Turia, in part because the Roig Arena, which will be completed at the beginning of the second half of next year, “will be spectacular.”
“In two or three weeks we will know,” said Feliciano López, who was very pleased with Valencia’s response to this week’s Davis Cup group stage, because the city “is always ready.”
Valencia, hosting the group stage of the Davis Cup for the third consecutive year in the pavilion of the Fountain of San Luiswhich already announced when it signed its contract with the ITF its availability to host the final stage, as soon as the contract signed in Malaga ends this year.
The Davis Cup, a different competition
López insisted, at the forum organized by EFE in collaboration with Lexus, that all tennis fans know “what is Davis Cup” and stressed that it was a “totally different” competition.
“I hope Spain will qualify, which I believe, and that “Valencia shows that it is a tennis city”said López, reviewing the six salad bowls that Spain has had since the year 2000 when he got the first one in Barcelona.
Also, Feliciano emphasized that the idea of this tournament is completely different from others, as before “the sporting spectacle” in the United States and Europe.
“In the United States, top-level sporting events are organized, but they have a different idea than ours. The show often comes first. They will enjoy and have fun at a basketball or baseball game and here in Europe it’s a different culture.because you go to your team and if it’s not good, you go home angry,” Feliciano said.
The former player insisted that the Americans had “dominance on the stage” and “lThe Super Bowl is a very clear example,” though it is neither better nor worse.
“Everybody goes with their families to spend the day and nobody leaves without their wares,” said Feliciano, who was surprised that in both the men’s and women’s finals of the US Open, the tournament was handed out. “25,000 caps, one for each of the attendees, a very different concept from us” and, therefore, trying to get “the best of both” for Davis.
Source: La Verdad
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