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Black Enterprise, Sept, 1998

If you got game, financial backers will come; if you don't, expect to go it alone

By age 17, she had already taken the tennis world by storm. Finally, a potentially dominant African American player-in-the-making in a sport desperately in need of some color.

Her peers--and her critics--marveled at her game, her athleticism, not to mention her No. 1 ranking at the junior level. She was the reigning champion in the Junior U.S. Open and Junior Wimbledon. While most girls her age were more concerned about what to wear to high school graduation, Zina Garrison was thinking about leaving the ceremony early to catch a flight to France to play in the French Open, her first pro tournament. Houston's biggest secret was now the talk of the town. "There was confusion everywhere," says Garrison of her formative years. "It was both good and bad. Good because of the immediate recognition and the money, and bad because of the tremendous pressures that accompany that success."

On the business side, Garrison had secured a three-year contract with apparel and shoe line manufacturer Pony. Budget Rent-A-Car, Carnation and Wilson Racquet rounded out Team Garrison's stable of financial backers. In her sport, where there are no teammates to pick up the slack when you're having a bad day, financial support is as important as a top 10 ranking. By her 18th birthday, Garrison would enter the computer ranking at an amazing No. 29. Two weeks later, she would climb to 18th in the world. A month later, she had claimed a spot in the top 10.

Things were as good as they could get--at least, until that five-year stretch where it seemed corporate America forgot who Zina Garrison was. "I went five years after that without having a clothing contract," Garrison recalls. "And for a tennis player, that's especially tough. All the money I made on the court was what I had to use to survive. There was basically no money outside of my earnings. There was no bonus. It was tough, especially knowing that players ranked lower than you were doing a lot better financially."

Unlike in professional basketball and football, where African Americans participate in larger numbers--80% and 67% respectively--blacks in golf and tennis have been forced to fight their own corporate battles. However, there doesn't seem to be a concerted effort by corporate America to snub blacks in golf and tennis--Tiger Woods and Venus Williams are a testament to that. But for every Tiger and Venus--players who are a sure bet to do well--there are countless individual anecdotes of other players who have a difficult time getting--and staying--on the circuit. And financial difficulty is the main culprit.

"I've watched Venus and [sister] Serena and they're making the money they deserve to make," says Garrison, now 35. "There's no doubt I helped open some doors for them but the way I see things, I think naturally blacks develop a following among a lot of different types of races because of the fact that you're different," says Garrison, who tearfully retired last year after 15 years as one of the best players throughout the '80 and early '90s. "Tennis sponsors especially are just not sure about us, which may make them somewhat reluctant to open their pockets."

As for the Williams girls--Venus in particular--getting financial backing hasn't been tough to come by. As it shouldn't. Her own tennis genesis mirrors Garrison's. In 1995, Team Williams, led by father Richard, secured a lucrative deal, reported to be $12 million over five years, with Reebok International, Inc. for then 14 - year - old Venus. The Reebok deal made getting additional backing virtually unnecessary. Keven Davis, the family's attorney and agent, says where ethnicity may have worked against a player like Venus years ago, that's not necessarily the case today.

"There's still work to be done," admits Davis, who has been with the Williams since 1990. "Venus came along at the right time. Companies see her as somebody with the total package. There have been other good African Americans before Zina and there are other African Americans that are good today. But being good is only part of it," says Davis who notes that Venus' main court rival, Martina Hingis, doesn't enjoy the same endorsement success. "You have to do more than just win. You have to have qualities that people find more attractive. I don't want to say attitude but you need to bring something else to the table: education is important, family, religion, moral values, all of those things."

Finding Mixed Reviews

Craig Bowen, the associate manager for Titleist and Foot-Joy Worldwide, says when it comes to golf, the bottom line is simple: Minority players--who don't carry star power like Tiger Woods--need to be given a chance--period. "There are five to eight professional black golfers--that if given the right situation of sponsorship--could possibly make a dent on the PGA Tour or a major U.S. TOUR" he says emphatically. "People ask the question, 'Why aren't there more black golfers on the tour?' Well, here's why: The money is just not there and the folks who have the money aren't very receptive." Tiger remains the standard for the golf industry--black or white--with a reported $80 million in endorsements from Nike, American Express, Titleist, All Star Cafe and Rolex. However, whether in the world of golf or tennis, stories like the Blakes are all too common.