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Sharapova publicity shun – diva or justifiable?
Created 6th May 2008 @ 17:33
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Tennis ace Maria Sharapova is furious that the WTA has threatened to fine her $300,000 if she does not do a publicity shoot in Rome ahead of the Italian Open after flying in from Los Angeles.
”I want all my fans to know that the WTA Tour is forcing me and several of the other top players to do a four-hour commercial shoot for WTA Tour marketing materials,” Sharapova told her website.
”They want me to do this shoot on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday of the Rome tournament after flying 12 hours from LA. To be honest, I would love to do this and help promote the tour as much as possible, but to force me to do this shoot the day before a Tier I tournament is just not right.”
The WTA insists that players are aware of heir tour obligations.
What do you think? Is Sharapova being a diva or are her concerns justified?
I actually think Sharapova has a fair point here. While I am not denying she usually isn’t afraid of the camera, the day before a big tournament i dont think she should be made to take part in promo shoots when quite rightly she should be concentrating on her upcoming matches.
Just because on occasion she chooses to use her looks and fame to further her career, this should not then be held against her when she is actually focusing on her sport.
I’ve got to go with Ruth on this one, she is a professional tennis player and although she should expect to do some publicity for the tour, a shoot in the days leading up to an important match is over and beyond the call of duty in my opinion. Her top priority is to win games and if she feels doing this shoot will impede her, she is right to voice her objections.
Here more than anywhere I expected you see through the hype – this is not about sport versus divadom; this is about freeing yourself from female serfdom. Sure, Maria Sharapova got where she is because of her talents combined with the organisational skills and marketing of the WTA. However, now she is arguably bigger than the sport she is in and so no longer is willing to be the WTA’s wage slave. Now independently wealthy, she can tell the WTA where to stuff it. Lack of financial independence has held woman back for all history and now a woman’s forum calls her a “Diva” for winning economic suffrage. Shame on you. Get out your Simone de Beauvoir.
Think Sharapova has a point in saying she doesn’t agree with doing the shoot. I know she does do a lot of publicity stuff but she doesn’t put it before her tennis and she’s entitled to do it outside her work. But the day before a big tournament? Definately not being a diva, she just doesn’t want anything to get in the way of her preparation. Come on Maria!
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