BNP Paribas USA and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy launch "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1" in New York

INDIAN WELLS, Calif., March 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

• BNP Paribas and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy join forces to give young deserving American tennis players equal opportunities and the best chance of reaching the highest levels of competition.
• The new program will be comprised of 10 young players - boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 17 ? selected and trained under the direct supervision of Patrick and John McEnroe.
• This new team expands on "BNP Paribas Young Talent Team" launched by BNP Paribas in May 2018 with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and the French Tennis Federation and the "BNP Paribas Kids Fête le Mur Team" partnership announced March 15 with Yannick Noah.

BNP Paribas, a dedicated partner to world tennis since 1973 with engagement to the younger generation a main component of its core policy, has decided to show further initiative by training young players who embody the future of tennis. Together with the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA), BNP Paribas launches "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1" to help the most promising and deserving young American talents to reach the next level. This program builds on initiatives announced last year with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Yannick Noah March 15.

Starting September 2019 and backed by an operating budget of $500,000 during its first full year ? with additional support from the Johnny Mac Tennis Project (JMTP) and with matching underwriting support from Sportime LLC ? the "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1" program will be able to provide year-round training and coaching to American hopefuls. The program will take place at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall's Island in New York City and will be under the direct supervision of Patrick and John McEnroe.

"Team BNP Paribas Mac 1" members will be supported in their on and off court training as they progress to new and greater heights:

• Financial assistance to allow intensive training and access to local, national and international competition;
• Personal assistance in preparing for the demands of collegiate and professional tennis, including image management, educational success, literacy, life-skills and more.

Patrick McEnroe, Co-Director of JMTA and President of JMTP, said: "This program will address a major challenge to many young American tennis hopefuls, especially those in the greater NYC area with the cost of their training, which adds up to tens of thousands of dollars each year."

John McEnroe, Co-Founder of JMTA and JMTP and Mentor of the "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1", explains: "The major goal of ?Team BNP Paribas Mac 1' will be to find and support young American players who do not have the personal or financial resources to train or compete with the best in the world."

Jean-Yves Fillion, CEO of BNP Paribas USA and Chairman of CIB Americas, said: "BNP Paribas has a long and dedicated history of supporting all types of tennis programs around the world, including those which help young New York City area boys and girls fulfill their potential and become world class tennis players, such as our ?CityParks Tennis' program. We are excited to be working with John and Patrick McEnroe and the JMTA again."

Players will be recruited from among the most talented students currently enrolled in the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, through ongoing cooperation with the City Parks Foundation, with other tennis charities, and through an open talent search, including a well-publicized public try out in the spring of 2019, with annual try outs thereafter.

Participants will be selected between now and September 2019 on the basis of both tennis and athletic criteria (results and future potential), and more general and ethical criteria, including attitude, team-involvement and academic outcomes.

Means testing will be part of the application process through which "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1" players will be chosen by a Selection Committee made up of:

• John McEnroe, Co-Founder of JMTA and JMTP and Mentor of the "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1";
• Patrick McEnroe, President of JMTP and Co-Director of JMTA; and Lead Coach for the "Team BNP Paribas Mac 1";
• Jordan Botjer, Executive Director of JMTP;
• Caryn Epstein, Head of Events, Corporate Partnerships & Philanthropic Initiatives Americas at BNP Paribas

Members of the team will receive support for one year, be aged between 11-14 years old on entry to the program, and will receive support for one year, renewable annually at the discretion of the Selection Committee up to a maximum of 3 years.

PRESS CONTACTS:

BNP Paribas
Guy Taylor +1 917 767 1593 ? [email protected] 
Floriane Ettwiller +33 (0)7 62 27 48 34 ? [email protected]

John McEnroe Tennis Academy / Johnny Mac Tennis Project / Sportime
Jordan Botjer +1 212 427 6150 ? [email protected]
Bennett Schlansky +1 212 427 6150 ? [email protected]

NOTES TO EDITORS

About BNP Paribas and tennis 

BNP Paribas is today the number one partner to tennis worldwide, with a commitment unrivaled in sport, which goes back all the way to 1973. The Group's support covers all levels and dimensions of the game all over the world, including singles, doubles, team tennis, wheelchair tennis and family tennis, ranging from beginners' training to the top professional tournaments.

• Professional Tennis: Official sponsor of the French Open at Roland Garros; title sponsor of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas; title sponsor of 2 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments ? BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (Italian Open) in Rome; partner to the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, Open 13 (Marseille), Open Parc de Lyon, the BGL BNP Paribas Luxembourg Open, the Fever-Tree Championships (Queen's Club, London) and the European Open (Antwerp);
• Wheelchair Tennis: BNP Paribas Open de France; BNP Paribas World Team Cup;
• Junior & University Tennis and Academies: The Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas; the Master'U BNP Paribas;
• Amateur Tennis: Sponsor of the BNP Paribas Family Trophy; also providing support to over 1,000 amateur tournaments around the world through partnerships with more than 20 national tennis federations; also working with dozens of tennis-based charities.
• Young generations programs: ?Team BNP Paribas Mac 1' with John and Patrick McEnroe, BNP Paribas Young Talent Team, mentored by French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in association with the FFT, ?BNP Paribas Kids Fête le Mur Team' within French player Yannick Noah's charity organization ?Fête le Mur'.

Having entered into all these partnerships, BNP Paribas set up a program in 2011 called We Are Tennis, whose purpose is to promote interest in the game of tennis all over the world. The wearetennis.com website and its social network accounts bring together a community of tennis lovers and dedicated fans from all continents who are keen to obtain the latest news from the Tour. Furthermore, in 2015 BNP Paribas created the We Are Tennis Fan Academy, which enables fans to express their passion for tennis as never before.

About the John McEnroe Tennis Academy

In September 2010, tennis legend John McEnroe and Sportime partnered to launch the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in John's hometown of New York City at the Sportime Randall's Island Tennis Center in Manhattan. Sportime Randall's Island is Sportime's flagship location and the flagship location of the Academy. In September 2012, JMTA expanded to Sportime Lake Isle, an 8-court, state-of-the art, year-round facility in lower Westchester, and to Sportime Syosset in central Long Island, an 11-court indoor facility that has long served as Sportime's high performance training center on Long Island. In 2015, JMTA Summer Tennis Training was added in the Hamptons at Sportime Amagansett, Sportime's 34-court, seasonal, outdoor tennis facility in the Town of East Hampton. With the satellite locations, the JMTA brand currently covers 4 sites with a total of 73 tennis courts, serving approximately 1,500 players annually. Learn more: www.jmta.com.

John's passion and belief is that great players can be developed in urban settings, while still having the opportunity to live at home, pursue their educational goals, and participate in a variety of sports and extracurricular activities. The Academy works to recruit the most talented and the most highly motivated young athletes in the New York Metropolitan area and beyond. Inspired by the vision and daily presence of Johnny Mac, under the guidance of JMTA Managing Director, Bennett Schlansky, executed daily by Co-Directors Patrick McEnroe and Lawrence Kleger, and featuring an international staff of tennis, athletic training and performance directors and coaches, JMTA delivers a complete on and off-court training program, including mental toughness, sports vision training, video analytics and more, designed to assure the best possible outcome for serious junior players. JMTA's youngest students, who train with red and orange balls on 36' and 60' courts, participate in cutting-edge Mac Red and Mac Orange programs designed by world-renowned U-10 visionary Mike Barrell of Evolve 9, and executed by Sportime/JMTA's expert U-10 directors and coaches.

About the Johnny Mac Tennis Project

The Johnny Mac Tennis Project (JMTP) changes young lives by removing the economic and social barriers to success through tennis. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, JMTP introduces the sport of tennis as a life-long health, fitness and social activity to thousands of under-resourced New York City area kids, particularly those living in East Harlem and the South Bronx, two communities immediately adjacent to its base at Sportime Randall's Island. For a smaller group of dedicated young athletes, JMTP provides a pathway to success through competitive tennis, leading to college scholarships, careers in the industry, and, for a few, professional tennis careers and, perhaps, Grand Slam titles. Learn more: www.jmtpny.org.

About Sportime Clubs 

Since 1994, Sportime has been proud to operate the finest tennis facilities in New York State. Sportime locations currently offer over 150 indoor and outdoor tennis courts at 13 sites across Long Island, in NYC, in Westchester and in the NY Capital Region. Sportime clubs are state-of-the-art, yet affordable, and feature the best tennis, fitness and turf and rink sports facilities, and programs, including the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and Sportime Volleyball Club elite volleyball training, serving individuals of every age and athletic ability, 365 days a year. Learn more: www.sportimeny.com.