“Why fix something that isn’t broken,” Laver Cup chiefs evaluate future plans and venues

Key Takeaways

• Organizers Tony Godsick and Steve Zacks reiterated their commitment to remaining an exclusively ATP-focused event, asking, “Why fix something that isn’t broken?” while pointing to existing mixed tournaments.
• The competition will celebrate its 10th edition in Los Angeles in 2027, continuing a trend where every non-European host city has been located in North America.
• While tournament leadership acknowledged that “we would love to bring the Laver Cup to Africa and South America,” finding indoor venues that satisfy capacity needs and suit their 25 sponsors remains a major hurdle.

Men’s format remains unchanged amid calls for expansion

The Laver Cup has established itself as an essential stop on the ATP calendar, drawing headline talents such as Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev on a regular basis. Despite ongoing discussion about the evolution of the competition, organizers have made it clear that they will not alter the fundamental framework to incorporate a women’s division.

Tony Godsick, Roger Federer’s longtime agent, alongside tournament CEO Steve Zacks, addressed the event’s trajectory during media discussions. The leadership team shut down the concept of adopting a mixed team structure. “Why fix something that isn’t broken? This is a men’s event, but there are already mixed competitions and joint tournaments. We have the United Cup, the Hopman Cup, and World TeamTennis. The mixed format already exists,” the tournament leadership explained.

Rather than revamping what works, the tournament intends to prioritize quality and presentation. “We can keep introducing small changes while innovating, but we are not thinking about changing the format or the composition of the teams. There are always aspects that can be improved. We are obsessed with details and providing an extraordinary experience for players, fans, and the media.”

The primary target remains firmly tied to the ATP tour, aiming to bring in fresh faces alongside the sport’s biggest attractions. “We want to get closer to the ATP circuit, something we have already achieved to some extent. We also want to attract players who have not yet participated and get them to come. We want to present the tennis players in an environment that isn’t typically seen in other tournaments. We do not intend to replace what already exists but to bring something different.”

Global ambitions face venue and sponsor hurdles

While the competition alternates each year between Europe and the rest of the world, every non-European edition to date has been staged in North America. After stops across the United States and Canada, the event is scheduled to return to London in 2026 before traveling to Los Angeles in 2027 for its 10th edition.

Organizers are using the milestone to assess where the event goes next. “As we approach our tenth anniversary, we are exploring different options for the future. We want to modernise what we do, maintain interaction with fans, and find locations where there is a need for tennis,” the chiefs stated. “It is a good time to step back and analyse where we have been and where we want to go as an event, beyond the location. That is what we are doing. The interesting thing is that the project is quite flexible. When we think about what comes after Los Angeles, we have many options on the table, and we are evaluating them.”

Branching out to other continents like South America and Africa remains a long-term goal, though significant logistical challenges have prevented it so far. “When we launched the competition, we said we wanted to travel to places all over the world. We didn’t realise everything we needed in a venue. We were not sports venue experts and had to work with a group that helped us acquire that knowledge,” organizers admitted.

Meeting operational requirements while satisfying key stakeholders remains a difficult balance. “It is very difficult to find facilities that have the necessary number of seats and are located in a city or country where our sponsors want to be. Currently, we have 25 sponsors, so there are many voices indicating where and when they would like us to go. There are countless factors we had not anticipated when conceiving the project.”

Still, event leaders remain optimistic about overcoming those barriers down the road. “In any event or project, you have to innovate, change, and adapt. That is what we are doing. We would love to bring the Laver Cup to Africa and South America, but we need to find a covered venue that can host the tournament for a certain period and meets all specifications.”