Exonian Profiles
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Tennis Anyone? WTA Head Bart McGuire ’59
Matches a Love of the Law with Love of the Game
What do law and tennis have in common? Normally not much, but for Bart McGuire ’59, these two things have opened up a profession he never imagined. McGuire is now entering his second year as CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association, which has become the number one international women’s sports organization in terms of revenue. McGuire and his wife, Cindy, now split time between Wilton, CT, and Bend, OR, where they have houses. McGuire attended Columbia Law School after graduating from Princeton and joined the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell in 1972. He became a partner two years later. While working at the firm, McGuire started going the WTA Tour Board meetings and became increasingly involved, serving as a legal and business adviser. In the mid-1980s, the WTA named him their legal counselor, after the men’s tour had legal difficulties. When the Tour head position became available again, McGuire seemed like a natural candidate. “There were a lot of sensitive issues that nobody wanted to deal with. The Tour wanted to bring in an outside person who knew the organization well. I happened to fit that description,” he says. Since taking over, McGuire has accomplished a lot. In February 1998, he settled a sensitive conflict between players. Two months later, he restructured the Tour’s board. In May, he signed a deal with a film company, increasing the WTAs television coverage. McGuire’s long term goal is to increase interest in women’s tennis as much as possible by, as he says, “portraying the players as high-accomplishment people who happen to be strong in athletics, and to make tennis the first sport in which women receive revenues consummate with their value.” Is he a player himself? Yes. Since becoming head of the WTA, he has played much more tennis. His most competitive sport, however, is squash. He has won the Canadian age-group doubles title in squash two times, and has been a finalist at the US Nationals three times. McGuire says that his days at Exeter prepared him well for his professional career. “More than anything, Exeter teaches you to think and work close to your capabilities. It makes you open to people and to doing things. I owe a tremendous deal to the school:’ —Jeff Myers |
