Bill Ackman Pledges $10 Million Gift To Hall Of Fame After His Disastrous Professional Debut — And Will Manage It For Free

Hedge-fund billionaire Bill Ackman pledged a $10 million endowment to the International Tennis Hall of Fame days after his heavily panned pro-doubles debut, saying the fund will pay the organization 5% annually and that he will manage it for free.

What Happened: In a lengthy X post titled "My last post on the International Hall of Fame Tennisgate," Ackman insisted the gift was not a quid pro quo for the wildcard that let him partner former world No. 8 Jack Sock in last week's Hall of Fame Open. "The HOF asked me for nothing and I made no commitments," he wrote, rejecting what he called "bribe" accusations.

“An investment in Pershing Square without fees over the last 21 years has generated a 56-fold return so if we continue to do a good job, the HOF will be able to dramatically expand its mission over time,” Ackman added.

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Ackman said he had donated in the past but not recently and asserted that critics misunderstood how tournament directors award wildcards. “I am not the first non-pro to get a wildcard in a pro event by a long shot,” he wrote.

Why It Matters: The backlash was swift after Ackman and Sock lost 6-1, 7-5 to Australians Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika, a match former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick called "the biggest joke I've ever watched in professional tennis.” Former world number 1, Martina Navratilova and veteran journalist Jon Wertheim likewise questioned whether the slot should have gone to a lower-ranked pro chasing points and prize money.

Ackman blamed his shaky play on the opponents’ "holding back," which he said gave him "too much time to think." He acknowledged stage fright and admitted that the nerves of performing in a tournament with more stringent rules, like a “shot clock,” got to him.

The match drew a near sell-out crowd in Newport but triggered social-media scorn that threatened to overshadow the ATP-WTA 125 event's push for equal prize money next season. Tournament organizers have not indicated whether celebrity wildcards will return in 2026.

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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.