The ASB men's tennis Classic will have the strongest field in its history in January - and could get bigger in years to come.
Despite being geographically challenged, and not having the financial muscle of other competing events on the calendar, a concentrated campaign to "win over the locker room" has paid big dividends in recent years.
Next year's tournament features nine players ranked inside the top 30 in the world and a main draw cut off of 56.
Yesterday South African Kevin Anderson (world No 12) and Frenchman Benoit Paire (19) were unveiled, joining previously announced Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (10) and John Isner (11) as a quartet inside the top 20.
Rounding out the seeds are Fabio Fognini (21), Ivo Karlovic (23), Roberto Bautista Agut (25) and Jack Sock (26). Four-time champion David Ferrer (7) is also a wildcard possibility, depending on his performance in the preceding week in Doha.
There is always a degree of hyperbole around these announcements but the quality of this field speaks for itself, highlighted by the overall depth. It means players like Sam Querrey (2009 finalist) and Jerzy Janowciz (former Grand Slam semifinalist) miss the cut while perennial Auckland achiever Phillip Kohlschreiber (34) wasn't close to being seeded.
And just like this year, Auckland has assembled a stronger roster than the competing Sydney event, despite the logistical and financial advantages the Australian tournament has.
So how has this been achieved, at a time when player appearance fees have never been higher and their event options across each week of the calendar continually increase?
"It's not a 12-month thing," said tournament director Karl Budge. "It's been a process year after year, building relationships, building credibility and ultimately winning that dressing room over.
"Once you have the reputation of being a fantastic place to prepare for the Australian Open, once you win over the locker room it makes the conversations with players and agents that much easier."
Budge runs a player-centred operation which has paid dividends over the last two years, with exceptionally strong fields (though the 2015 event was marred by withdrawals).
"We try to learn from the best tournaments," he said. "It's been tough to pry people away from Sydney and Kooyong but that was my goal - that if all things were equal players would start their year in Auckland."
The redevelopment of the ASB Tennis centre - with significantly enhanced player facilities - has helped, though often it is the simple things that resonate.
"Having access to practice courts exactly when they want them, playing when they want to play, a few extra cans of tennis balls - it's about enabling players to do their job to the best of their ability," Budge said.
Some extra frills help too. For the 2016 tournament Tennis Auckland have sunk tens of thousands into a new restaurant in the players' lounge with chefs cooking meals on demand, rather than the traditional buffet operation.
Budge predicts that the tournament will get stronger in the coming years, especially with ASB locked in across the fortnight for the next five years.
"We were voted best international tournament last year so our reputation in already there", said Budge. "And we have a lot of corporate support behind us. Fields are always tricky to predict, but there is no reason why we won't continue to grow."
