Industry News

Information to help you run your business.

Cardio Tennis Program Rolls Out to Industry

After eight months of research and playtesting, Cardio Tennis is rolling out to the tennis industry. The TIA is encouraging tennis facilities and pros to apply at www.Partners.CardioTennis.com to be an official Cardio Tennis site.

Cardio Tennis is a new nationwide program that features a fun, group activity with drills on court designed to give players of all abilities a high-energy workout. The consumer rollout is expected in the second half of 2005.

“We analyzed existing programs, tried new drills, did playtests with players wearing heart-rate monitors, and have come up with a format that delivers heart-pumping fitness,” says TIA President Jim Baugh. “If Americans want to find a great new way to get in shape and burn calories, they must try Cardio Tennis.”

“The new Cardio Tennis DVD is just what our industry needs,” says Dino Bondallian of Hawaii, who, with his wife Donnia, is one of the original architects of the aerobic style of tennis. “It will help every pro and facility operator see this big opportunity, and learn how to do it right.”

By June, the TIA hopes to have 1,000 “quality sites” signed on to the program. “We want all Cardio Tennis sites to go through a multi-step process to ensure we deliver this program properly,” says Baugh. “This is really a fitness activity. While people are playing tennis, we must deliver a great cardio workout.”

In related news, the TIA has hired Michele Krause as the business manager for Cardio Tennis. Krause, who is the director of tennis at the Punta Gorda Club for Tennis and Fitness in Punta Gorda, Fla., was chosen from a list of more than 100 candidates.

“I loved Michele’s passion for Cardio Tennis, tennis and fitness overall,” says Baugh. “She is a successful teaching professional and club operator, knows the fitness world, and has the sales and marketing skills I was looking for.”

Krause helped develop a state-of-the-art tennis and fitness facility at Punta Gorda and has been dedicated to fitness and strength training for more than five years. She’s been involved in “figure competition,” a professional sports discipline with an emphasis on aesthetics/beauty combined with an athletic physique. In addition, she runs a successful tennis aerobic and fitness program similar to Cardio Tennis.

“Cardio Tennis is a huge idea,” says Krause. “We need quality programs throughout the U.S., all giving the consumer a new, fun, fitness activity. We can grow tennis participation and business for our pros and facilities at the same time.”

For more information on Cardio Tennis, visit Partners.CardioTennis.com, call the TIA at 843-686-3036 or e-mail info@tennisindustry.org.

How to Become a Cardio Tennis Site

Contact the TIA (843-686-3036) or visit PartnersCardioTennis.com to receive a personalized Cardio Tennis DVD.
View the entire 40-minute DVD.
Write down the I.D. number that will appear at the end of the DVD, then go to www.Partners.CardioTennis.com/apply and fill out the site application.
You’ll be asked a few questions, which you must answer correctly. The answers are on the website and DVD.
Once approved, the TIA will call to verify data and send you a Cardio Tennis Site Kit, which contains an educational DVD for staff, a banner, heart-rate monitor map poster, promotional counter card, talking points, info on ordering music and Polar heart rate monitors, ad slicks, fliers, and more.

Penn Donates $50,000 To Aid Tsunami Victims

Penn Racquet Sports donated $50,000 to “Ellen’s Tsunami Relief Fund,” which will benefit UNICEF and The American Red Cross, during the Jan. 25 broadcast of the “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The popular talk show featured a visit by rising ATP star Taylor Dent and Kevin Kempin, vice president of Penn Racquet Sports Worldwide.

During the show, Dent and Kempin sat in DeGeneres’s “Luxury Box,” where they presented Ellen with an oversized check. They also presented the host with an autographed oversized Penn Racquet Sports ball and a racquet signed by Andre Agassi. The ball — autographed by Dent, Jim Courier and Roger Federer — and racquet will be auctioned on Ebay to raise additional funds for the relief efforts.

In other fund-raising efforts for tsunami victims, Jim McIngvale of Houston teamed with Jim Courier’s company, Inside Out Sports Entertainment, to put on an event at the end of January in Houston which featured Courier, John McEnroe, Anna Kournikova, Andy Roddick, and Chris Evert.

Also, pro players at tournaments early in the year, including at the Australian Open, donated money to the relief efforts. Carlos Moya donated his $52,000 winner’s check from the Chennai tournament in India, a country hit by the tsunami, Maria Sharapova gave $10,000, and Lindsay Davenport donated an undisclosed amount.

ASBA Elects New Officers and Directors

David Marsden, a Certified Tennis Court Builder with Boston Tennis Court Construction Co. of Hanover, Mass., was re-elected as chairman of the American Sports Builders Association. The ASBA (formerly the U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders Association) recently announced election results of its new officers and directors.

Marsden (right) is a longtime active member of the ASBA and has served multiple terms as Tennis Division president. Other officers and directors are:

George Todd Jr. as the ASBA’s new secretary-treasurer. Todd is a CTCB and president of Welch Tennis Courts in Sun City, Fla.
Alex Levitsky as the new president of the Professional Division. Levitsky is principal of Global Sports & Tennis Design Group.
Brion Rittenberry, re-elected as president of the Indoor Division. Rittenberry is president and CEO of Kiefer Specialty Flooring Inc. of Zion, Ill.
Sam Fisher as the new president of the Track Division. Fisher is a Certified Track Builder and president of Fisher Tracks Inc. of Boone, Iowa.

New to the ASBA’s board of directors is Randy Futty, the national sales manager for Lee Tennis of Charlottesville, Va., who joins as an elected representative of the Associate/Affiliate Division. Also new on the board is Mike Vinton, CTCB, of Vasco Asphalt, who will represent the Builders Division.

Remaining on the board of directors are Associate/Affiliate Division President Bruce Frasure of LSI Courtsider Sports Lighting of Cincinnati; Tennis Division President Gerry Wright, CTCB, of Court One in Raleigh, N.C.; and board members Ron Nemeth, CTB, of Conica Technik, New Port Richey, Fla.; David Nielsen of Leslie Coatings Inc. of Indianapolis; Gerald Perry, CTCB, of Gerald Perry Tennis Courts of Springfield, Mo.; and John Schedler, CTB, of FieldTurf Mid-America of St. Louis.

Universal Cooler Stand

Advantage Tennis Supply’s new Universal Cooler Stand adds the convenience of a water fountain without having to dig up your courts. The stand holds any size and any style of cooler. It’s unique powder-coated wire top adjusts from 11 to 20 inches in diameter, allowing it to hold any size beverage cooler as well as a square-based ice chest. The system shown at left includes the Advantage Court Keeper Basket, and Igloo cooler (different Igloo choices are available). The cooler stand, in either black or green, retails for $120. For more information, call 800-476-5432 or visit advantagetennissupply.com.

New: The Winner’s Mind

New from Dr. Allen Fox is the book “The Winner’s Mind: A Competitor’s Guide to Sports and Business Success,” published by Racquet Tech Publishing, an imprint of the USRSA. Jam-packed with tennis examples and anecdotes, this book offers analysis of what makes a winner tick, both in the athletic arena and in business. Fox offers up a prescription for success that includes using intellect to conquer emotions that make you lose, avoiding achievement limits, overpowering fears of failure, setting and achieving goals, controlling your competitive destiny, expanding your capacity for work, and much more. For more information or to order ($15.95 for USRSA members; $17.95 for nonmembers), visit usrsa.com.

Short Sets

Tecnifibre has re-signed twins Bob and Mike Bryan to a two-year extension of their contract for 2005 and 2006. The brothers have used the Tecnifibre NRG2 multi-filament string since 2001. For information on the company, visit www.tecnifibre.com.
The U.S. Davis Cup team, captained by Patrick McEnroe, will meet Croatia in the first round of the 2005 Davis Cup March 4 to 6 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Expected to play for the U.S. are Andy Roddick and Mike and Bob Bryan. Tickets, which range from $90 to $375 for the three-day series, are available by calling 888-484-USTA.
Olympus is expanding its partnership with the USTA and will now be the official camera of the US Open and the US Open Series, which is the eight-week summer tennis season that links 10 tournaments to the US Open. The four-year deal also designates Olympus as the official binocular and official photo image storage and image printing sponsor of the Open.
The U.S. Fed Cup team will host Belgium in the quarterfinals April 23 to 24 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Fla. Top player Lindsay Davenport has committed to play the match. Tickets can be purchased by calling 888-334-USTA.
The WTA Tour has announced a landmark six-year, $88 million global sponsorship that makes Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications the worldwide title sponsor of the tour, which will be renamed the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The deal is the largest and most comprehensive sponsorship in the history of tennis and of women’s professional sport.
The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation awarded 40 grants to programs across the country in 2004, totaling $785,000. The grant awards ranged from $5,000 to $50,000. Combined with scholarship awards, the Foundation disbursed about $1 million last year.
The Brickell Tennis Club, a state-of-the-art facility in downtown Miami, opened in December with a party and tennis exhibition matches, featuring Butch Buchholz, Harold Solomon, Fred Stolle, Cliff Drysdale, Jay Berger and top young pro Brian Baker. The club has seven hydro-clay courts.
The USTA Southern Section has signed BMW of North America as title sponsor of Combo Doubles for the USTA Southern Section and USA Tennis Florida. The deal runs through Jan. 31, 2007. BMW’s Mini Cooper brand will be an Official Sponsor of the USTA Southern Section and USA Tennis Florida Combo Doubles Program.
The USTA has acquired a 25 percent stake in the JPMorgan Chase Open and now has an option to buy majority control of the women’s event. The $85,000 tournament, which was one of the 10 events comprising the inaugural US Open Series in 2004, will be the week of Aug. 8 in Los Angeles.

Tecnifibre Launches Racquets for U.S.

Tecnifibre USA is launching two series of tennis racquets into the U.S. market. The frames will be available March 1.

The company says the T-Fight series of two racquets (325 and 315) is for hard-hitting baseliners and the T-Feel series of four frames (305, 305XL, 290XL, 275XL) is for all-court players. The racquets will carry suggested retail prices from $170 to $190.

“Three are global racquets that have had very strong sales in Europe and Asia during the past summer and fall, and three models were developed specifically for the U.S. market,” says Paul Kid, Tecnifibre USA’s sales and marketing manager.

In January, Tecnifibre signed world No. 26 player Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina to a three-year contract to use the T-Feel 305 racquet.

For more information, visit tecnifibre.com or call 877-332-0825.

PTR Sponsors Special Olympics Championships

The Sixth Annual Special Olympics Tennis Championships, hosted by the Professional Tennis Registry, will be March 14 to 16 at the Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C. In the past, the three-day event has attracted more than 100 athletes from 10 states and four countries.

Officials from the Special Olympics and the USTA will attend the event, and an exhibition match with former ATP Tour players will follow the opening ceremony. The event will also feature training for coaches, two days of competition, a dinner dance, and medal presentations.

“This is one of the most rewarding things I do,” says Dennis Van der Meer, PTR founder and president. The PTR has more than 11,000 members in 122 countries. For more information, contact Julie Jilly at 843-785-7244, e-mail ptr@ptrtennis.org, or visit specialolympics.org.

USTA Foundation Offers Paver Donation Project

The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation is giving tennis enthusiasts the chance to leave their mark on the USTA National Tennis Center — home of the US Open — and make a difference in a child’s life.

The foundation is spearheading an “Avenue of Aces” paver project, the proceeds from which will fund college scholarships and the development of after-school, mentoring, literacy and tennis programs for at-risk children across the country. The Avenue of Aces will be located between the tennis center’s East Gate entrance and Arthur Ashe Stadium.

From March 1 through June 30, 2005, USTA members can purchase an 8-by-8-inch Brick Paver for a $750 donation — a 25 percent discount off the $1,000 price. Also available are 8-by-16-inch pavers in cast aluminum for a $5,000 donation; $2,500 for cast bronze. Pavers in the prestigious Founder’s Court, measuring 16 by 16 inches, are $25,000 in cast aluminum and $15,000 in cast bronze. Pavers purchased by July 1 will be in place at the 2005 US Open. The donations are tax-deductible.

For more information, contact the USTA T&EF at 914-696-7223 or e-mail foundation@usta.com.

Prince Pink String Aids Fight Against Breast Cancer

In support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the quest to find a cure for breast cancer, Prince Tennis has unveiled a special edition Lightning XX Pink racquet string. Through February 2006, Prince will donate 15 percent of the wholesale price for each Lightning XX Pink string package sold to a retailer to the Komen Foundation. “Physical activity is a major factor in lowering a woman’s risk for breast cancer, and we feel that the Lightning XX Pink string will be a great way for tennis enthusiasts to show their support of the Foundation and its efforts while also protecting their own health and well being,” says Linda Glassel, vice president of marketing and communications at Prince.

Peoplewatch

Jon Muir has been promoted to U.S. director of sales and marketing for Wilson Racquet Sports. Muir, who was the company’s U.S. director of marketing and promotions, has been with Wilson for seven years. In other Wilson moves, Jim Burda is the new U.S. promotions manager. Burda, the founder of Racquets for Life, a family racquets consulting, education, and publishing firm involved in tennis retail management at several clubs, has more than 18 years experience in the tennis industry.
Megan Costello is the new communications manager at HEAD Penn Racquet Sports, where she will be responsible for all marketing and communications programs, including public relations and advertising for HEAD Penn racquets, balls, and accessories. Prior to joining Head, Costello was the marketing manager for the tennis division of Völkl.
Jim Courier, Yannick Noah, Jana Novotna, and Butch Buchholz will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July. The ceremony coincides with the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, played at the Newport Casino in Newport, R.I., July 4 to 10.

Serena Williams Wins with Wilson’s nCode

Serena Williams captured her seventh Grand Slam using the new Wilson n3 nCode racquet, which she switched to just before playing in the Australian Open. The championship match between Williams and Lindsay Davenport showcased two of Wilson’s nCode frames. Davenport is using the nTour.

Venus Williams also is playing with an nCode model, which is due out in the summer of 2005, says Wilson. Both Williams sisters had been testing the frames since their debut last summer, says the company. Serena’s n3 is the first frame on the pro tour that incorporates the nCode process with what Wilson calls “volcanic geometry” and the new Triad technology.

Also playing with Wilson’s nCode frames are twins Bob and Mike Bryan, who made it to the men’s doubles final at the Australian Open this year.

Wilson’s nCode racquets feature an exclusive nanotechnology process in which nano-sized silicon dioxide crystals permeate the voids between carbon fibers, reinforcing the molecular structure of the frame. The nCode technology offers increased strength and playability and has been Wilson’s most comprehensive racquet launch in years, says the company. For information, visit wilsontennis.com.

Ashaway Introduces Squash Footwear Line

Ashaway Racket Strings has introduced a new line of shoes for squash players. The Ashaway AST family of shoes features “Anatomic System Technology,” which the company says allows the shoes to mold to the natural shape of the foot, increasing comfort and stability and reducing fatigue.

We work closely with squash players, from top professionals to those who play recreationally, and across the board they have asked us to extend our squash line into footwear and accessories,” says Steven Crandall, vice president of marketing for Ashaway.

For more information, contact 800-556-7260 or visit ashawayusa.com.