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Hitching a Ride

By Peter Francesconi

You’re probably seeing it everywhere: Tennis on TV. Tennis in the movies. Tennis in popular magazines. Tennis in commercials and advertisements.

In fact, the crowning achievement may have been last fall, when Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek revealed the “Final Jeopardy!” answer: “In 2006, the National Tennis Center in New York was renamed in her honor.” Two of the three celebrity contestants — talk-show host Regis Philbin and fashion maven Carson Kressley — came up with the correct question: “Who is Billie Jean King?”

Tennis — the pro game, the recreational game, the players, the appeal of it all — is now playing in a media venue near you. (For more on this, read “Tennis Is Everywhere” in the January/February 2007 issue of USTA Magazine.) And that’s great for your business. As tennis becomes more and more entwined into popular culture via TV, movies, and magazines, your business becomes a hotbed of activity for people looking for the special benefits the sport can provide.

Of course, the USTA, TIA, teaching pro organizations, manufacturers, and others have been continuing their part in helping the sport’s popularity. Recent studies show that more new people than ever are trying tennis, there’s been a significant increase in lapsed players coming back to the sport, and league play is at an all-time high, and growing steadily. And importantly, we’re enjoying two straight years of growth in equipment sales.

But the word is out about tennis. Non-tennis media and advertising agencies have been using the sport as a way to reach readers, viewers, and consumers — plowing the road, so to speak, with tennis. Now, you can drive your business ahead by reaching and expanding your customer base.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the February 2007 issue
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