News

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC — There are countless great stories that can be told about tennis—and about those who play, teach, organize, sponsor and promote the game. To help bring more of these stories to light, the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) will be working together to give tennis a boost.

TIA will present an annual award — the “Tennis Media Award” — to an NSSA member (either a sportswriter or sportscaster) who produces a story (print, web, or broadcast) judged to be the most informative, interesting, and compelling about the sport of tennis or those involved in the sport. The story or broadcast can be about any aspect of recreational play, for instance 10-and-Under Tennis, Cardio Tennis, the PlayTennis.com website, school tennis, league play, the health benefits of tennis, etc.

Story entries will be accepted starting immediately. The Tennis Media Award will be presented June 7-9, 2014, at the 55th annual NSSA Awards Weekend in Salisbury, N.C. The winner and a guest will be flown to the NSSA event and formally recognized by his or her peers. The winner will also receive a $1,000 check for his or her professional efforts.

To be eligible for the inaugural Tennis Media Award, stories must be published or broadcast between January 1, 2013, and March 15, 2014. The deadline for submitting entries is March 15, 2014, and the winner will be notified by April 15, 2014.

For print entries, send a web link to the story or attach a low-res pdf. For web entries, send a link to the story. For broadcast entries, a web link is preferred, or an mp3, mp4 or other similar attachment. Send entries to the TIA to [email protected] or mail to TIA, P.O. Box 7845, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 or fax to 843-686-3078.

“We’re excited that the Tennis Industry Association is offering this annual award opportunity to NSSA-member sportswriters and sportscasters,” said NSSA Executive Director Dave Goren. “I’m certain our engaged and talented membership will produce many stories for the TIA to consider that will educate and inform the general public about the many positive aspects of playing tennis.”

“The TIA is pleased that our partnership with NSSA and its members will help spotlight recreational tennis and the ongoing efforts to get people playing and enjoying the sport more frequently,” said TIA President Greg Mason.

“Having NSSA members give recreational tennis a push through their stories and broadcasts will help spread the word about this great sport and its benefits, both for adults and children,” added TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. “For the media, there are many storylines in tennis that can involve players of all ages and abilities. We look forward to seeing more stories about tennis from NSSA members, but we also want members to know that the TIA is the main source for all types of tennis information and research that can help in their coverage of the sport.”

For questions about the Tennis Media Award program, contact NSSA’s Dave Goren ([email protected]) or the TIA’s Jolyn de Boer ([email protected]).

About the NSSA

The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association consists of more than 1,000 leading sportscasters and sportswriters from around the United States. More than 90 sports media legends have been inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame, which began in 1962 with the induction of Grantland Rice. The NSSA is the largest and oldest professional organization in the U.S. dedicated to the crafts of sportscasting and sportswriting and is the point organization for AIPS.

About the TIA

The Tennis Industry Association, the not-for-profit trade association for tennis, is THE unifying force in the tennis industry whose mission is to promote the growth and economic vitality of tennis by working closely with the U.S. Tennis Association and industry partners to develop and implement initiatives to increase tennis participation and improve the health of industry businesses. Core TIA activities include producing more than 70 research reports annually on participation and consumer/trade research, in addition to Grow the Game Initiatives such as PlayTennis.com, 10 and Under Tennis, the GrowingTennis System™, Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, Careers in Tennis and Tennis Tune-Up Campaign. Visit TennisIndustry.org or call 866-686-3036.