New Tennis Participation Report Available from TIA
June 27, 2018
The 2018 Tennis Participation Report has been published and is available for members. The 24-page report, produced by the Tennis Industry Association in partnership with the Physical Activity Council, includes the most recent data and trends through year-end 2017 for tennis participation, consumer spending, fitness and health, fans, tennis interest, cross participation in other sports, and more. Among the findings:
While the total number of tennis participants for 2017 declined by 2.2% from the previous year, to 17.68 million players, overall participation has remained fairly consistent over the past eight years.
“Core” tennis participants decreased 3.5% from 2016 to 2017, to 9.52 million. Core players account for 93% of all tennis play occasions and 80% of the total “spend” in the tennis economy.
The number of times people took to the courts also fell in 2017. The total 17.68 million participants played 396.9 million times (an average of 22 play occasions per tennis player), which is down 6.6% from 425 million play occasions in 2016.
The 2017 study indicates there are 15.74 million non-players who are interested in playing tennis, and another 13.7 million who consider themselves tennis players but have not played in the last two years. For these former players, “not having anyone to play with” remains their main response (34%) and the industry’s main concern for lagging participation growth, play frequency and retention levels.
Cardio Tennis continues to grow, with total participation in 2017 increasing 4.5% to 2.2 million players.
As an activity that includes many of the latest trends in fitness—such as social engagement, technology use, and interval training—Cardio Tennis has grown 167% since it was first measured in 2008.
Tennis players are twice as likely as the general U.S. population to consider their fitness level as “good”—51.1% of all tennis players in 2017 described their fitness level as “good,” compared to 25.7% of the total U.S. population.
When it comes to general physical health, 63.2% of tennis participants say their overall health is “good,” compared to 42.5% of the U.S. population.
The most popular alternative activities for tennis players include: walking for fitness (50% of tennis players), bowling (43%), running/jogging (43%), bowling (43%), treadmill (37%), free weights (36%), hiking (34%), and bicycling (32%).
The Tennis Participation Report is a part of the all-encompassing annual Physical Activity Council study, which looks at 123 different sports and activities. The PAC study is the largest single-source research study of sports, recreation and leisure activity participation in the nation. For 2017, a total of 30,999 online interviews were completed.
TIA members at the Business Partner level ($750) and above will receive the 2018 Tennis Participation Report as part of their membership. Or the report is available for separate purchase for $1,500. For more information on research and TIA membership, visit TennisIndustry.org or call 843-686-3036.