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Applications Due Nov. 30 for Racquet & Paddle Sports Innovation Challenge

Do you have a new, innovative sports product or service? Enter it into the Racquet & Paddle Sports Innovation Challenge, which showcases new products and services designed to grow the sport and business of racquet sports with players, consumers and fans.

Through Nov. 30, companies and individuals can complete a brief Innovation Challenge application at Racquet & Paddle Sports Innovation Challenge, describing their new, innovative product, software or service. There is no charge to apply.

On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, finalists from the online application process will have the opportunity to present their new product or service to the panel of judges—and in front of an audience of racquet sports industry leaders—in a “Shark Tank”-like competition that will take place at the Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference (racquetpaddlesportsshow.com), held at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., aside of the PGA Merchandise Show.

The Innovation Challenge winner will receive $1,000, a national press release to thousands of news outlets with a potential reach to millions of consumers, coverage in Tennis Industry magazine, a one-year TIA membership, and additional exposure through industry marketing and social media channels. (All entries also will be considered for a separate, special prize of $5,000 worth of consulting services from Enventys Partners, based on Enventys CEO Louis Foreman’s assessment of potential impact in the consumer market.)

The first Tennis Industry Innovation Challenge was held in March 2017 at the Tennis Owners & Managers (TOM) Conference in Orlando, Fla., and was won by Tennibot (tennibot.com), a robotic tennis ball collector. The second Challenge, held in August 2017 in New York City during the 2017 US Open, was won by In/Out (inout.tennis), a line-calling device that fits on any netpost. The third Challenge, held during the TOM Conference in April 2018 in Charleston, S.C., was won by Tweener Lighting (tweener-lighting.com), a unique LED system that attaches to existing fencing around tennis and other sport courts. The 2019 Challenge was held during the inaugural Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference in Orlando last January and won by Victor Bond of Virtual Sports Association.

The 2nd Annual Racquet & Paddle Sports Show spans Jan. 21-24 and will be co-located with the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. The business-to-business event will bring together the global racquet sports industry to drive forward the business of the sport through merchandise sourcing, product testing, educational programs and professional networking events.

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, there will be a curated “One2One” buying summit at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, and a Demo Day at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona. The Show Floor at the Orange County Convention Center will feature more than 200 comprehensive exhibits, multiple demonstration courts, two industry presentation stages and the Tennis Owners & Managers (TOM) Conference.

The three-day TOM Conference, organized by the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) and Reed Exhibitions, will bring together racquet sports professionals, industry leaders, emerging brands and bellwether brands all under one roof. It is targeted to all facets of the industry. To find out more or to register for the Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference, visit racquetpaddlesportsshow.com.

To enter the Innovation Challenge, visit Racquet & Paddle Sports Innovation Challenge. For more information, email info@racquetsportsalliance.com or visit Racquet & Paddle Sports Show.

Posted on October 28, 2019
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