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Industry Leaders to be Featured Speakers at Racquet & Paddle Sports Show

NORWALK, Conn. - A powerhouse of racquet industry leaders will take to the Main Stage of the 2020 Racquet & Paddle Sports Show, Jan. 22-24, in Orlando, Florida. Industry leaders representing organizations such as the USTA, US Squash, USA Pickleball, World TeamTennis, National Club Association, PTR and American Sports Builders Association and more will share industry trends, insights and expertise to help racquet industry professionals drive the business of the sport forward in 2020.

“The 2020 Racquet & Paddle Main Stage offers a comprehensive schedule of presentations by many of the industry’s most successful leaders sharing topics that can advance the racquet industry business,” said Racquet & Paddle Sports Show Event Director Elizabeth Reed. “We are pleased to welcome influential leaders from a cross section of sports to present on the stage and connect with racquet professionals, buyers and industry executives gathering in Orlando.”

Jon Levey, a respected author and journalist in the racquet/tennis industry, will be the event host of the main stage. Levey has handled Grand Slam coverage, features, instruction and gear reviews for Tennis Magazine since 2000 and also contributes to “Pro Shop” equipment features on tennis.com.

The Racquet & Paddle Sports Show will bring together racquet sports professionals, industry leaders, facility suppliers and wide-ranging product manufacturers from around the world for merchandise sourcing, product testing, education and professional networking. The industry gathering will begin with hands-on product testing at Demo Day: Lake Nona Experience, at the USTA National Campus, on Jan. 21. The Show Floor, open Jan. 22-24 and co-located with the PGA Merchandise Show at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), will feature more than 100 comprehensive exhibits, a multi-use court demonstrations, table tennis tournament, complimentary industry presentations and an extensive educational programming, including the Tennis Owners & Managers (TOM) Conference and the Complimentary Regional Education Day (Jan. 22) presented by the USTA Florida, USPTA Florida and RacquetFit.

USPTA continuing education credit is available for select Main Stage programming/sessions, for details visit RacquetShow20.com/MainStage. Racquet sports professionals can register, free of charge, and learn more about the event at RacquetPaddleSportsShow.com.

Main Stage Schedule - 2020 Racquet & Paddle Sports Show Wednesday, January 22 9:15 - 9:45 a.m.
Impulse Purchases: Using Accessories to Increase Sales Karen Giberson, President, Accessories Council

10 - 10:30 a.m.

Cost-Effective Indoor Tennis Facilities Geoffrey Ching, Director of Sales, ClearSpan Berhe Serekeberhan, Owner Blakeney Racquet Club (Charlotte, NC)

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

The Future of Pickleball (panel discussion/Q&A) Dan Santorum, CEO of PTR and PPR George Bauernfeind, Managing Director, Marketing & Communications USA Pickleball Association Fred Stringfellow, Executive Director, American Sports Builders Association

12:15 - 1:00 p.m.

Update on USTA Programming & Pathways Craig Morris, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA National Campus

1:15 - 2:00 p.m.

In Full Swing: Racquet Sports Growing Popularity at Private Clubs Henry Wallmeyer, President & CEO, National Club Association

2:15 - 3:00 p.m.

Leading With Change & Innovation Scott Steinberg, CEO, TechSavvy Global

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.

Revenue Opportunities & The Ease of On-boarding POP Tennis at Your Facility Peg Connor, Executive Director, USTA Wyoming

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

2020 Vision for World TeamTennis: Innovation, Expansion and Technology Carlos Silva, President & CEO, World TeamTennis (WTT)

Thursday, January 23 9:15 - 9:45 a.m.
Pioneering True Private Pickleball at the Tennis Club at Newport Sean Bollettieri-Abdali, High Performance Coach and Multi-Private Tennis Club Owner

10 - 10:45 a.m.

Growing Your Community While Growing Your Business Delaine Mast, National Director, Community Tennis, World TeamTennis

11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Play is the Heart of Experience Design Erin Alley, Studio Director & Licensed Architect, RMW architecture and interiors

12:15 - 1:00 p.m.

What’s New in Racquet Venue Development? Virgil Christian, Senior Director Section Infrastructure, Tennis Venue & Design Group

1:15 - 1:45 p.m.

Real Virtual Tennis and the Future of Sport Victor Bond, Founder & CEO, Virtual Sports Association

2:00 - 2:30 p.m.

How Technology Drives Engagement Dent Wilkens, SVP Operations, U.S. Squash

2:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Transitioning from the Pro Tour to the Business of Sport A fireside chat with Nick Matthew, 3x World Champion Squash Player Nick Matthew, 3X World Squash Champion Dent Wilkens, SVP Operations, U.S. Squash

3:15 - 4:15 p.m.

Bridging the Gap between the Course & the Court Dr. Sean Drake, Vice President RacquetFit Mike Malaska, PGA, Teacher of the Year, 2018 Southwest Section & 2011 National

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

TIA Tennis Industry Innovation Challenge Racquet innovators present five-minute pitches about their new product or service to a panel of industry judges in a shark-tank-like competition to determine a winner.

Friday, January 24 10 - 10:30 a.m. Productive Use of Tennis Technology Alex Johanssen/Director New England Tennis Academy (MultiBall)

The Racquet & Paddle Sports Show is organized by Reed Exhibitions, with support of the Tennis Industry Association, and co-located with the PGA Merchandise Show. For more information, visit RacquetPaddleSportsShow.com.

Posted on January 9, 2020
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