A Roadmap to a Healthy Tennis Industry
Building a healthy, vital and vibrant tennis industry means focusing on key areas important to all in this business: economic measures, frequent player pathways, and clear, consistent messaging about all the benefits tennis provides. To help make this happen, the TIA and its partners provide many initiatives, programs and resources.
Frequent player growth
Goal: To increase frequent players from the current 5.4 million to 7.5 million by 2015 and 10 million by 2020.
- Frequent players are the core economic drivers of our sport, accounting for more than 80% of all consumer goods and services sold.
- Together with USTA, USPTA, PTR and all industry partners, we are strengthening the supporting pathways for new players to develop into frequent players, including retention programs.
- Drive the QuickStart Tennis industry-wide focus to get children under 10 on the proper pathway to becoming frequent players. There are 4.9 million players between ages 6 and 11.
Grow the Industry: GrowingTennis.com
Through the GrowingTennis System, the TIA manages registration, administration and fulfillment for Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, QuickStart Tennis and the GrowingTennis 50/50 Co-op Funding program. The GrowingTennis System has seen a major increase in use over the past few years as facilities use it more and more to post their programs and information for free. The site also has tools and resources for facilities and businesses.
- 4 million consumer queries monthly
- 20,000 facilities in database
Grow Your Business: TennisConnect.com
TennisConnect provides affordable, reliable customer-service functions such as online player matching, event enrollment, access to court reservations, group email, String Center, Demo Racquet Center, eCalendar and more. Now, with TennisConnect Components, tennis providers can purchase just the services they need via a menu of programmed functionality that works with your existing website.
- More than 200,000 registered users
- Over 2 million court reservations annually
Grow the Game: PlayTennis.com
This mainstream, consumer-oriented new player portal is designed to bring awareness and opportunity and to educate consumers on where and how to get started in a structured program. It is a pathway to frequent play and shows consumers that tennis is a lifetime sport that’s fun, affordable, easy to learn and has many health and fitness benefits. PlayTennis.com will be further designed and developed to be a dynamic, interactive site that engages players.
- Widget & Mobile App available
Economic growth
Goal: To better define the economic impact of the industry and to identify ways to impact the growth of the industry.
- TIA Economic Index: To define the industry’s “worth,” we are compiling data from all sectors of the industry to determine a measurable economic impact for tennis in the U.S.
- Racket UP, America!: Industry-wide promotion to stimulate the tennis economy and generate excitement and interest in the sport.
- TennisConnect Technology Products: Tools to help businesses grow and better serve their members and customers, with web-based services.
Grow the Industry: Research Benefits
The TIA is the source for tennis research, with nearly 80 tennis-specific reports available annually to TIA member companies, organizations and manufacturers. All members have secure online access through the TIA website. Printed and PDF versions also are available of the executive summaries of the Participation, Tennis Health Index and Marketplace reports.
- $600,000 total research value
- TIA Economic Benchmark Study available – June 2010
Grow Your Business: TIA Affinity Benefits
The TIA offers benefits to suit all members and businesses. The TennisInsure program (accessible through TennisInsure.com) is designed to meet all the insurance needs of your business or facility, including health, liability, property, auto, umbrella and workman’s comp. Other member benefits include low credit-card processing rates; fraud prevention services; shipping discounts; printing solutions; and other marketing, communications and media discounts. Visit TennisIndustry.org.
- Compare and save up to 20% on most TIA benefits and services
Grow the Game: Racket UP, America!
This industry-wide promotion last year was designed to stimulate the tennis economy and generate excitement and interest in the sport. Consumers who purchased a racquet could enter a drawing for prizes, including the chance to serve to a target to win $1 million in Madison Square Garden during the BNP Paribas Showdown. Future Racket UP, America! promotions—benefitting retail, manufacturers and participation—are under review.
- Retail promotion produced estimated $400,00 in sales
Communications/Positioning
Goal: To build a network of industry contacts and mainstream communications tools to distribute clear, consistent messaging of health, fitness and the reasons to play tennis.
- TennisIndustry.org is the all-access portal serving TIA members and the industry as a whole. The site is the central source for industry-related searches, research news, and industry news and events.
- Broaden the industry’s and sport’s reach directly with consumers to increase awareness of the core benefits and how they can easily get started.
- Promote widget, apps and simple consumer portal site (PlayTennis.com) that can serve as the central “clearing house” for mainstream audience to join our sport.
Grow the Industry: Tennis Industry News
The TIA is reaching out like never before with, among other things, a revamped monthly newsletter, regular updates in RSI, a new “i-News” button for industry websites, targeted e-mail blasts, and press releases distributed to industry and consumer outlets. With assistance from SK Communications, the USTA, PTR, USPTA and media partners, TIA messaging, initiatives and goals are in front of all involved in this industry.
- 300 million media impressions in 2009
- Growth in Tennis story
Grow Your Business: TIA Forum & Hall of Fame
The TIA Tennis Forum presents the latest news about the state of the industry, including participation growth, equipment sales data, grassroots initiatives and more. The fourth annual Forum will be Aug. 31 in New York City. During the Forum, the 2010 inductees into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame will be announced. The Hall of Fame was created in 2008 to recognize individuals who have made a significant impact on the sport.
- Tues, Aug. 31, at USTA TTC
Grow the Game: Careers In Tennis
Our goals include attracting more young talent into the tennis industry, identifying careers paths, and endorsing more financially lucrative and stable job opportunities, particularly for teaching professionals. Plus, we are emphasizing the need to employ only certified pros. At our free site, CareersInTennis.com, we encourage job-seekers to post resumes and employers to post job openings, including internships, for all areas of the industry.
- Free job postings & searches
- Educational services
TIA Update search
TIA Update items
- Tennis Leads Traditional Sports In Participation Growth Rate
- Attention Tennis Providers: Update or Add Your Information Now at GrowTennis.com!
- 2011 State of the Industry Report
- Retailers: Stock Up On 10 and Under Tennis Balls
- 'Dashboard' tracks progress on 10 and Under Tennis
- Tennis Retail A Key Focus At Industry Meetings
- Simple Message to Serve As a Rallying Call for Industry Growth
- Tennis Providers: What Does PlayTennis.com Mean for You?
- Resources for TIA Retail Members
- Business Assessment Program for Tennis Retailers
