Tennis Players Expect to Curb Spending on Apparel--Not Play--in 2009
Spending survey by TennisWire finds recreational players plan to cut expenses elsewhere,
while most tennis businesses have taken steps to cope with down economyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liza Horan
330 Third Ave.
New York,
212-682-6829
lhoran@tenniswire.org
12/21/08 - New York—Recreational tennis players say the down economy will impact their spending on tennis apparel and gear, but it won't keep them from playing the sport or watching the pro game, according to the inaugural "Tennis Spending: 2009 Outlook" survey by TennisWire.org, an industry news website.
When asked to compare the activities they did in 2008 to those they anticipated doing in 2009, tennis loyalists said they planned to "attend a pro tournament" (by a margin of 18 percent over 2008), "pay for private lessons" (4 percent increase), "attend a college event" (3 percent increase), and "compete in league/tournament play" (2 percent increase). Respondents expect to maintain their levels of participation in group lessons, clinics and programs like Cardio Tennis®.
The tennis activity with the largest negative change in 2009 was "purchase apparel (clothing, shoes)," which was down 12 percent from 2008. A slight fall-off (3 percent each) was predicted by players for "purchase equipment (racquets, balls)," "purchase other products (books, videos)" and "pay for court time."
Overall, players expect to participate in more tennis tennis activities in 2009 than in 2008 by a margin of 5 percent.
"These results show that tennis is a lifestyle," says Liza Horan, editor of TennisWire.org. "Even in tough economic times when disposable income may be down, tennis enthusiasts are intent on playing and watching the pros. The sport seems to be an integral part of their habits and happiness."
Respondents—95 percent of whom said tennis is "important," "very important" or "extremely important" in their lives—were encouraged to share comments about how their spending might change from 2008 to 2009.
Among the comments by those who said tennis spending will decrease were these:
- "We (as a family) hope to be able to play more, but getting new racquets/clothing may need to be curtailed due to loss of jobs in our family."
- "I love the game of tennis and try to play a minimum of three times a week. It's great exercise and I love the competition. The economy will certainly affect my leisure spending habits‐‐tennis being one them‐‐and unfortunately, I will not be able to donate as in years past, take private lessons or attend more than one, or one, professional tennis tournament. I will continue to donate my time when I can." –Diane from Rex, Ga.
- "For the most part, tennis is a great thing. I've just started to really get my game going so I'm super dedicated, but I may not take as many lessons next year." –Kyle from Norfolk, Va.
Among the comments by those who said tennis spending will not decrease were these:
- "Tennis is an important part of our family life. We intend to cut expenses elsewhere."
- "(I) don't think it will change in any way. My husband and I are among the lucky ones. We are in fields that won't affect our jobs or income."
- "I will not change anything. It's one of those things where I'll sacrifice in other areas rather than not go to (a) tourney, buy a racquet, etc."
A tennis business survey, also conducted by TennisWire.org, found that since September 2008, most businesses (80 percent) have adjusted or will adjust their efforts to reduce costs or increase revenue. The top ways of controlling costs were reducing general operating costs (non-staff), keeping lower inventory levels, raising prices, and reducing advertising spending.
SEE FULL SURVEY RESULTS AT TennisWire.org/survey.
ABOUT TENNISWIRE
TennisWire.org is an industry news resource for the media, industry insiders and tennis enthusiasts. It's the anchor of the TennisWire Network, which includes WorkInTennis.com, TennisPuzzles.com, and HelloTennis.com. It was founded in 2004 by Liza Horan, a tennis media stalwart, with a grant from the Tennis Industry Association. For more info, contact Horan at 212.844.9274 or lhoran@tenniswire.org.
