Jankovic Wins 2007 Family Circle Cup

 

Great news--tennis made the cover of Crain's New York Business this week.

 

Greater news--the article harkens the coming of CityView Racquet Club in Long Island City, which lies just across the Hudson River and faces the Big Apple. The bubbles covering seven new courts at the luxury club have been inflated. They sit atop the former Swingline Staples factory.

 

The article, "Lots of tennis lovers, but where to play?", notes that there's no lack of interest and this club is one move to fill the need.

 

Lisa Fickenscher writes, "Over the past six years, at least 10 clubs operating 82 mostly indoor courts have closed," and that CityView's summer opening is "the first obvious sign of a coming oasis of luxury fitness for New York's agile classes."

 

The club will offer squash, spa services, and a cafe and lounge with, you guessed it, city views.

 

"CityView is the first new indoor tennis club to be built in New York in the last 20 years, and it will be the first of its kind," promises Michael DelPrete, a managing partner and the general manager.

 

These bucks are well-spent.

 

And, for students of Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management Program, it could be a great gig after graduation.

 

Playing facilities looking to boost business have a unique opportunity to attract new players, gain free advertising and win prizes, such as tickets to the 2008 U.S. Open.

As part of its multi-year sponsorship of the U.S. Open Series, Lever2000 is including vouchers for a free tennis lesson in 5 million packages of bar soap this summer. It's the single largest promotion* by a non-tennis company for packaged goods to attract new players to the game.

An extensive marketing campaign includes inserts in Sunday newspapers on May 13, $1 million in TV promotions, magazine exposure, online ads, and in-store merchandising, among other efforts.

 

Club managers, act now: If you run a playing facility, click here to submit your listing to introduce new players to the game. Sign-ups are happening right now, prior to the May 13th launch of newspapers inserts.

 

How it works: Consumers will receive a voucher with the purchase of Lever2000 bar soap, and log on to a website to find a local facility.

 

"Most people have picked up a racquet and can relate to tennis. It's visually and physically aligned with who we are and what our product is about," says Jennifer Delaney, Senior Product Manager for Playtex Sport tampons. "We particularly understand that active women want to be 100% confident and focus on their game."

 

Playtex's use of the 'empowerment' card over that of 'embarrassment' is working in tennis' favor.

 

A multillion-dollar ad campaign in print and online is putting the sport in the mass consciousness.

The title of "tennis professional" means many things. For pros-in-the-making at Ferris State University, that characterization signifies 'business professionally' as equally as it does 'teaching pro.'

 

Students of the Professional Tennis Management program graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree and a certification as a USPTA teaching pro.

How's that for well-rounded?

 

Whether they go on to be teaching pros, Directors of Tennis, tournament directors, administrators, marketing professionals or player agents, they've got a solid core in on-court instruction and boardroom protocol.

 

Did you know that your website can carry TENNISWIRE headlines for free?

'Tis true! Click here for details.

 

Sincerely,