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Hi there,
More tennis is being played now than this time last year.
That single statement--supported by research that shows ball sales in Q1 2007 were up 8.4 percent in dollars and 8.7 percent in units over Q1 2006--is testament that local efforts to promote the game and feed players into programming are working.
Congrats to you! After all, it's been proven that community efforts to increase play are most effective. While overarching, national campaigns raise awareness it's the local activists who make things happen.
The early research for 2007 shows this is the fourth straight year of growth--pretty amazing. Statistics from this research and new counts on court activity soon will contribute to an overall numeric grade called the "Tennis Health Index." See the articles below for details.
 Prime Time: School's out, the weather's great, and the pros are kicking up the clay in the Bois de Bologne. The action at the French Open, which has overcome a soggy start, combined with promotions by Lever 2000 (see story below) should be filling tennis courts in your neighborhood.
Keep reading... |
| Four-year win streak for tennis |
Ball sales are one of the leading indicators as to how much tennis is being played, but the good news doesn't stop there.
- sales of "super premium racquets" are up 32 percent in dollars and 22 percent in units
- sales of "youth racquets" increased nearly 18 percent in dollars and almost 15 percent in units
This research marks the fourth straight year of growth, according to the TIA. In that time the Tennis Welcome Center effort has grown to nearly 2,000 facilities that offer free or low-cost beginner programs that feed into existing programs. And, Cardio Tennis has brought a fresh angle, and new tennis addicts, to the court. Nearly 1,700 facilities offer the program in this country, and Cardio Tennis is growing internationally, as well.
The USTA has made great strides in schools programs in the past year, as well. The no-cut coaching initiative for high schools keeps tens of thousands students playing, and a variety of community resource programs enable courts to be upgraded and maintained.
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| New "Tennis Health Index" to track growth |
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The TIA and U.S Tennis Association are developing a "Tennis Health Index" to measure how all parts of the industry are faring. The new tool is modeled on the "rounds played" figure in golf.
A "Court Activity Monitor" launched 10 days ago on GrowingTennis.com, an industry resources website by the TIA. It is a simple online form that allows facility managers to report how much court action it received in a month. Once a manager completed the form, a localized report appears with information for that region.
The first Tennis Health Index report will be released in 2008.
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| theBUZZ: Inside the Lever 2000 promotion |
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 theBUZZ is an exclusive column, formerly located at blog.tenniswire.org, covering the stories behind the headlines in tennis.
Non-tennis companies that sponsor tennis tournaments rise to the once-a-year occasion with some advertising, lots of on-site branding and maybe a few extras.
But Lever 2000, the skin cleanser line owned by British giant Unilever, has set new bounds by reaching beyond pro tennis and into the grassroots game. It's "Raise Your Game" program is the biggest push ever by a tennis "outsider" to attract new players.
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| New career center is live |
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 WorkInTennis.com
Bonus: Tenniswire Newsmakers get 10 free job postings per year. Click here to become a Newsmaker.
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| Five Questions with...Dave Haggerty |
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| Newsmaker Spotlight
Dave Haggerty
CEO of Head USA and President of Penn Racquet Sports
Q. Having worked for three major brands in tennis, you probably know a lot of trade secrets! What has the experience been like?
Click to continue |
| Latest Research: Apparel sales increase |
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 From the Tennis Industry Association
In the year-end Tennis Marketplace report for 2006, "Consumer Trends-Point of Purchase" data reveals that racquet sales remained steady while sales of tennis apparel showed the greatest increase. Apparel accounts for nearly one in five purchase occasions online.
The Tennis Industry Association is the #1 source for tennis research. You can join for as little as $100.
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Sincerely,
Liza Horan
TENNISWIRE.org |
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