Footwear Adult Tennis Tennis Business The NEWEST Bring ’em back Key INDUSTRY SHOES have strong with Florida’s CONFERENCES stories to share MASTERS TENNIS set for Miami

MARCH 2016 / VOLUME 44/ NUMBER 3 / $5.00

COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE • ITF Court Recognition Program • LED Lighting • Annual Maintenance Planner • Red Clay or Green Clay? String Selector Find the right string for your customers STATE OF THE INDUSTRY FORUM

The tennis industry has promoted State of the Industry POP Tennis Adopts play on 36- and 60-foot courts to help players of all ages get active, Forum March 23 36- & 60-Foot have fun and learn the game more in Miami easily. Now, tennis played on 36- Courts, ROG Balls and 60-foot courts gets a major boost through the U.S. POP Tennis The 2016 TIA State of the Industry Forum will Association, which has adopted the shorter courts and lower pressure balls for POP Tennis. be March 23 in Miami, in conjunction with “We are standardizing POP Tennis courts so the game can be played on the thousands of 36- the Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) and 60-foot tennis courts already in use and being built across the U.S.,” says Ken Lindner, the Conference. The Forum will run from 10 to president of the U.S. POP Tennis Association and POP Tennis Hall-of-Fame player. “POP Tennis, 11:45 a.m. at the Hilton Miami Downtown which is the rebranded ‘paddle tennis,’ has also adopted the Red, Orange, Green tennis balls and is free to the industry to attend, that have been used for many years for both youth and adult tennis.” however, space is limited, so registration POP Tennis on 36- and 60-foot courts is the same as tennis on a 78-foot court, except that in is required (visit TheTOMConference.com). POP Tennis, the serve is underhand and players only get one serve. All other rules and scoring The event is being held during the Miami are the same, as are the strokes, footwork and strategies. Currently, there are more than 18,000 Open professional tennis tournament. standalone or lined 36- and 60-foot courts in the U.S., and USTA Facility Grants are available. Industry executives will present the “POP Tennis is a great family activity,” Lindner says. “Just about every youngster who has latest news and data about the state of ever played POP Tennis has transitioned naturally and inevitably to play tennis. POP Tennis helps improve your tennis game.” the tennis industry, including participation “For tennis providers, offering POP Tennis will help bring more people of all ages into tennis research, consumer and technology trends, and drive revenue,” says Jolyn de Boer, executive director of the TIA. “POP Tennis is a perfect tennis marketplace data, an update on the fit for all facilities, especially those facing demands from short-court alternative forms of tennis “Rally the Family” initiative, and updates that potentially impact existing tennis infrastructure.” from the USTA. The Forum also will POP Tennis, which will be demonstrated at the PTR Symposium and the Tennis Owners & outline ways to better define and boost the Managers Conference, has already garnered attention throughout the country, including a economic growth and impact of the tennis national feature story on NBC’s “Today” show. Current and former pro players, including Maria industry, and effective ways to distribute Sharapova, Andy Roddick, John McEnroe, Gael Monfils, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, and Alison clear, consistent messaging of health, Riske, have played POP Tennis. Visit POPTennis.com for more information. fitness and the reasons to play tennis. Prior to the start of the State of the Industry Forum, registered attendees are Join the ‘Rally the Family’ Campaign Now! invited to the “Tennis Tech Fair & Resource Tennis providers should sign up now at models and more. Rally the Family focuses Center,” which opens at 8:30 a.m. and will RallyTheFamily.com to participate in the on tennis for all ages, using ROG balls, offer the opportunity to learn about key industry-wide “Rally the Family” campaign to shorter courts, shorter racquets and modified trends and products that will help industry increase tennis activity scoring, along with a focus businesses run more effectively and help and interest in the sport— on family spending time and to take advantage together in fun and healthy boost tennis participation. of free promotional activities. Tennis providers To register for the Forum, go to and marketing material, can sign up for free at TheTOMConference.com site and select including downloadable RallyTheFamily.com and “State of the Industry Forum.” guides, drills, teaching post programs and events.

16 TennisIndustry March 2016 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org