IndustryNews Industry News Information to help you run your business TENNIS FORUM 2019 NYC EDUCATION USPTA World Conference Heads to Las Vegas Sept. 22-26 12th Annual TIA Tennis Forum Set for Aug. 26 in New York The 12th Annual TIA Tennis Forum will be held on Monday, Aug. 26, on the Ballroom Level of the Grand Hyatt New York City, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The TIA Tennis Forum will present the latest news about the state of the tennis industry, including participation, market- place trends, grassroots initiatives, updates from TIA, ITF and USTA leadership, and more. Also joining this year’s event will be Andrew LaFiosca of Nielsen Sports, who will share player and consumer insights, and Tom Cove, executive director of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with insights on sports and fi tness trends. A new feature at this year’s forum is the “Discovery Challenge,” an online competi- tion designed to showcase innovation and solutions around a problem facing the ten- nis industry—in this case, the “retention of tennis players.” The challenge will be moder- he USPTA is heading to The USPTA's 2019 ated by Carlos Salum, president of Salum World Conference Las Vegas for its 2019 heads to Vegas for the International Resources. He will be joined by World Conference, from fi rst time since 2006. Lena Belogolova, a behavioral science expert Sept. 22-26, at the and former manager at Facebook. The Westgate Las Vegas Discovery Challenge is designed to be an Resort and Casino. Hundreds of tennis professionals. A Q&A with Agassi will be interactive and solutions-producing session T teaching pros, industry leaders and held on Wednesday morning, followed with a panel of experts. representatives, manufacturers and by an awards lunch. USPTA members Immediately following the Tennis Forum wholesalers are expected to attend. can earn 10 continuing education credits and Discovery Challenge, there will be a Special guests at the conference include for a full registration, plus additional short induction ceremony to honor the Las Vegas native Andre Agassi, Dick credits for each session they attend. 2019 inductees into the Tennis Industry Hall Gould, Gil Reyes and Roger Crawford. Among the more than 80 speakers will of Fame: legendary champion and activist In addition to educational o erings be Mike Barrell, Mark Bey, Tim Blen- Arthur Ashe, and apparel innovators Cheryl from world-leading experts, the USPTA kiron, Jorge Capestany, Emma Doyle, Singer and Andy Varat, who founded Tail will host division parties, industry Allen Fox, Frank Giampaolo, Feisal Has- activewear company in 1974. meetings, awards presentations and a san, Mark McMahon, Michele Krause, While the Tennis Forum, Discovery Merchandise and Trade Show. Greg Lappin, Stan Oley, Ajay Pant, Greg Challenge and Hall of Fame induction are The conference will feature specialty Patton, Len Simard, Sarah Stone, Todd free to attend for those in the industry, courses on Sunday, Sept. 22, and the Upchurch and Mike Woody. space is limited, so registration is required. educational sessions on Tuesday Visit USPTA.com to register and for Please visit TennisIndustry.org/forum for COURTESY USPTA COURTESY will showcase top women teaching more information. registration and more information. www.tennisindustrymag.com September/October 2019 TennisIndustry 7 IndustryNews Selkirk Presenting Sponsor USTA Names Outstanding • Ames Fitness Center, Ames, Iowa of Pball Tourney of Champions Facility Award Winners • Apex Tennis Center, Arvada, Colo. Selkirk Sport, a leading pickleball • Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & equipment and accessories brand, Learning, Bronx, N.Y. was named presenting sponsor of • Cary Tennis Park, Cary, N.C. the 2019 Pickleball Tournament of • City Park / Pepsi Tennis Center, Champions, from Aug. 21-24 at Rees New Orleans, La. Pioneer Park in Brigham City, Utah. • Courts Plus, Elmhurst, Ill. The tournament is recognized as one • Delcastle Tennis Center, of the three major championships on Wilmington, Del. the professional pickleball tour. • Eastern Athletic Club–Blue Point, Headlined by Team Selkirk’s Tyson Blue Point, N.Y. McGuffin, the No. 1-ranked singles • Evergreen Racquet Club, player in the world, more than 600 Cary Tennis Park (above) in Cary, N.C., is Bloomington, Ill. professional and amateur players are the “Featured Facility” for the 2019 USTA • Glen Arven Country Club, expected to compete. Players in the Outstanding Facility Awards. The facility will Thomasville, Ga. open divisions will be competing for be honored at an awards ceremony in New • Greater Atlanta Christian Schools, more than $60,000 in prize money, York City during the US Open. Norcross, Ga. and an additional $50,000 will be up Each year, the USTA recognizes facilities • John and Fay Menard YMCA Tennis for grabs through Selkirk’s 2019 Play- throughout the country to encourage Center, Eau Claire, Wis. er Incentive pool. Plans call for more increasingly high standards for construction • Kiwanis Tennis Center, Tempe, Ariz. courts to be installed at Rees Pioneer and/or renovation. Nominations are • La Academia–Sport for All, Caguas, Park in anticipation of the competition evaluated on the facility, its amenities and Puerto Rico growing to more than 1,000 players in tennis programming. • Lindner Tennis Center at Lunken coming years. The honored facilities for 2019 are: Playfield, Cincinnati, Ohio • Magic Lincer Tennis Club of Manchester, Manchester, Conn. • Mauna Lani Sports And Fitness Club, Kohala Coast, Hawaii • Racquet & Health 91, Tulsa, Okla. • Rome Tennis Center at Berry College, Rome, Ga. • Scottsdale Ranch Park Tennis Center, Scottsdale, Ariz. • SMU Tennis Complex, Dallas, Texas • Soldier Spring Park, Weatherford, Texas • TBarM Racquet Club, Dallas, Texas • Tuscarora Tennis Club, Frederick, Md. • Wall Park Tennis Complex, McPherson, Kan. ABG Buys Sports Illustrated Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which owns the Prince and Tretorn brands, has purchased the intellectual property of Sports Illustrated from Meredith Corporation. ABG assumes the marketing, business development and licensing functions for the Sports Illustrated intellectual property and brand, while the print magazine and SI.com will maintain editorial independence and continue to operate under the leadership of Meredith Editor-in- Chief Chris Stone and Publisher Danny Lee. TENNIS PARK USTA/CARY COURTESY 8 TennisIndustry September/October 2019 www.tennisindustrymag.com IndustryNews Short Sets To celebrate the launch of its new The 2nd Annual Racquet & Paddle New Chapter Press has released the app, Universal Tennis has launched the Sports Show will be held Jan. 21-24 at book Cattle to Courts: A History of Tennis In Summer Challenge. Through Sept. 2, the Orange County Convention Center Texas, written by Ken McAllister, longtime players who sign up for the UTR Summer (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., featuring prod- executive director of the USTA Texas Sec- Challenge and play in a UTR Event or post uct, demos, exhibits, education and more. tion, who shares unique insights from his scores to UTR will be entered into a draw- A Demo Day will be on Tuesday, Jan. 21. 50 years in the tennis industry. The book is ing and eligible to win prizes, including Visit racquetpaddlesportsshow.com. available on amazon.com. Head racquets and gear, and tickets to the Miami Open and BNP Paribas Open. Sign Melanie Oudin will be a guest profes- Writer Mark “Scoop” Malinowski’s ninth up at MyUTR.com/SummerChallenge. sional for the Peter Burwash International book about tennis, Facing Andy Murray: Adult World Tennis Camp at Reynolds Symposium of a Champion, is available at The WTCA Conference NY 2019 will Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga., from amazon.com. More than 50 professional be held Aug. 23-25, the weekend before Oct. 3 to 6. Oudin won the 2011 US players discuss their experiences of com- the start of the US Open. The conference Open mixed doubles title with Jack Sock, peting against Murray. will be at the Marriott LaGuardia Hotel in reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon New York, just a fi ve-minute drive from and the quarterfi nals of the US Open The Bank of Southern California is the the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis (both in 2009), and was a member of the new title sponsor for the San Diego Center. Visit wtcatennis.org for more info. U.S. Fed Cup team. Aviators of World TeamTennis. www.tennisindustrymag.com September/October 2019 TennisIndustry 9 IndustryNews COURT EQUIPMENT ITF Announces ‘World Tennis Number’ Rating Sit High Introduces The International Tennis Federation and leading national tennis associa- Premier Umpire Chair tions, including the USTA, announced a strategic project to develop and imple- ment a global, level-based tennis rating, it High Chair has introduced its designed to enable more matches to be Premier Tennis Umpire Chair, played between players of similar levels, which features a heavy-duty ex- from beginners to professionals. S The new rating, called the World truded aluminum frame designed with rounded corners for safety and aesthet- Tennis Number (WTN), will aim to break ics, all-weather eco-friendly eucalyptus down one of the sport’s key barriers wood seat, stainless-steel hardware for to participation—uneven match-ups. outdoor environments, and powder- The WTN is planned to be in operation coated acrylic paint. toward the end of 2019, with national The made-in-the-U.S. chair also associations launching within each includes extra-wide armrests, over- country starting in 2020. Sports tech sized rubber feet, contoured seat with company ClubSpark was selected to cushion, color choices, and options that build the WTN digital platform. include a Sunbrella sunshade, easy-roll “Our vision is simple: to create local wheel kit, custom logo plates and a online communities of tennis players matching hardwood cooler stand. The sharing meaningful and enjoyable tennis chair meets ITF tournament specifica- experiences through level-based play,” tions. Visit umpirechair.com for more.