ITTF Strategic Plan in North America 2019-2024

Table Tennis. For all. For life. ITTF – What we do

The International Federation (ITTF) was Development founded in 1926 and is the world-governing body of the sport of Table Tennis. Our main function is to govern and develop the sport for the benefit of over 100+ development activities 30 million competitive players in all parts of the world, run each year. as well as representing our 226 Member Associations, of which 5 are in North America.

A global game Events 50,000 coaches educated through our development First and only programmes to date. International Sports Federation to achieve 120 international tournaments supervised and sanctioned 226 annually by the ITTF. National Associations, 2.5 million representing every country and territory people involved in on earth. ITTF event broadcast ITTF CSR projects. content reaches over 170 countries, with over half a billion 30+ million people watching Table Tennis at the 2016 Olympics. competitive players worldwide. 922 events in 107 countries 225 million on World Table Tennis Day 2019, with 700, 000 TV viewers of people being involved. the Liebherr 2019 World Championships.

2 ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 Contents

FOREWORD 03 STRATEGIC PLAN STRUCTURE 04 VISION, MISSION AND VALUES 05 OUR FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 06 ORGANISATION & GOVERNANCE 07 HIGH PERFORMANCE & DEVELOPMENT 08 INTERNATIONAL EVENTS 09

PROMOTION 10 REVENUE 11

Foreword

My Presidential promise to the National Associations and the Table Tennis family was that we would produce a Strategic Plan to guide the future direction of the ITTF and development of our sport around the world.

Together with our team, it has been a lot of work, but I believe we can all be very proud of this historic Strategic Plan that Thomas Weikert President embodies all stakeholder’s views and opinions about the ITTF and its future path leading into 2024.

The outlook for Table Tennis is very bright and all of us working together can achieve all the aspects detailed in this visionary document and we all collaborate to make our vision: “Table Tennis. For All. For Life” a reality!

ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 3 Strategic Plan structure

This Strategic Plan has been The ITTF will be guided by a clear structured as shown below. The vision and mission, supported by Strategic Plan will be supported by five strategic priorities and their a detailed and dynamic Operational respective objectives and key Plan which sets out actions, targets outcomes. A clear pathway will be and responsibilities for each of the followed and key milestones will be objectives, and hence will guide the tracked towards these objectives effort and resources of the ITTF to and key outcomes, underpinned by a ensure success towards 2024. dynamic operational plan.

VISION

MISSION

FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OBJECTIVES AND KEY OUTCOMES PATHWAY AND KEY MILESTONES

DYNAMIC OPERATIONAL PLAN

Where not otherwise explicitly stated, key outcomes and objectives will be targeted for completion by 2024. Where growth metrics are given the base year is 2017 unless stated otherwise.

4 ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 Vision Table Tennis. Mission For all. Providing the platform For life. and tools to inspire global Table Tennis growth through: showcasing the sport in all corners of the world, collaborative working between all stakeholders and transparent progressive leadership.

Values Passion Competitiveness Enjoyment Respect Discipline Core Strategies

ORGANISATION & GOVERNANCE

As the regional ITTF office in North America, ITTF North America implements 1. the ITTF strategic goals and implements the ITTF’s vision. To achieve this, ITTF North America will strive to align international and national structures and policies to contribute to a strong world-wide organisation.

HIGH PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT Align continental priorities with national and international programming. 2. Expand joint training opportunities. Present educational and development opportunities for associations with little or no activity.

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS Establish regular events on the various ITTF products - ITTF World Tour, ITTF 3. Challenge Series, ITTF World Junior Circuit and event. As well as join the newly created TTX and World Veterans Tour.

PROMOTION Establish and execute a strategic communications plan to engage the public 4. with the ITTF and the new North American projects.

REVENUE Increase commercial revenue to execute this Strategic Plan with maximum 5. impact on North America’s table tennis economy.

6 ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 1. Organisation & Governance

The North American regional office of the ITTF - KEY OUTCOMES

ITTF North America - supports and implements Marketing, hosting, development the ITTF strategic goals and implements the agreements to be established by 2020. ITTF’s vision. To achieve this, ITTF North America Increased level of event, high will strive to align international and continental performance & development, structures and policies to contribute to a strong marketing and sponsorship activity. world-wide organisation. Ongoing operation of events, OBJECTIVES programs and sponsor/fund raising efforts in an efficient and Organisation • Create top quality staff resources for effective manner. • The ITTF North America office the implementation of this Strategic acts as ‘regional link’ between ITTF Plan. world-wide programming and the national organisations. • Support the ITTF’s governance initiatives and promote focused, • With an eye towards the progressive, transparent and diverse international competition and governance. development programs structure ITTF North America will design North American programming to connect national and world wide ITTF activities.

• Support the ITTF’s efforts inside the Olympic movement on a continental level.

• Publish an annual activity report.

Resources • Manage newly developed resources and the ITTF continental investments to add value and create new opportunities for national associations.

• Promote and encourage Human Resources Development with respect to national and continental staff.

ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 7 2. High performance and development

Align continental priorities with national and international Development high performance and development programming. • Identify associations with interest and potential for future full participation in ITTF programming. To create maximum results using the ITTF High • Ongoing support for developing Performance and Development funds available to North associations. America it is important to act as an enhancing link • Establish a North American High between the participating national associations and Performance & Development Center. their High Performance and Development programs and activities. Mass participation • Provide access to new ITTF Coach Accreditation model based on To engage associations with low activity in meaningful type of participant: recreational, competitive able bodied and Para projects that result in future full participation in ITTF athletes. programming. Negotiate progression plans with interested • Support and promote TTX events associations with ‘milestones’, e.g., hosting of regular and World Veterans Tour events. national championships, participation in regional, continental, world championships; participation in continental development activities. KEY OUTCOMES High Performance Activities that OBJECTIVES support and enhance established Athlete Pathways. High performance A table tennis culture confident • Establish a multi-year High in developing athletes in North Performance and Development plan America. connected to an Athlete Pathway (to follow the athletes’ development). Target North American associations with low activity to join the High • Establish a multi-year High Performance and Development Performance and Development plan activities. connected to an Athlete Pathway (to follow the athletes’ development). A well-functioning North American High Performance and • Support ITTF competition Development Center. opportunities according to athletes’ training and development plans in Develop new markets for ITTF North America and abroad. events.

8 ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 2. High performance 3. International and development events

Make North America a regular stop for all ITTF events. Take advantage of the popularity and interest in table tennis within North America, as it is essential that North American fans have increased access to live, high quality table tennis events. This ‘core strategy’ may well turn out as the strategy with the most impact on the ‘development’ of table tennis in North America.

OBJECTIVES

Technical Commercial • Establish an event hosting plan for • Pilot new ideas in event presentation, all ITTF series events. organization and spectator experience. • Establish hosting capacity for such events: technical, infrastructure, • Explore/establish markets to commercial. successfully host events.

• Build a staff structure to manage Awareness and Profile KEY OUTCOMES events. • Explore activities that support a North American event plan, e.g., A vibrant table tennis ‘scene’ in • Create a strong connection to the professional league, North American North America with annual stops various ITTF competition streams. circuit to create ongoing content for of the ITTF World Tour, ITTF media and promotion activities. Challenge Series, ITTF World Junior Circuit, and Para Table • TTX projects in North America. Tennis event. As well as join the newly created TTX, and World • Create a legacy where ITTF events Veterans Tour. are held. Professional League season.

ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 9 4. Promotion

Most of table tennis communication in North KEY OUTCOMES

America is directed internally, to the table Strategic, regular media releases. tennis community. As a result, table tennis Active web and social media lacks an ongoing media presence. By sharply presence. increasing the number of international, spectator Public is familiar with table tennis friendly events and by building a strategic athletes. communications team, we will aim to break this Established media presence for commercial success. cycle and make table tennis part of the ‘public’ sports conversation. Continual media presence – print, broadcast.

OBJECTIVES

Engage • Establish and execute a strategic communication plan.

• Build a strategic communications team (writers, social media experts, commentators, etc.)

• Increase media presence of table tennis in North America.

• Use events from the grassroots to the Olympic podium to promote table tennis.

• Promote North American stars to become ‘household names’.

10 ITTF STRATEGIC PLAN IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-2024 5. Revenue

A lack of a consistent ongoing activity to KEY OUTCOMES engage sponsors with North American table Ongoing planned and targeted tennis is largely responsible for table tennis’ effort to establish multi-year partnerships and raise revenues. low tier existence in the North American sports Well-staffed and successful market. The ITTF’s investment that comes with Marketing generation department. establishing an ITTF office in North America Aim for the Table Tennis ‘economy’ provides a unique opportunity to vigorously to rank among the Top 10 sports economies in North America. address this issue by changing the institutional lack of resources to exploring and exploiting commercial opportunities.

OBJECTIVES

Dedicated Team Dynamic and long-term partnerships • Establish a marketing and • Negotiate multi-year contracts with sponsorship plan focused on an sponsors to grow the value of the increased number of international events by cross-marketing events events in North America. and brands.

• Engage qualified staff to lead and • Establish ‘host cities and venues’ for execute this plan. a long-term hosting plan.

• Work daily on communication, • Engage host cities as partners. promotion and revenue generation. • Collaborate with equipment suppliers on multi-year agreements to cross-promote brands, events and global sponsors.

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