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May 2007
Volume 35 Number 5 $5.00
TIA SPECIAL SECTION
GROWING TENNISTOGETHER
Industry partners drive the sport forward
EXCLUSIVE RACQUETSELECTION GUIDE
GROWING TENNISTOGETHER
Industry partners drive the sport forward
EXCLUSIVE RACQUETSELECTION GUIDE
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DEPARTMENTS
R S I M A Y 2 0 0 7Contents
May 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3
ContentsINDUSTRY NEWS 7 USTA reaches record
700,000 members
7 Pros “get on the bus” for newUS Open Series ads
7 Bidding on Agassi book tops$5 million
10 USPTA’s Tennis Across America
in its 18th year
10 Ace Collections offers newapparel line
10 Wilson unveils newmultimedia website
11 Ashaway’s Crandall says playersbuying reels for hybrids
11 Lever 2000 promotion to help
bring in new players12 K3 offers new custom ball
logo program
13 ITA picks Deco and Plexipaveas official surfaces
13 Welch to hold clay courtmaintenance seminars
14 USPTA offers certification exams
16 PBI Tennis Show expands2007 schedule
4 Our Serve
42 String Playtest: Wilson Super Spin 16
44 Ask the Experts
46 Tips and Techniques
48 Your Serve, by Kent Oswald
24 2007 Racquet Selection MapOur annual guide to racquets will help you quickly and easily choose the rightframes for your customers.
EXCLUSIVE GUIDE
TIA SPECIAL SECTION
17 Growing Tennis Through TeamworkNew TIA initiatives offer more services to keep your business growing.
18 Let’s Keep Moving Forward!Tennis’s growth is the result of many people and organizations all workingtogether, says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
18 Meet the TIA Board of DirectorsThe 22 individuals on the TIA Board represent 500 years of experience in thetennis business.
20 A Unified EffortTogether with the USTA and industry partners, the TIA is helping to drivetennis forward, for the benefit of all.
26 Know Your MarketThe extensive research available from the TIA will help you increase yourbusiness, and your profits.
28 Economic LeverageThrough benefits and services with TIA affinity partners, you can reduce costsand expenses and boost your bottom line.
29 Net AdvantagesEnhanced websites for the tennis industry provide news, trends, andinformation to help you build your business.
30 Support Your IndustryThe TIA has membership levels to suit your needs, and your membershipdollars go right back into supporting tennis.
32 Join the TIA Today!Help grow the game and your business.
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or years, this industry has been searching for the magic
bullet that will send tennis participation through the
roof, making this business profitable for everyone. Many
programs and initiatives have flashed onto the scene, only
to fade after a few years and much investment.I don’t think there ever will be one cure-all that will put this industry back on
top. What there will be, though—and what we have in place right now—is a
series of programs that, over time, will lead to more people playing tennis. Sig-
nificantly more people.
There are two programs in particular, being run by the USTA’s very capable
Community Tennis division, that may very well have the greatest impact on
your business in the future. These programs have been functioning a bit under
the radar, but already, the impact they’ve had has been huge. And it will only
get bigger.
I’m talking about the USTA’s No-Cut Program for high school tennis, and the
USTA Tennis on Campus program for college students.
The No-Cut initiative now has signed up more than 1,400 high-school coach-
es across the country. It’s a deceptively simple idea: Accept on the high-school
tennis team any student who tries out. Some teams have dozens of kids playing,
some more than 100.
Yes, it can be a challenge scheduling practices and court time for large groups
of high-school kids, but that’s where the USTA comes in with its expert high-
school coach advisory team, ready to help things run smoothly with advice and
resources. The alternative to No-Cut is that while eight or 12 kids make the team,
dozens more would be lost forever—simply because they didn’t have the oppor-
tunity to play through their high-school years.
Once kids move on to college, the co-ed Tennis on Campus takes over (it’s a
collaborative effort by the USTA, the National Intramural-Recreational Sports
Association, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, and World TeamTennis). For
decades, college students could only play organized tennis in the limited num-
ber of varsity team slots available. But this program makes tennis an intramur-
al team sport, and right now more than 25,000 students at over 400 colleges are
participating. Not only that, but each of the 17 USTA sections has a Campus
Championship, which feeds into a National Campus Championship (held this
year April 26 to 28 in Cary, N.C.).
Think of the possibilities: Hundreds of thousands of high-school students can
continue to play tennis through all four years of high school because, well, they
aren’t being cut from teams. Then when they get to college, they can continuethe fun and camaraderie as part of the co-ed intramural team program (since
there are so few college varsity tennis spots available).
Combine this with the excellent work being done at the elementary and mid-
dle school levels to get kids started in tennis, and you now have a pathway for
the sport right into adulthood—a series of programs that is exactly what the
future of this industry needs.
If you’re a high-school coach, visit USTA.com/highschoolcoaches, and if
you’re near a college or university, help get a co-ed Tennis on Campus intra-
mural program started by visiting USTA.com/college.
Peter FrancesconiEditorial Director
Our Serve
Two Programs Serving the Future(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry )
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editor-in-Chief
Crawford Lindsey
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Contributing Editors
Cynthia Cantrell
Rod Cross
Kristen Daley
Joe Dinoffer
Liza HoranAndrew Lavallee
James Martin
Chris Nicholson
Bob Patterson
Cynthia Sherman
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-
5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly Janu-
ary through August and combined issues in
September/October and November/December by
Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA
92084. Periodicals postagepaid at Hurley, NY 12443
and additional mailing offices. May 2007, Volume
35, Number 5 © 2007 by USRSA and Tennis Industry.
All rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
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tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry ,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
F
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
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I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W S
R S I M A Y 2 0 0 7
I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
ANorth Carolina man who recently purchased a lifetime USTA membership has become the
association’s 700,000th member, which is a record number of members for
the USTA.
Mark Holman, 47, of Fayetteville was recognized in early April at a ceremony
at the Fayetteville City Hall. He’s the marketing manager of NFI Consumer Prod-
ucts of Fayetteville, a health supplement manufacturer and distributor.
“I’ve been a member of the USTA on and off for a long time,” says Holman,
who bought a lifetime membership in January. He says he developed a pas-sion for the game in 1971 when as a 10-year-old he watched the Stan Smith-John Newcombe Wim-
bledon final on TV. He has been a regular tennis player ever since and currently plays four days a
week.
“To reach 700,000 members is a tremendous accomplishment, and we look forward to contin-
uing the growth of our membership in the years to come,” says USTA Executive Director Lee
Hamilton.
To recognize this record number, the USTA presented Holman with a lifetime USTA membership,
tickets to the U.S. vs. Spain Davis Cup quarterfinal match that was held in April in Winston-Salem,
N.C., and an all-expense paid trip to the 2007 US Open in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
The USTA has been increasing the number and amount of benefits it offers its members. Some
of the newest benefits of USTA membership include discounts at select resorts and camps, and a
partnership with The Active Network that includes dining discounts, travel offers, savings on onlinepurchases, and more (visit www.USTA.com for more information).
7 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
USTA Reaches Record 700,000 MembersBidding on Agassi BookTops $5 Million
The memoir of tennis legend AndreAgassi sparked a bidding waramong publishing houses recently.While financial terms were not dis-closed, Alfred A. Knopf publisherscame away with the rights to thebook, which reportedly sold formore than $5 million.
The Associated Press reported thatDavid Hirshey, senior vice presidentat HarperCollins, one of the pub-lishers that competed for the book,said the deal was more in line withwhat a former U.S. presidentwould get. "This is White Housemoney," Hirshey said. "I can'tremember the last time a sportsfigure got more than 2 million."
"Andre Agassi is one of theworld's most popular and admiredfigures," said Knopf head Sonny
Mehta. "He has lived an extraordi-nary life, and he has a great storyto tell—an inspiring story of deter-mination, competition, and what ittakes to become one of the great-est athletes of our time. Addition-ally, he is someone who haschosen to use his success as aninstrument for change in theworld."
Agassi’s book is not yet titled andno release date has been set.
Advertising for the 2007 US Open Series of summer hard-court tournaments will include a
multimillion-dollar “Get on the
US Open Series Tour Bus” cam-
paign.
During the Pacific Life Open and
Sony Ericsson Open in March, pro
players—including Andy Roddick,
Maria Sharapova, Venus and Serena
Williams, Rafael Nadal, and James
Blake—were filmed on a specially-
designed US Open Series tour bus. The
ad campaign will highlight the players’
unique personalities as they “live” on
the tour bus.
The US Open Series is the six-week
season that links the 10 ATP and WTA
Tour summer tournaments in North
America, leading to the US Open. The
tour bus campaign is scheduled to
break nationally during NBC’s broad-
cast of the Wimbledon finals.
Players ‘Get On the Bus’ for US Open Series
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M A Y 2 0 0 7
I N D U S T R Y N E W
S
10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
USPTA’s Tennis AcrossAmerica in Its 18th Year
The USPTA’s 18th Annual Tennis Across America Day is set
for May 12. USPTA-certified teaching pros will offer free ten-
nis clinics in more than 350 cities, then provide follow-up
programming.
Established in 1990, the goal of Tennis Across America is toget people out on the courts in a grassroots
lesson program. The program also
includes multicultural segments, reaching
out to various communities and potential
players who have special needs and may
not otherwise have the opportunity to
play. People getting their first taste of ten-
nis will learn basics to get started, find out
how to improve, and reap the benefits of a calo-
rie-burning workout.
While Tennis Across America Day will officially be celebrat-
ed May 12, it is not limited to just that day. More than 1,500USPTA pros and developmental coaches, along with volunteers,
offer free clinics to the public throughout the spring and sum-
mer. Clinics, which often coincide with the start of entry-level
lesson programs, can be directed toward adults, children, or
both, and may include new, current, and former players return-
ing to the game.
Honorary co-chairs for Tennis Across America include the
top-ranked men’s doubles team of Mike and Bob Bryan; former
touring pros Leslie Allen, Tom Gullikson, Stan Smith, and Fred
Stolle; coach and Master Professional Rick Macci; author, speak-
er, and Master Professional Peter Burwash; and sports science
expert Jack Groppel. They also include former President GeorgeBush and Wayne Bryan. For more information, visit
www.uspta.com.
Wilson Unveils NewMultimedia Website
Wilson Racquet Sports has gone live with its
revamped tennis website, which can be
accessed at www.wilson.com or
www.wilsontennis.com. In addition to a new look
and format, the website has new features
designed to engage consumers with interactive
components for Wilson’s key products and tech-
nologies, as well as the brand as a whole, says the
company.
A new flash media section explains the new
[K]Factor racquet technology, and a streaming
video component offers consumers a chance to
view the new [K]Factor videos featuring some never-before-seen footage of Roger Federer, as well as footage and images of
other WTA and ATP Wilson players.
The new site, which is now live for North America and Europe (a site for Asia currently is in development), also features
downloadable wallpaper, a continuously updated news section, player profile section, and other major upgrades. In coming
months, the site will be expanded to highlight Wilson badminton, squash, and racquetball.
Ace Collections OffersNew Apparel Line
The new apparel line from Ace Collections includes styles
that run from a shapely A-line mini dress to A-line skirts
(with shorts built-in and separate), and coordinating
muscle tops and square-
neck fashion tops.Ace accessories
include two
designer
leather/canvas
racquet bag
styles, hats,
bandanas, and
sterling
bracelets. “Ace
is for strong
women with
good tastewho like a
sense of chal-
lenge,” says
Ace Collec-
tions Presi-
dent Andrea
Watley. “It is
important
for women
to feel good
on the court,
and Ace has such clean lines. It’s easy to wear for allwomen.”
For more information, visit www.ace-collections.com.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
May 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11
Ashaway ExecSays More PlayersAre Buying Reels for Hybrids
Tennis players have long used
hybrid sets—pre-packaged com-binations of different string
types—to benefit from multiple char-
acteristics such as increased durabil-
ity, tension stability, or playability.
But Ashaway Vice President Steve
Crandall says an emerging trend is
for players to custom-design their
own hybrid sets by buying reels of
different string instead of pre-pack-
aged sets.
"The practice of hybrid stringing
started with elite players customizingtheir string beds,” says Crandall,
"and manufacturers followed by
offering pre-packaged sets. Now,
however, players are going us one
better and are buying specific strings
in reel sizes to design their own
hybrids."
Crandall says he first noticed this
trend when looking at sales figures.
"It has since been confirmed by our
stringers and distributors who report
players are increasingly bringing in
their own string for hybrids, or
requesting specific combinations,”
he says.
For Ashaway, says Crandall, he’s
seen a particular increase in the
demand for reels of its Kevlar,
MonoGut, and Dynamite tennis
strings. "For the player who is always
looking for a little something more
from his or her string, experimenting
with different string combinations—
as well as tensions—and designing
their own hybrid can definitelyimprove their game," says Crandall.
Lever 2000 Promotion to Help Bring In New Players
Tennis facilities are invited to sign up for a promotion from Lever 2000 designed to
help them attract new players to their facilities. Visit www.tenniswelcome cen-
ter.com/promotions/lever to sign up and be eligible to win hundreds of prizes and
tickets to the 2008 US Open.
Lever 2000 will distribute more than 5 million packages of bar soap that will include
a voucher driving consumers to a website where they can then find a participating facil-
ity to try tennis for free. The campaign also includes TV spots and newspaper and mag-azine ads, along with other major retailer promotions.
To be identified as a participating facility, you need to offer a one-hour beginner clin-
ic once a month in June, July, August, and September (it can be part of an existing clin-
ic) and the clinic must accommodate up to 12 students. Other requirements, listed on
the website, include Lever 2000 promotional material.
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M A Y 2 0 0 7
I N D U S T R Y N E W
S
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
Minnesota Couple WinsHall of Fame Award
Steven K. Champlin and his wife, Marjorie E. Champlin, of
Wayzata, Minn., have been named the recipients of the
2006 Samuel Hardy Award, an International Tennis Hall of
Fame honor that is given annually to a USTA volunteer in recog-
nition of long and outstanding service to the sport. The awardwas presented to the Champlins in March at a special luncheon
during the USTA Annual Meeting in Arizona.
The Hall of Fame also presented its Educational Merit
Awards to three to individuals who have made notable contri-
butions in the tennis education field at the national level. The
2006 winners are Barbara Fackel of Rock Island, Ill., David T.
Porter of Laie, Hawaii, and Marc R. Safran of San Francisco.
K3 Offers New CustomBall Logo Program
K3 Tennis of Birmingham, Ala., has a new custom logo
tennis ball program for pro and specialty shops. For
orders before June 30, authorized K3 accounts can print
their company or club logo on each K3 tennis ball with no set-
up charge (a savings of $150) and a fee of 30 cents per can.Your custom logo will be on one side of the ball, and the
K3 logo will be on the opposite side. The minimum quantity
requirement for the custom logo balls is seven cases, and
shipping is free.
K3 Tennis is the official ball for both the USTA Southern
Section and USTA Florida Section Tennis on Campus program.
It was also named official ball for Adidas Tennis Camps.
“Our strategy is to be partners with the serious retailer,”
says K3 owner Yatin Shelar. “With this new custom logo pro-
gram, small retailers can now promote their brand as well.”
Contact 205-940-2474 or visit www.k3tennis.com.
Zym Electrolyte Drink Tablets
Drop a Zym Portable Electrolyte Drink tablet into water
to help replace lost electrolytes and vitamins during amatch. Combined with
water, the fast-dissolv-
ing Zym has only 1
gram of sugar and 7
calories per 16 ounces.
Visit gozym.comcourtesy of Greg Shapps Photography
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I N D U S T RY N E W S
May 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13
ITA Picks Deco, Plexipave as Official Surfaces
DecoTurf and Plexipave have been named as the official tennis surfaces of the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association and will provide ITA member coaches an
incentive to choose their surface systems.
“I think our members and coaches will benefit greatly from this partnership,”
says ITA Executive Director David A. Benjamin.
Welch Tennis OffersClay Court Seminars
Welch Tennis Courts Inc. is again
offering its Clay Court Mainte-
nance Seminars for club man-
agers, tennis pros, and maintenance
personnel. The all-day program is
designed to give participants a working
knowledge of Har-Tru courts.
Seminar cost is $159 per person
($125 for each additional person from
the same facility) and includes break-
fast, lunch, refreshments, and happy
hour. USPTA members can earn 3 con-
tinuing education credits for attending.
Upcoming seminars are:Q May 4: The Club at The Strand, Naples, Fla.
Q May 11: Hunter’s Green Country Club,
Tampa, Fla.
Q May 18: North Palm Beach Country Club, North
Palm Beach, Fla.
Q Oct. 5: West Palm Beach, Fla.
Q Oct. 12: Jacksonville, Fla.
Q Oct. 19: Naples-Fort Myers, Fla.
For information or to register, con-
tact Deb Carlson at 800-282-4415.
USRSA MEMBER CLASSIFIEDSFOR SALE: Babolat Star 3 Stringing Machine. Completely reconditioned by TennisMachines Inc. Very good condition. $2000. Contact Russ Sheh 760-323-7536.
Tennis Warehouse toSponsor USTA Tennis on Campus
Tennis Warehouse has become the presenting sponsor of the USTA Campus
Championship and the official online retailer of the Tennis on Campus pro-
gram through 2008. Tennis Warehouse will offer product discounts to all Ten-
nis on Campus program participants, in addition to providing promotional
products for program start-up kits and the 18 championship events.
Currently, more than 25,000 college recreational tennis players participate in
the program at over 400 campuses nationwide. “This relationship will allow us to
support the entire tennis industry while allowing programs and participants con-
venient access and selection to a wide array of products not often available in localmarkets,” says Glenn Arrington, the USTA’s national manager of collegiate tennis.
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M A Y 2 0 0 7I N D U S T RY N E W S
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
> Portland (Ore.) After School Tennis and
the Hillsboro Park & Recreation Department
have been named as the 2006 Recreational
Coach Workshop Host Site of the Year. This
award, in its inaugural year, honors an RCW
host site that went above and beyond toprovide an excellent experience for those in
attendance. The two organizations jointly
hosted an RCW in June, catering to 35 par-
ticipants.
> Houston’s Westside Tennis and Fitness,
site of the 2007 U.S. Men’s Clay Court
Championships in April, converted its red
clay tennis courts to Lee Tennis’s Har-Tru sur-
face. “We’re thrilled about our investment in
the courts as they’re easy to maintain and
are aesthetically pleasing,” says Kim Barnett,
facilities manager at Westside.
> The ATP announced a three-year partner-
ship with tennis string manufacturer Pacific
Entermark GmbH. Under the agreement, the
German-based international corporation will
become the official string and grip provider
for the ATP, whose players will have access to
Pacific’s products.
> Pro Kennex International has announced
that Sports Technology of Carlsbad, Calif.,
will no longer be the distributor for Pro Ken-
nex. U.S. National Sales Manager Don Laingwill be handling orders and deliveries until a
new U.S. distributor is named. Contact Laing
at 973-738-6941.
> Family and friends of Arthur Ashe recent-
ly unveiled his official website.
ArthurAshe.org will offer video, audio, pho-
tographs, and links related to Ashe, the first
black man to win the Wimbledon, US Open,
and Australian Open titles. Ashe’s widow,
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, said the site
was “dedicated to providing a unique
resource for the understanding and promo-tion of the legacy and values embodied in
the life and work of Arthur Ashe as a con-
science leader, humanitarian, educator, and
athlete.”
> The USTA has formed a partnership with
Providence (R.I.) After School Alliance that
will give students at city middle schools the
opportunity to participate in tennis during
the after school hours. Four area NJTL chap-
ters will serve as the providers for the tennis
programs. The USTA donated equipment.
SHORT SETSUSPTA OffersCertification Exams
The USPTA is offering more than 125tennis certification exams across theU.S. Each test date includes a certifi-
cation review course then the exam.The exam includes an on-court evalu-
ation of private and group lesson instruc-tion, plus evaluation of playing skills,stroke and grip analysis, and other teach-ing skills. It also includes a written testcovering teaching and business manage-ment skills, rules, club activity program-ming, and other topics.
The pre-exam review course includesa review of exam topics such as develop-ing student rapport, class organization,lesson progressions, and teaching tech-niques. Successful applicants for the cer-tification exam become Professional-level
members of USPTA. The associationoffers separate membership opportunitiesfor part-time teachers and wheelchair ten-nis instructors.
Advanced registration for the exam
is required, and is available online at
www.uspta.com or by calling 800-877-
8248. Information is also available by
emailing [email protected]. The
fee for the exam is $175.
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M A Y 2 0 0 7I N D U S T R Y N E W S
16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
Coldest Tennis Match?
Bone-chilling
temperatures
didn’t damp-
en the spirits
of the tennis
faithful at theColdest Day
of Tennis,
held outdoors
Feb. 10 at
Walsh Park in St. Paul, Minn. The
day started at 8 a.m. with a tem-
perature of -16 degrees and ended
at 11 a.m. at a balmy -4 degrees.
The free event was open to the
public and featured tennis games
and prizes.
• NCAA coaches Jim
Brockhoff of Xavier University
and Dr. Robert Screen of Hampton
University each recorded their 1,000th
career victories in late March, within 24
hours of each other. Brockhoff and
Screen join retired Hawaii coach Jim
Schwitters as the second and third tennis
coaches at the NCAA Division I level to
reach 1,000 combined men's and
women's victories.
• Buddy Bayliss is the new racquet
sports territory manager for the Mid-
Atlantic region (Virginia, Maryland,
Delaware, and Washington, D.C.) for
Dunlop Sports Group Americas. Bayliss
comes to Dunlop with more than 30years of industry experience—25 of
them as an independent manufacturers’
rep for racquet and other sports prod-
ucts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• USTA Past President Alan G. Schwartz
has been elected to the board of direc-
tors of The Tennis Channel.
• Tom Flanagan is the new communica-
tions manager at the USTA New England
Section office. Also, Alexandra Rogers is
a new Tennis Service Representative inthe section.
• Prince players Lisa Raymond and
Samantha Stosur captured the doubles
crown at the 2007 Sony Ericsson Open
recently, playing with O3 racquets. The
duo is the top women’s doubles team in
the world. Also, Daniela Hantuchova and
young American pro Sam Querrey are
now playing with Prince O3 racquets.
• ATP pros Mardy Fish and Dmitry Tur-
sunov have signed with Wilson Racquet
Sports and are playing with the compa-
ny’s [K]Factor racquets. Both are playing
with the [K]Six.One 95.
• University of North Carolina senior
Jenna Long of Fremont, Calif., and Boise
State junior Luke Shields of Grand Junc-
tion, Colo., received USTA Sportsman-
ship Awards at the USTA/ITA National
Team Indoor Championships in
February.
P E O
P L EW A
T C
H
PBI Tennis ShowExpands 2007 Schedule
The Peter Burwash International Ten-nis Show will again be on tour in2007. Last year the PBI Tennis
Show had an exciting one month tour
in August, culminating with a perform-ance at the USTA Tennis Teachers Con-ference in conjunction with the USOpen in New York.
This year, according to PBI Tennis
Show Director Dan Aubuchon, the
tour is being expanded to July through
September, with performances in
both the U.S. and China. "We are very
excited at the possibilities for this
year and being able to have the show
perform in a variety of venues," Aubu-
chon says.
In its nearly 30-year history, the
PBI Tennis Show has been performed
in 99 countries in front of millions of
people. The entertaining show com-
bines music, skits and extraordinary
tennis skills highlighting the way peo-
ple play the sport.
Both performance dates and spon-
sorships are still available for 2007.
Those interested in either sponsor-
ship or hosting a performance should
contact Aubuchon at 760-333-4688 or
[email protected]. Forinformation on Peter Burwash Inter-
national, visit www.pbitennis.com.
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Tennis’ unparalleled growth among traditional sports is the result of many
people in this industry working toward a common goal. The Tennis Indus-
try Association and all its partners—from major manufacturers and organi-
zations to facilities, retailers, and individual supporters—are committed to
“Growing Tennis Through Teamwork.”
In this special section, you’ll learn more about the TIA and what we do,
including the services and tools we offer to help your business grow.
Founded more than 30 years ago as the American Tennis Industry Fed-
eration, the TIA is the not-for-profit trade association representing tennis. We provide
the industry with research, administer grassroots initiatives, deliver industry news,
maintain databases that connect all parts of the industry, and focus on technology and
services to help the industry—and your business—grow.Our dedicated Board of Directors and Executive Committee, including new Presi-
dent Dave Haggerty, represent all areas: major manufacturers, organizations, retailers,
court contractors, teaching pro groups, pro tennis groups, and more. We have a great
support team that provides valuable services, and a service-oriented staff to assist you.
At the TIA, we’re strongly focused on using technology to help your business. In
2006, more than 6 million people tried tennis for the first time, and 2 million logged-
on to find a place to play, programs to learn tennis, and people to play with. If you’re
at a tennis facility, you can list your programs and information
with us for free so consumers can find you (see page 29). And
with support from our partners, you also receive free product to
use and marketing support to attract new players when you
become a Tennis Welcome Center or Cardio Tennis site (seepage 21). Plus check out the grant and co-op funding opportuni-
ties available to you.
Want to run your business on online? TennisConnect (see page
25) provides all you need. Last year, more than 790,000 courts
were booked online through TennisConnect—up 300 percent
from 2005.
Want to save money on credit card processing fees, shipping,
insurance, and advertising? See page 28. Want to compare your
business operation to others? See the market intelligence the TIA
provides on pages 26 and 27.
Finally, visit TennisIndustry.org to see how all areas of the
industry are connected and how you can get involved. Your com-ments and ideas are welcomed.
Through your continuing support, we can keep the momentum
strong for a healthy sport.
Jolyn de Boer
From the TIA Executive Director
CONTENTS
20 Growing theGame
26 YourResearchSource
28 EconomicLeverage
29 NetAdvantages
30 Support YourIndustry
31 Benefits of Membership
32 Join Today!
The 22 individuals whomake up the Board of Directors of the TennisIndustry Associationrepresent 500 years of work experience in thetennis business. Someof them started in thebusiness with an after-
school job in a tennisshop or as an assistantpro during the summerseason. All of themplay the game. All of them are passionateabout working togetherfor the good of thegame. And all of themcarry a certain perspec-tive on the TIA’s goal
to promote and growthe economic vitality of the sport.
“In the TIA, we’re ded-icated to workingtogether—with our col-leagues and competi-tors—to make sure thatthe sport remainshealthy and continuesto grow,” says
Dave Haggerty of HEAD/Penn, whostarted a two-year termthis past January as the volunteer president of the TIA and is also onthe USTA Board of Directors. “This spiritof cooperation is payingdividends for everyonein the tennis busi-ness.”
T I A
S u p p o r t S t a f f
Matt Allen Michele Krause Brian O’Donnell Crissie Hale Josh Myers Carole Waite Keith Storey Liza Horan Charlie Ruddy
IT/Databases Cardio Tennis Grassroots Membership Customer Special Sports Mktg TennisWire.org TennisConnect
Programs Service Projects Surveys T I A
S u p p o r t T e a m
Meet theTIA President
& Board of Directors
Let’s Keep This
Sport Moving Forward!
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Dave HaggertyTIA President/Exec. Comm.CEO, HEAD USA
Years at Company: 8 Years in Biz: 34
Jeff HarrisonVP of League Properties,
World TeamTennis
Years at Company: 11
Years in Biz: 15
Tim HecklerCEO, USPTA
Years at Company: 25
Years in Biz: 37
Kurt Kamperman
TIA Executive CommitteeChief Executive,
Community Tennis, USTA
Years at Company: 4
Years in Biz: 32
Jon MuirTIA Executive CommitteeGen. Mgr., Racquet Sports
Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
Years at Company: 10
Years in Biz: 14
Kai NitscheGen. Mgr., Racquet Sports, Dun-
lop Sports Group
Years at Company: 9
Years in Biz: 11
Dale QueenPresident,
Your Serve Tennis
Years at Company: 33
Years in Biz: 33
Dan SantorumCEO and Exec. Director,
PTR
Years at Company: 21
Years in Biz: 25
Victor TaylorVP, Tournament & Mktg. Services,
ATP Years at Company: 17
Years in Biz: 20
John WelbornDir. of Bus. Development,
Lee Tennis
Years at Company: 29
Years in Biz: 34
Jeff WilliamsGroup Publisher,
Miller Sports Group
Years at Company: 6
Years in Biz: 21
Max BrownleeTIA Executive CommitteeGeneral Manager,
Babolat, USA Years at Company: 7
Years in Tennis Biz: 33
David BoneExecutive Director,
U.S. Racquet Stringers Assn.
Years at Company: 8
Years in Tennis Biz: 23
Kevin CallananVice President,
Int’l. Management Group
Years at Company: 16
Years in Biz: 18
Tom CovePresident & CEO,
Sporting Goods Mfrs. Assn.
Years at Company: 13
Years in Biz: 13
Rick DevereuxTennis Liaison,
Int’l. Health & Racquet Sports Assn.
Years at Company: 20
Years in Biz: 35
Steve DunlapV.P. Merchandising,
The Sports Authority
Years at Company: 19
Years in Biz: 27
David EgdesSr. VP Tennis Industry Relations,
and Tourn. Dir., TTC Open
The Tennis Channel
Years at Company: 1
Years in Biz: 10
Doug FonteTIA Executive CommitteePresident,
Prince Sports Americas
Years at Company: 4
Years in Biz: 15
Don GalliersManaging Director, Int’l.,Sealmaster Industries
Years at Company: 8
Years in Biz: 19
Chris GaudreauOwner,
The Racquet Koop
Years at Company: 20
Years in Biz: 21
John GrahamManaging Director, DecoTurf
Years at Company: 4
Years in Biz: 4
What Drives You?Every one of the TIA Board
Members has passion for the
game, and the business of
tennis. Here is a sample of
what fires them up.
“I’ve seen hundreds of examplesof how tennis has helped kids findthe right path, adults take controlof their health and fitness, and
families bond. The physical, men-tal and social benefits of the sport are unsurpassed. My passion isbringing new people into the game.” —Kurt Kamperman,
USTA
"To me it's continuing the growthof any sport with today's technolo-
gy and giving the end-user anopportunity to compete at a higherlevel every day." —Steve Dunlap,
Sports Authority
"The No. 1 focus should be grow- ing the game: The more participa-tion, the more business for all of
us." —David Bone,USRSA
"I get excited about tennis prod- ucts that make the game easier to play and more enjoyable for the average club player, whether that'stechnical innovations in racquets,balls or accessories."
—Kai Nitsche,Dunlop Sports Group
"What excites me most are pro- grams that introduce the game to kids, because that's the future of the game." —Jeff Williams,
Miller Sports Group
“We get to help people have fun playing tennis and staying healthy at the same time. How great a job is that.” —John Welborn,
Lee Tennis
“The people in this industry are probably the most friendly and cooperative in doing what’s right in the sport that I’ve ever met.You just don’t run into that often.”
—John GrahamDecoTurf
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O ver the last three years, thanks to the unifiedefforts of many people and organizations in ten-nis, we’ve seen growth in participation, equip-
ment sales, pro tournament attendance, and much more.All of this has led to an increased awareness of tennis—both on the recreational level and at the pro level.
The popularity of the pro game is clearly helping drawin viewers and fans. We’ve seen increased air time on TV;
well-known stars such as Roger Federer, Maria Sharapo- va, and James Blake generating new interest; and an
exciting lineup of tournaments in the summer-long USOpen Series, capped by the US Open itself.
The various organizations and companies involved intennis—the USTA, manufacturers, teaching pro groups,retailers, tournament directors, media, and others—arecontinuing to come together to develop and support thesport with a variety of initiatives designed to generatemore interest in tennis, get more people playing, retainthem in the game, and, importantly, bring more businessto retail shops, facilities, and all parts of our industry. TheUSTA in particular has stepped up key grassroots fund-ing over the last four years, and that’s continuing to pay dividends with successful programs such as Tennis Wel-
come Centers, CardioTennis, Tennis in the Parks, andmany more.
The TIA, with key support from the USTA, manufac-turers, and others, is a driving force behind many of these cooperative initiatives. “Because of our position asthe industry’s trade organization where companies andpeople all come together for the good of the game, theTIA truly belongs to everybody,” says TIA ExecutiveDirector Jolyn de Boer. “We’re here to serve as the vehicle tohelp drive growth in all sectors.” Together with the USTA, theTIA is involved in the planning, development, marketing, andresearch for both the tennis trade and the consumer.
“The TIA is an organization that builds consensus,” adds TIA
President Dave Haggerty. “And the streamlined nature of theTIA, along with its focus on technology, allows it to be flexible,adjust fast, and get things done quickly.” That’s important in thisindustry, because programs, priorities, and campaigns that
worked great a year ago may need to be adjusted today to con-tinue to make an impact.
GrowingTennis.comThe umbrella for a lot of programs that canreally help your business is the Grow-ingTennis.com website. And it’s easy forfacilities to go onto the site to keep their
information up to date and manage their
program details.Through Growing Ten-nis.com, the TIA delivers the
Tennis Welcome Center, Cardio Ten-nis, and Growing Tennis 50/50 programs andinitiatives, among others.
“Importantly, we maintain the databases, communications with the facilities, and information for the seven websites we
manage in-house,” says de Boer. “Not only can we makechanges instantly to a website, but also, all facilities in ourdatabases have 24/7 access to the system to update their owninformation.”
The seven TIA-maintained websites are:• GrowingTennis.com• TennisIndustry.org• Partners.TennisWelcomeCenter.com
• TennisWelcomeCenter.com
Together with the USTA and industry partners, the TIA
is helping to drive tennis forward,for the benefit of all.
A Unified EffortA Unified Effort
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• Partners.CardioTennis.com• CardioTennis.com• TennisConnect.org
Part of the TIA’s major outreach is toget facilities to go to
www.GrowingTennis.com to input their information, programs,facility details, and so forth. The information can be accessed atany time and is managed “live” on TennisWelcomeCenter.com,CardioTennis.com, and other industry sites, including Ten-nis.com, TheTennisChannel.com, and USTA.com.
Consumers can find a place to play, players to play with, andprogram offerings. The TIA has been constantly makingimprovements to its technology since these systems wereadded in 2003. All facilities have the opportunity to get theirmessage out with a free web presence on these sites to connect
with the tennis marketplace.
Tennis Welcome CentersOne excellent example of evolving programs and approaches is
with the Tennis Welcome Center and Cardio Tennis initiatives.After a few years of running separate
programs, the TIA and
industry partnersrecognized the
advantages to begained by combining
resources and synergies with both the TWC and
CT initiatives. Now, all Cardio Tennis sites are required to beTennis Welcome Centers, too.
The push for quality Tennis Welcome Centers continuesthrough the TIA and the USTA. Currently, there are more than2,000 TWCs in the U.S., with 800 of those located at publicparks. Pro sensation Maria Sharapova continues as thespokesmodel for TWCs, appearing in advertisements and promo-
tional materials for facilities to use.The TWC program continues to receive support from manu-
facturers. In 2006 there were more than 2.5 million special hang-
tags on beginner racquets, along with 25 million special labels onball cans, and inserts in tennisshoe boxes. More than 2,000banners are up inside and out-side at facilities around thecountry, supported by 5,000Maria Sharapova posters.
As a result of these industry efforts and TWC target marketadvertising, page views on
www.TennisWelcomeCenter.com in June and July 2006increased from an average of 40,000 per month to 150,000per month. Also, the targetmarket initiative in 2006included Tennis Block Parties
and Business Development Workshops held throughout theUSTA sections.
And TWCs are receiving support from the USPTA and PTR,along with the media and U.S. tennis writers. The TIA and USTArecently recognizedthe Top 50 TWCsacross the country.Recipients, who werelisted in various publi-cations, received wallplaques to display attheir facilities.
TWCs also receive aboost from the “Grow-ing Tennis 50/50” pro-gram—a joint effortby the TIA and USTAthat provides morethan $200,000 inmatching funds for facilities and programs to use for advertisingand promotional efforts to attract new adult and junior players.
These funds are only availablefor TWCs, which can receiveup to $2,500. (For more infor-mation, and an application forfunding and sample ads youcan run, visit
www.GrowingTennis.com.)There also is a new TWC elec-tronic newsletter and a newinternet-based community siteunder development for sharingpractices and event searches.
Target marketing throughTWCs is focused on providingresources and support to indi-
vidual facilities that are com-mitted to promoting entry-level programs and transitionprograms for new players. And
workshops for TWCs includethe Cardio Tennis model.
Through surveys and fol-lowup calls to facilities, TWCshave consistently improved
TIA research on the more than
2,000 Tennis Welcome Centers
shows that: • 73 percent offer
league play.
• 68 percent offer
USTA Leagues.
• On average, 31 new
players were creat-
ed, 29 players
returned, and 36players were playing
more frequently.
• Lesson revenue
increased at 77 per-
cent of the facilities.
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over the last few years. “Staff is much more aware that programs for new play-ers are going on at their own facilities, and they are handling these first-timecallers more effectively,” says de Boer. Other quality assurance programsinclude TWCs receiving automated feedback from their websites if informa-tion is not available when consumers are searching for a place to play tennis.
Cardio TennisCardio Tennis, officially launched a year and a half ago, continues to gainmomentum throughout the country—and, in fact, the world—as more andmore people realize that they can’t take their health for granted. Cardio Ten-nis is a fun, active way to get in shape, and to help hone tennis skills.
And the popular demand for a fitness program such as Cardio Tennis is cer-tainly prevalent. Take, for instance, the phenomenal growth of the fitness chainCurves. In just seven years, Curves opened more than 7,800 locations in theU.S., and 10,000-plus worldwide,answering a demand for programsthat lead to improved fitness and
lifestyles. By comparison, it tookfast-food giants McDonald’s andSubway more than 25 years to openthe same number of locations.
Cardio Tennis, which includesboth drill-based and play-based exer-cises, is designed to keep the heart ratein the ideal zone, giving players of allskill levels a healthy workout in a funenvironment. “Cardio Tennis is allabout variety, and that’s what I loveabout it,” says fitness guru DeniseAustin, who will continue as the Cardio
Tennis spokesperson. Currently, there
The Team Behind
Cardio Success
The National Cardio Tennis
Speakers team was formed at
the inception of the Cardio pro-
gram in early 2005 to helpeducate the industry and serve
as the official National trainers.
Today the team consists of a
diverse group of 24 who are some of the
most well-respected tennis teaching pros in
the U.S.
The volunteers who make up the team are
certified pros from both the PTR and USPTA.
Each member runs a successful Cardio Ten-
nis program and exemplifies the qualities of
an outstanding Cardio Tennis pro, such as
passion, energy, great feeding skills, and a
strong belief in the program.
Team members work with TIA Cardio Ten-
nis Manager Michele Krause (above) to pro-
mote the program. Their contributions take on
many forms, such as writing articles, educa-
tion and training through Cardio Tennis work-
shops and at industry events. Most important,
they play an ongoing role in the continuous
development and direction of the program.
“The Speakers Team is an amazing group
of people,” says Krause. “Cardio Tennis would
not be where it is today without their dedica-
tion to the program.”
Besides Krause, the National Cardio Ten-
nis Speakers Team consists of:
Katrina Adams
Eric Alexson
Jorge Andrew
Samantha Ardenfriend
Jorge Capestany
Ken DeHart
Lee DeYoung
Carmen Garcia
Feisal Hassan
Luke Jensen
Whitney Kraft
Greg Moran
Ted Murray
Ajay Pant
Greg Patton
David Robinson
David Schwartz
Heather Silvia
Butch Staples
J. Webb Horton
Mike Woody
Sophie Woorons-Johnston
Rosie Baries (not pictured)
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are 1,600 Cardio Tennis sites in the U.S.And new this year to the Cardio Tennis Nation-
al Speakers Team is Luke Jensen, former proplayer and current ESPN tennis analyst. “CardioTennis is a perfect fit to grow tennis among thefitness crowd,” says Jensen. “The program, in my opinion, is what needs to happen for people whotake step aerobics and kickboxing and want to try
something new and get fit.”Data from surveys of Cardio Tennis sites andcustomers prove the effectiveness of the program,and show that facilities are realizing increases inlesson revenue, program fees, pro shop sales,court bookings, memberships, and participation.There is also increased interest in delivering Car-dio Tennis to kids, through schools and other pro-grams.
But most important for your business, CardioTennis can be a huge moneymaker for facilitiesand pros running the program. “People just can’t
wait to get into classes,” says Hector Mendoza of
the Vancouver Tennis Center. “They get a great workout and they have fun.”In addition to the interest generated by sites
and players within the U.S., Cardio Tennis hasalso garnered a large following overseas. At therequest of Tennis Europe, Cardio Tennis Manag-er Michele Krause, along with members of theCardio Tennis Speakers Team, have given well-attended seminars to spread the word globally about the health benefits of the program.
Cardio Tennis is also gaining exposure nation- wide through participation in Better Your Body fitness expos. In 2007, the TIA will feature CardioTennis in at least three of these fitness-relatedsports shows.
A recent survey of Cardio
Tennis providers shows that:
• Lesson revenue increased at
71 percent of facilities.
• Program fees increased at
47 percent of facilities.
• Pro shop sales increased at
23 percent.
• Court bookings increased at22 percent.
• Membership sales increased at
18 percent of facilities.
• On average, facilities said Cardio
Tennis caused about 20 players
to play tennis more frequently.
• 15.4 new players came to the
average facility because of
Cardio Tennis.
• On average per facility, Cardio
Tennis attracted 15.1 former
players back to the game.
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As part of the target market campaign, these images will be used in 500,000 newspaper inserts and counter card displays for facilities and retailers.
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Currently, the TIA hasscheduled 10 Better YourBusiness workshops in2007. For more informa-tion, visit
www.GrowingTennis.com.The workshops are also
geared toward building
your business via tech-nology. Everyone whoattends a BYB Workshop
will receive a free web-site builder throughTennisConnect, whichalso includes TennisCol-lect, a new payment sys-
tem that allows you to get paid faster and easier by yourcustomers when they sign up for court time or clinics online.
Better YourBusiness WorkshopsCardio Tennis will also gain a boostthrough the TIA’s new Better YourBusiness Workshops. These daylongseminars—focusing on helping teach-ing pros, facility managers, retailers,and others to boost their businessoverall—will also spend time on theCardio Tennis model and how toimplement a successful Cardioprogram.
The BYB Workshops go beyondCardio, too. They offer tips to improvecustomer service, deliver effectivetennis programming, p.r.and marketing to gain andretain players, reach outto the community, deal
with the media, and muchmore. The workshops, pre-sented by seasoned indus-try presenters, deliver thebest practices from provensources to improve yourbusiness. The goal, of course, is to help youimprove your business.Mike Woody, tennis direc-tor at the Midland Com-munity Tennis Center inMidland, Mich., will beone of the main facilitatorsfor the BYB Workshops.
“I recently attended thefirst Better Your Business
Workshop on Hilton HeadIsland,” says John Hill of Raintree Club in Virginia.“Although I’ve been in this business for 30 years and have ownedmy own facilities, I was impressed with the new ideas that I tookaway. Also through the training offered, I gained the confidenceto start Cardio Tennis at my club.”
Sign Up to Better Your Business
Take advantage of all that the Better Your Business
Workshops have to offer. (To sign up for a BYB Work-shop, visit www.GrowingTennis.com.) For the remainder
of 2007, the schedule includes:
• May 4, San Antonio Country Club, San Antonio, Texas
• May 18, Las Vegas Hilton Resort & Tennis
• May 20, El Conquistador Hilton, Tuscon, Ariz.
• May 21, Meadow Creek Tennis & Fitness Club, Denver
• June 9, Center Court Tennis Club, Fond du Lac, Wis.
• June 24, Lexington Tennis Club, Lexington, Ky.
• Oct. 1, MidTown Tennis Club, Chicago
Also, Cardio Tennis will be featured at three “Better Your
Body” fitness expos in the U.S., each of which attracts
more than 12,000 consumers:
• May 5-6, Dallas
• Sept. 29-30, Chicago
• Nov. 3-4, New York
Tennis In Public ParksOne key to growing the game in the U.S. involves building—and rebuilding—tennis in the public parks. The USTA,together with the National Recreation and Park Associationand other groups, is continuing with its Tennis in the ParksInitiative to enhance public tennis facilities and improve theirprogram offerings.
Research shows that parks are by far the No. 1 place whereAmericans play tennis, followed by play on courts at schoolsand colleges. More than 70 percent of all tennis played in theU.S. is played at public facilities.
Through its public facility funding effort in 2005 and 2006,the USTA awarded grants totaling more than $3.5 million to
help build new or renovate existing public facilities. Thesegrants benefited over 85 public facilities and 700-plus tenniscourts. And, more importantly, the USTA’s investment was acatalyst for an additional $30 million in public facility fundingfrom other sources.
“Our public facility funding grants have been a huge suc-cess,” says Kurt Kamperman, the USTA’s chief executive of Community Tennis. “Not only can we effectively leverage ourdollars, but in providing these grants, we require that all recip-ients follow through with sound local tennis programming.The end result is better public facilities, offering local grass-roots programs that will attract and retain more players.”
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Throughout all of these areas, and much more, the TIA remainscommitted to not only helping you boost your business, but alsoelevating your position within this industry and with your cus-tomers. And one of the main tools the TIA is using to do this con-tinues to be its focus on technology.
Recently, the TIA revamped its website (www.tennisindustry.org) to better serve your business and you and your customers.
May 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
Growing at theGrassrootsServing as a national sales forcefor tennis, the Tennis Service Representa-tive program has proven to be a great suc-cess in helping to connect local tennisproviders with the resources needed to
grow the game at the grassroots level.“The TSRs are helping facility operators
to see what opportunities might exist to helpthem develop their businesses,” says MarkMcMahon, the USTA’s national coordinatorfor TSRs. “And importantly, they’re not justpushing USTA programs, but the brand‘tennis.’”
Currently, there are 90 TSRs, which areemployees of their USTA sections, withsupport from the USTA national office. In2006, TSRs visited thousands of facilities,helping them connect with programs, possi-
ble funding sources, and more to keep thegame growing.
A new way to deliver tennis to kids 10 and under is being
developed by the USTA and is tentatively called “Project 36/60.” The numbers referto the size of different “courts” for kids toplay on when they’re first introduced intothe game (and these “courts” can be set upon parking lots, in driveways, in gyms,etc.). But the project involves more than
just mini-courts; it includes using appro-
priately sized racquets, along with foam“transition” balls, to help kids realizeimmediate success in the sport, helping toensure that they’ll stay with tennis.
“The buzz has been incredible aboutthis,” says Kirk Anderson, the USTA’sdirector of recreational coaches and pro-grams. “Everybody’s talking about it.”Look for much more on this program inthe future, as the USTA and industry part-ners begin a rollout in the fall.
This transition equipment is also help-ing the USTA revamp its school tennis
program, including a new “in-school cur-riculum” designed to make it easier for
physical education teachers to deliver tennis to their students.
Research on Block Parties in
Tennis Welcome Center target
markets indicates:
• 90 percent of consumers
gave Block Parties the high-
est rank in terms of enjoy-
ment, which is key, because
the TWC initiative is
designed to be welcomingand fun for new players.
• More than two-thirds of the
participants said they
would play more tennis as
a result of participating in a
Block Party.
• 48 percent said they would
likely participate in future
programs.
• 19 percent signed up for
programs on the spot.
“All areas of this industry need to be connected,” says de Boer,“and our website is doing this.” Key in this effort, as mentioned,is the comprehensive www.GrowingTennis.com website.There, you’ll not only find information on Cardio Tennis, Ten-nis Welcome Centers, Growing Tennis 50/50 Co-op Funding,and Better Your Business Workshops, but also a link for yourfree listing that will enable thousands of players to find your
facility.The website also has links to one of the most powerful
online tools for businesses through TennisConnect.org. Thisproduct has transformed the way hundreds of facilities dobusiness by offering a website presence, interactive calendar,player matching, court scheduler, group email system, andmore. Last year, 790,260 online court reservations weremade through TennisConnect, and the testimonials fromboth facilities and their members support the benefit of thisinnovation.
Another technology advancement is the service providedby TennisWire.org. Industry “Ne wsmakers” can upload theirpress releases to the site, where they are categorically dis-
played and archived. A bi-monthly newsletter generates thefeatures and is distributed to more than 12,000 industry con-tacts, including the media.
But the TIA’s main connection is in providing the onlineresearch tools that makes information about the tennis mar-ketplace easily accessible (see page 26). The TIA, along withits research partner, Sports Marketing Surveys, produces 70research reports and surveys annually. In addition, quarterly census reports are also generated (through W & W ServicesInc.) that show shipment and sales for tennis racquets,strings, and balls, a leading indicator of recreational play.
More than ever, the TIA is focused on finding ways to helpthe industry’s vitality by working together toward growth,
prosperity, and fitness to keep tennis No. 1.
Connecting With Your Business
TennisConnect.org With TennisConnect, facilities can create and manage their own websites, web hosting included, with features to promote and sup-port their business, such as an Online Tennis Court Scheduler, aPlayer Match feature, a Group Email Engine, an eCalendar feature,and TennisConnectForums, a learning tool that allows facilities toask questions and share ideas.
So far, more than 400 facilities have purchased and used the Ten-nisConnect.org software. For consumers, the number of visits tofacility websites using the software has been growing—from about
80,000 unique visits in the month of January 2006 to nearly 300,000 permonth by year-end, with nearly 9million page views. For the past four
years, court reservations using Ten-nisConnect were in the millions, saysCharlie Ruddy, developer of Tennis-Connect.org.
“We will be using this impressivedatabase as part of the new CourtMonitor System to analyze play habits and court usage for theresearch provided in the TennisHealth Index report,” adds the TIA’sde Boer.
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* Phone Survey of Tennis Participation. This is a continuationof the USTA/TIA survey, but going forward there will be areduced sample size. The sample size could be reduced to4,000 households (9,500 individuals), which would still pro-
vide a robust national participation figure.* Online Survey of Tennis Participation. This will be a new U.S.
sports participation study of 60,000 individuals.* Mail Panel Survey of Tennis Participation. This survey is from
the NSGA’s participation survey.* Ball Shipments. Tennis ball units have historically been a
good indicator of the level of play in the U.S. The TIA has
tracked tennis ball shipments for more than 20 years.* Grassroots Monitor. This will be anational facility audit that would sup-plement participation data by monitor-ing key operational data. “The aim is toproduce a ‘courts books’ or ‘gamesplayed’ figure that is a monthly indica-tor of playing trends, similar to whatthe National Golf Foundation does
with its ‘Rounds Played’ data,” says deBoer. “And the TIA will provide soft-
ware tools to help facilities supply thisdata.” To determine this grassroots
monitor, a website will be developedfor data entry by facilities. Initially, theTIA is looking for at least 555 facilitiesfrom the 53 most important metropol-itan areas to contribute data on a regu-lar basis.
* Tennis Player Survey. As part of boththe phone and online participationsurveys, interviews with an additional500 to 1,000 tennis players will be con-ducted.
* Annual Facility Survey. This will be inaddition to the Grassroots Monitorand provide extra data from 500 to1,000 facilities.
Cost of DoingBusiness ReportFor Retailers, Facilities & Court ContractorsThe Cost of Doing Business Report, which tells businesses howthey compare to facilities or retail shops of similar size and type, isan essential reference tool for both tennis facility and tennis retail-er members. For your business, you can use this data to bench-mark key operating areas.
* For Facilities: The report provides a comprehensive study of
operational data by region and type of facility, including range
Whether you operate a retail shop, tennis facility, ormanufacturing operation, one of the key things youneed to be able to run your business successfully is
market research. And providing that research has long been astrength of the Tennis Industry Association.
Soon, though, you’ll have a powerful new research tool tohelp you spread the word about tennis. The TIA with supportfrom the USTA is finalizing plans for a “Tennis Health Index.”Much like the Consumer Confidence Index, the new THI willbe designed to give an accurate measure on an annual basis of the state of tennis in the U.S.
Through the TIA, you and your business can have the marketintelligence that you need to maintain a compet-itive edge that will help you prosper. As theresearch source for every type of facility or retailshop, the information you can receive from theTIA—in conjunction with Sports Marketing Sur-
veys USA, one of the leading market researchfirms in the country—will give you the tools tohelp you increase your business profits.
In addition to the Tennis Health Index, morethan 70 tennis-specific research reports and sur-
veys are available each year. The amount andtype of research available to TIA members varies
with the membership level and type of business.“We interview thousands of recreational ten-
nis players, facility owners, and tennis retailersthroughout the year,” says TIA Executive Direc-tor Jolyn de Boer. “Our research and marketintelligence reports will help tennis businesses of all sizes determine what they need to do to stay profitable, and to help increase their business.”
All levels of TIA membership include eitheroverviews or executive summaries of all TIAresearch. The TIA can also run customizedresearch to fit the specialized needs of any busi-ness.
Here’s a quick overview of some of theresearch available to members:
Tennis Health IndexThis new measure of tennis in the U.S. will take the place of theU.S. Tennis Participation Study, which the USTA and TIA havebeen doing for the last five years. The Tennis Health Index willinclude seven different components that will give a measure of the state of U.S. tennis.
“By combining different elements, we’ll introduce a series of checks and balances and not be over-reliant on a single mea-sure,” says Keith Storey, vice president of research for SportsMarketing Surveys USA, which partners with the TIA in pro-
viding research data.
Indicators that will make up the THI include:
The extensive research available from the TIA will helpyou increase your business, and your profits.
Know Your MarketKnow Your Market
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of revenue expectations, expenditures, and business ratios,such as revenue per court, percent of gross revenue spenton rent, utilities, salaries/wages, insurance, repairs andmaintenance. It also includes capital expenditure plans.
* For Retailers: A comprehensive study of operational datafor tennis retailers by region and type of store, includingrange of revenue expectations and expenditure. The reportalso includes amount of floor/wall space allocated to rac-quets, footwear, apparel, and accessories. Business ratiosprovided include revenue per
square foot, stock turns by productgroup, capital expenditure plans,and pay structure for staff (employed, contract, hourly, etc.).
* For Court Contractors: This com-prehensive report provides key operating data, such as net profitand loss, revenue, cost of goodssold, and expenses. Also, it providesa breakdown of business expenses(i.e. percent going to raw materials, wages, equipment, insurance, mar-keting, etc.), along with capital
expenditure plans and a compensa-tion study. In addition, the survey will cover renovation and construc-tion plans for the next two years by category (such as court surface,lights, fencing, buildings, etc.).
Tennis Facilities Databaseand Operational AnalysisThe TIA compiles and maintains themost comprehensive and accuraterecord of tennis facilities in the U.S.Database contents includes: address,
contact names (pro, manager), tele-phone, fax, e-mail, number of courts by type, type of facility (private, commer-cial, etc.), tennis retail space, and vol-ume. From this, the TIA conducts costof doing business surveys (such as mar-keting, maintenance, utility costs, etc.)and establishing tennis operationbenchmarks (such as the number of members per court, dollars generatedper court, etc.) and industry standards.
For ManufacturersSpecialty Retail AuditThese quarterly reports monitor racquets, footwear, and stringsthrough the pro/specialty channel and tell what is selling at thebrand and model levels. The TIA compiles data monthly frommore than 75 retail outlets that are representative of the coun-try by region and store size. For racquets, monthly reports areavailable that include brand share and best-selling models,plus full quarterly reports that include brand share by productattribute (such as head size and composition). Quarterly reports for footwear and strings include brand share andbest-selling SKUs.
Dealers who contribute to the audit receive a monthly price-check report and a quarterly summary of the pro/specialty tennismarket.
Dealer Trend SurveysThe Dealer Trend Survey evaluates manufacturers’ performanceamong pro/specialty dealers, tracking dealers’ attitudes towardtheir suppliers and telling what dealers really are thinking. Each bi-
annual report is from mail and telephone interviews with 100 dealers, representative by region and store
size. The reports include a Dealer ConfidenceIndex, dealers’ verbatim comments, and forecastedsales changes by brand, along with ratings of suppli-ers for sales reps, customer service, product deliv-ery, product innovation, and advertising promotion.
Dealers who respond to the survey receive asummary of the results to see how their industry experience compares to the marketplace.
Consumer ReportsEarly- and late-season Consumer Reports on rac-quets, footwear, strings, and apparel evaluate buy-ing and playing habits, brand strength, and brand
image among frequent players. The report definesattitudes and habits of the most avid tennis players, who are the heart of your market.
Each year the TIA conducts more than 2,500 in-depth, face-to-face, and online interviews with avidplayers. The data consists of playing characteristics,buying habits and motivations, brand strength(including awareness and propensity to buy), brandimage, sources of information, and influences atpoint of purchase.
Do you have an issue you want to know moreabout? The TIA, in conjunction with Sports Mar-keting Surveys, can design and create tennis con-
sumer research studies to investigate any marketingissue. They have access to tennis players online andat events, and a custom tennis consumer panel isbeing developed.
Distribution StudyThis report gathers retailer information from manu-facturers to produce an in-depth analysis of the sizeof the pro/specialty tennis racquet and footwearmarket by region. The database can now be used toproduce custom studies such as: allocation of sales
territories, market size for sales territories, analysis by drive-timesand smaller geographical areas of the U.S.
Census ReportsThe quarterly census reports conducted on racquets, balls, andstrings define the total size of the U.S. market. These reportsenable participating companies to track market changes and deter-mine their own market share. Ball shipments are also closely corre-lated to tennis participation.
The reports consist of confidential quarterly reports provided by all manufacturers on wholesale shipments (units and dollars). Thesurveys are conducted by an independent third-party accountingfirm, W&W Services Inc.
For information about TIA research, call 843-686-3036, email [email protected], or visit www.TennisIndustry.org.
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Shipping DiscountsNeed to ship product? As a TIA member, you can enjoy discounts
with some of the country’s premier shipping companies. To receiveany of the program discounts below, call 800-MEMBERS.
DHL offers rates as low as $12.95 forovernight shipping, with no weight limits forDHL’s ShipReady Package service.
Airborne Express offers savings from 20percent to 40 percent to TIA members,based on shipping volume.
Menlo Worldwide, which provides heavy- weight air freight delivery, offers up to 45percent savings.
Roadway Express & Yellow Freight Sys-tem offers up to 52 percent savings on LTL (“less than truckload”)services.
Travel DiscountsThe TIA Advantage Card offers hotel, air, carrental, event, and other discounts for all TIAmembers through the Active.com network.Enjoy savings when you travel on airlines
such as American Airlines or America West,or rent cars through Budget or Avis, or stay athotels such as the Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Clarion, and many others.
TIA Advantage Card discounts also extend to dining and enter-tainment, event tickets (including with TicketMaster), savings atBarnes & Noble, travel assistance programs, and much more.
Insurance DiscountsThe TIA Sports N’ Sure program, provided by Stratus Insurance, isdesigned to meet your general and/or product liability needs. ForTIA members, it’s solid, affordable insurance coverage at competi-tive rates.
As a bonus, Sports N’ Sure is available through your currentinsurance agent—there’s no need to switch agents or companies. Anew program for 2007 is being tailored for TIA retail and facility members.
Publication &Media DiscountsTIA members can receive a 25 percent discount on advertising ratesfrom Racquet Sports Industry magazine. Plus, members canreceive In-Tenn online magazine and Bob Larson’s Tennis News atadditional savings. For members looking to advertise and marketnationally or locally, the TIA’s partnership with Blue Plate Media
will help you get the most from your marketing dollars.
Are you losing too much money every time you processa credit-card transaction? Are you tired of payinghefty shipping charges when you need to send prod-
uct? Are you worried your insurance isn’t covering your busi-ness adequately? Well, the TIA is working to help you reduce
your expenses and gain more value for your dollar.Through an expanded list of partnerships, TIA members
can benefit from a wide variety of money-saving initiativesand services. “We’ve put together a quality roster of benefitsand services, and we’re always looking to expand our offer-ings to members,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de
Boer. “Together with our affinity partners, we’re reachingout to the entire industry—retailers, pros, facility operators,manufacturers, associations, and more. And we’re going tocontinue to add value to TIA membership.”
TIA Merchant Card ServicesThe Merchant Card Services agreement with Preferred CardServices brings credit-card processing rates down as low as1.23 percent, plus 25 cents per transaction. It’s one of themost competitive rates in the country. “With our TIA Mer-chant Card Services program, we’re making it much easierfor retailers and facilities to keep more of the money they
earn,” says de Boer. “As soon as you join the TIA, you’re immediately eligible to take advantage of ourMerchant Card Services agree-ment.”
Preferred Card Services hashelped retailers save hundreds, andthousands, of dollars per year. By
working with the entire tennisindustry through the TIA, PCS canleverage the buying power of retail-ers and facilities. In addition, PCSlists many Fortune 500 companiesas its customers, so it can pass on
these significant savings to tennis retailers, too.“We know how to service both small and large retailers,”
says James Parmes, the national sales manager for PreferredCard Services. “As a TIA member, we’ll work with you tocome up with a plan to increase your profitability.”
For a free comparison quote or for more information, con-tact Parmes at 800-656-0077, ex. 16, or email him [email protected].
Through benefits with TIA affinity partners, you can
reduce costs and expenses, and boost your bottom line.
Economic LeverageEconomic Leverage
For more information about these membership bene- fits and services through TIA Affinity Partners, contactthe TIA at 843-686-3036, email info@tennisindustry.
org, or visit www.TennisIndustry.org.
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Easily accessible information has been a key factor in help-ing this sport to grow, and the internet has certainly become a key in terms of keeping TIA members, and the
industry as a whole, informed about what’s going on in the busi-ness of tennis.
TennisIndustry.orgThe newly revamped, interactive TIA website, Tennis Indus-try.org, is the information source for the wholeindustry. You can find all sorts of research ontrends in tennis, details on grassroots pro-grams, links to industry resources and more. Adynamic, multimedia introduction to the sitereflects the TIA's mission—to promote thegrowth and economic vitality of tennis.
A new feature on the site is the detailedsearches (via city and state or ZIP code) of retailers, facilities, court contractors, manufac-turers, media, and organizations. For instance,facilities can be searched by the type of courtsurface, number of courts, whether courts arelighted, whether there is a pro shop, and muchmore. Likewise if searching for a retailer, youcan search by type of retailer and also by ser-
vices offered.Through the TIA’s extensive research part-
nership with Sports Marketing Surveys USA,current TIA members can access key informa-tion that can greatly influence their business.And if you’re not yet a TIA member, the web-site’s easy-to-navigate design gives you accessto information to help you discover the bene-fits of membership.
As the No. 1 research source in tennis, dozens of tennis-spe-cific reports are available online for TIA members, such as theMarket Intelligence Reports, which contain vital research onevery aspect of the Tennis Marketplace. It’s all just a click away
with streamline secure online access.“Our website describes all the tools and services available so
that large and small businesses can continue to grow and profit, which in turn will help grow the sport,” says Jolyn de Boer, exec-utive director of the TIA.
Prospective members can review the bene-fits of each of the levels of membership, and
sign up online through a secure payment page.Just go to TennisIndustry.org and click on“Membership.”
TennisWire.orgStay on top of all the industry news and productreleases from top manufacturers and compa-nies in tennis by visiting www.TennisWire.org.This searchable database provides the latestpress releases, stories, and more from tennismanufacturers, suppliers, and organizations. Anew service added to TennisWire.org in 2007 isa list of jobs available in the industry.
Press releases are submitted by TIA mem-bers at the Supporting Member level and aboveand are searchable by company, category anddate. The releases also are distributed via theTennisWire.org newsletter to tennis writersand newspapers across the country, as well as to12,000 industry contacts. Visitors to Ten-nisWire.org can sign up for a free email
newsletter that summarizes news and provides insight.
Net AdvantagesNet Advantages
Facilities can list their information and program details for consumers to find on major tennis websites - 24/7
Tennis facilities have an easy way to get their important facil-ity and program information out to the public: Just go toGrowingTennis.com.
GrowingTennis.com is the main portal for facility managersto log onto and to place all their facility and program informa-tion. Those details will then automatically be displayed on key consumer websites—TennisWelcomeCenter.com, CardioTen-nis.com, TheTennisChannel.com, Tennis.com, MyTennisCen-ter.com, and most recently, USTA.com—enabling consumersto find everything they need quickly and easily.
Since 2004, this listing has been a free service offered to facil-ities that has helped hundreds of thousands of people to find
exactly what they’re looking for in tennis—an easy way to getout onto the court and enjoy the sport. Whether looking for aplace to play, a game, or an appropriate program, players cansearch using a wide variety of criteria.
And search they did—last year, there were more than 2 mil-lion visits. Every day, more consumers are hopping on the inter-net to find information, and it’s becoming more important forfacilities to keep their information up to date. And that’s thebeauty of GrowingTennis.com—it’s easy to update your owninformation. In fact, the site receives 1,200 log-ins per month by facility managers who are updating their listings, so the publichas the most complete information.
For tennis facilities, going to GrowingTennis.com is a quick,easy—and free—way to increase your business.
Enhanced websites for the tennis industry provide news,
trends, and information to help you build your business.
Find a Game, Find a Facility, Find a Program
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The TIA puts your membership dollars to work. Over the past
12 years, nearly 80 percent of TIA revenue—$17 million—hasgone to supporting grassroots programs and research.
Support Your IndustrySupport Your Industry
Member Levels:1 Individual ~ Industry Supporters
2 Associate ~ Retailers, Facilities, Court Contractors
3 Tennis Connect ~ Facilities, Retailers ~ Manage Business Online
4 Supporting ~ Businesses, Companies, Major Retailers
5 Affiliate ~ Organizations, Federations, Groups
6 Participating Partner ~ Manufacturers and Contributors
Step up to Participating Partner• Every benefit and service in all levels below, plus…• Specialized reports in all areas of manufacturing• Greater visibility on website and acknowledgement that
tennis campaign support is at highest level of return
Support Your Industry!
Step up to Affiliate Member ($3000)
• All below, plus…Newsmaker status on TennisWire.org• Access to TWC / CT / TIA facilities / sponsor offers• Cardio Tennis special distinction for federations, organizations• 25% off ad rates in RSI / BluePlate Media Specials• All CODB reports / Full report Tennis Index
Step up to Supporting Member ($1000+)
• All below, plus…Newsmaker status on TennisWire.org• Access to TWC/CT/TIA facilities/sponsor offers• 25% off ad rates in RSI / BluePlate Media Specials
• All CODB reports / Full report Tennis Index
Step up to Tennis Connect ($595)
• All below, plus…court scheduler, player matching, Calendar• Cost of Doing Business – Retailer and Facility reports
Individual Level ($100 / $500 lifetime)
• Tennis Marketplace Reports (2x year)• Overview of the Tennis Health Index
• Industry newsletters and communication
• All levels include TIA Affinity Benefits
Step up to Associate Level ($295)
• All below, plus…website builder, group email, contact manager• Cost of Doing Business Research for area of interest
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THE BENEFITS OF TIA MEMBERSHIP
Individual Associate Tennis Supporting Affiliate ParticipatingMembers Members Connect Members Member Partners
TIA Affinity Benefits
TIA Merchant Card Services • • • • • •TIA Advantage/Shipping/Insurance • • • • • •Advertising/Media Discounts • • •
WEBSITES (secure research access and industry news)
TennisIndustry.org • • • • • •TennisConnect.org (lite version) • • • • •TennisConnect.org • • • •CardioTennis.com • • • • • •Partners.CardioTennis.com • • • • • •TennisWire.org (Contributing Newsmakers) • • •GrowingTennis.com • • • • • •TennisWelcomeCenter.com • • • • • •Partners.TennisWelcomeCenter.com • • • • • •
RESEARCH
Tennis Health IndexFull Report/CD annual • • •Executive Summary annual • • • • • •
The Tennis Marketplace
Executive Summary bi-annual • • • • • •
Cost of Doing Business Reports
Tennis Retailers annual • • • • •Tennis Facilities annual • • • • •Tennis Courts annual • • • • •
Specialty Retail Audit
Full Report-Racquets quarterly/monthly •Full Report-Footwear/Strings quarterly •
Retailer Satisfaction & Brand Perception
Full Report-Racquets/Footwear early/late season •Full Report-Strings/Apparel annual •
Consumer Reports
Full Report-Racquets/Footwear/Strings/Apparel/Ballsmid-year/year-end •
Census Reports
Racquets/Balls/Strings quarterly •
Facilities Database
TWC and CT sponsor offers • • •U.S. Tennis Facilities • • •Media/Retailers/Industry Contacts •
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Benefit to YOU• Know what consumers, competitors, and the industry are doing• Know what your peers are doing• Better communication and service to your members• See all the latest news and press releases at one site• Know the economic makeup of facilities throughout America• Get matching $’s to invest in YOUR marketing
• Reduce your credit card transaction fees• Reduce travel costs• Reduce freight charges• Reduce business costs
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Call 843-686-3036 or visit www.TennisIndustry.org
Contact Name: ___________________________________ Title: _________________________
Company Name: ________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________________City: _____________________________________ State: ___________ Zip: ________________
Phone: _______________________________Fax: _____________________________________
Country: ___________________ Email: ______________________________________________
Company Web: _________________________________________________________________
Membership Levels:
____ Individual Membership - $100
____ Individual Lifetime Membership - $500
____ Associate Member - $295
____ TennisConnect Member - $595
____ Supporting Member - $1000+
____ Affiliate Member - $3000
____ Participating Partner
(please contact me)
Please mail or fax credit card
information to 843-686-3078 or mail
check (payable to the TIA) to:
Tennis Industry Association
P.O. Box 7845Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Apply online at TennisIndustry.org
Check Enclosed Pay by Credit Card
Card #: _________________________________
Expiration Date: _________________________
Name on Card: __________________________
Service• Research• Cost of Doing Business Reports• TennisConnect.org• Tenniswire.org• Facilities Database• Marketing & Advertising Discounts
TIA Affinity Benefits• Merchant Card Services• Travel and Hotel Discounts• Shipping Discounts• Insurance Discounts
Support for the Tennis Campaign• Increase participation and our sport’s revenues
Become a Partner for Profitable GrowthBecome a Partner for Profitable Growth
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
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1. Power/Control (columns). (formula = lengthindex x headsize x flex x swingweight) ÷ 1000.Length index calculation: 27" = 1.0, 27.5" =
1.05; 28" = 1.1, etc.2. Maneuverability (rows). RDC (BabolatRacquet Diagnostic Center) swingweight units.3. Racquet ID. The number in the grid corre-lates to the accompanying racquet list.4. Headsize. Midsize and midplus (≤104 sq.in.) have no indicator.Oversize (105 -117 sq. in.) = •. Superoversize(≥ 118 sq. in.) = :.5. Length. x = extended length. Standardlength (27") racquets have no indicator.6. Flex (RDC). a = < 60; b = 60-64; c = 65-69;d = 70-74; e = > 74. The higher the number,the stiffer the racquet.7. Company. Coded by number and color. See
accompanying racquet list on the followingpages.
8. Racquet Quadrants and the Center of theRacquet Universe. The center of the racquetuniverse is located at the intersection of the
two red lines. Approximately half the racquetslie to the right and left, and half above andbelow these lines. The lines divide the racquetuniverse into four color-coded quadrants –clockwise from top left: (1) quick power, (2)quick control, (3) stable control, (4) stablepower. These characterizations provide a gen-eral vocabulary for comparing racquets.9. Racquet Finder List. The racquet listaccompanying the map identifies each rac-quet and gives additional information. Themap provides specific (very narrow ranges,anyway) swingweight, flex and power statis-tics, and general size and length characteris-tics. The racquet list specifies the length and
size and further specifies weight, balance,and price.
How To Use It1. Ask questions. What are you looking forthat your current racquet does not provide?
What do you like most and least about yourcurrent racquet? What are the strengths andweaknesses of your game?2. Locate current racquet on map. If the rac-quet is not in the list, take measurements.3. Locating potential racquets. Dependingon the answers to the above questions,draw an imaginary arrow (a wide or skinnyone) from your present racquet in thedesired direction for power and maneuver-ability.4. Narrowing the field. Shrink the choicesusing the length, headsize, and flex codes tomatch customer preferences.5. Selecting racquet demos. Once the choic-
es are narrowed, locate the racquets bynumber in the racquet list.
RACQUET SELECTION MAP KEY
Our exclusive Racquet Selection Map enables
you to help your customer choose a racquet
with “at-a-glance” ease. The entire perform-
ance racquet universe is presented on one easily nav-
igable grid that instantly locates each racquet com-
pared to every other in terms of power, control, andmaneuverability.
Simply locate the specs of your customer’s current rac-
quet on the map. From this starting point, move outward in
large or small increments in the direction of the customer’s
primary preference—relatively more or less power, control
or maneuverability. Once you have zoomed into an approxi-
mate location on the grid, you can narrow down the rac-
quet’s feel attributes by choosing from length, size, and flex
specs coded into the racquet number. Look up the racquet(s)
by number in the accompanying table and send your cus-
tomer out the door with a handful of “choice customized”demos. This procedure eliminates player’s doubt and sec-
ond-guessing, minimizes buyer’s remorse, creates a satisfied
customer, and leads to more profits. But the Racquet Selector
won’t work for you unless you let it. Post it on the wall as a
tool for the whole world to see and use. And then, look out!
RACQUETS
2007
RACQUETSELECTION
MAP
2007
RACQUETSELECTION
MAP
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AVERY
1 Avery M3 Control 95 27.00 346 31.00 12.20 62 307 1808 $179
2 Avery M3 Power 95 27.00 355 32.25 12.70 68 331 2138 $180
3 Avery M5 110 27.00 349 31.25 12.30 59 323 2096 $179
BABOLAT
4 Babolat Aero Blast 112 27.50 295 37.00 14.57 63 340 2519 $219
5 Babolat Aeropro Control 98 27.00 343 32.25 12.70 71 341 2373 $179
6 Babolat Aeropro Control + 98 27.50 332 32.25 12.70 72 325 2408 $179
7 Babolat Aeropro Drive 100 27.00 324 33.75 13.29 69 337 2325 $179
8 Babolat Aeropro Drive + 100 27.50 322 33.75 13.29 71 338 2520 $179
9 Babolat Drive Z Lite (Cortex Technology) 100 27.00 271 36.00 14.17 68 306 2081 $169
10 Babolat Drive Z OS 110 27.50 292 36.75 14.47 67 326 2523 $199
11 Babolat Pure Control 98 27.00 346 31.75 12.50 69 334 2259 $179
12 Babolat Pure Control + 98 27.50 345 32.25 12.70 69 335 2379 $179
13 Babolat Pure Drive 107 (with Cortex) 107 27.00 313 33.00 12.99 71 319 2423 $18514 Babolat Pure Drive 110 (with Cortex) 110 27.00 306 35.00 13.78 67 323 2381 $185
15 Babolat Pure Drive Roddick 100 27.00 332 32.75 12.89 73 328 2394 $189
16 Babolat Pure Drive Roddick + 100 27.50 333 32.75 12.89 72 332 2510 $189
17 Babolat Pure Drive Team + 100 27.50 313 33.50 13.19 73 322 2468 $179
18 Babolat Pure Drive Team 100 27.00 317 33.00 12.99 71 313 2222 $179
19 Babolat Pure Drive (with Cortex) 100 27.00 318 33.00 12.99 72 318 2290 $185
20 Babolat Pure Drive + (with Cortex) 100 27.50 319 33.25 13.09 71 328 2445 $185
21 Babolat Pure Storm MP Team 102 27.00 298 34.50 13.58 68 313 2171 $179
22 Babolat Pure Storm Team 98 27.00 311 33.75 13.29 64 320 2007 $179
23 Babolat VS NCT Tour 100 27.00 294 34.00 13.39 71 292 2073 $189
BANCROFT
24 Bancroft ACE Advantage 107 27.00 270 34.50 13.58 57 279 1702 $195
25 Bancroft Ace Omni 107 27.25 272 36.75 14.47 79 308 2669 $169
26 Bancroft Ace Rocket 116 27.50 274 38.00 14.96 78 330 3135 $199
27 Bancroft ACE Tour 98 27.00 307 33.50 13.19 67 304 1996 $195
28 Bancroft ACE Tour + 98 27.00 323 33.75 13.29 70 319 2188 $195
BLACKBURN
29 Blackburne Double Strung 107 107 27.00 292 36.75 14.47 68 341 2481 $199
30 Dunlop Aerogel 200 95 27.00 340 32.55 12.81 64 326 1982 $189
31 Dunlop Aerogel 300 98 27.00 324 33.75 13.29 63 324 2000 $199
32 Dunlop Aerogel 500 100 27.00 291 34.15 13.44 70 299 2093 $199
33 Dunlop Aerogel 500 Tour 100 27.00 315 33.50 13.19 73 324 2365 $199
34 Dunlop Aerogel 700 108 27.30 274 35.60 14.02 74 307 2527 $209
35 Dunlop Aerogel 900 113 27.50 273 35.80 14.09 73 308 2668 $219
36 Dunlop M Fil Lady G 108 27.50 277 35.00 13.78 69 291 2277 $149
FEATHER
37 Feather Court Ti 2000 107 27.50 253 39.00 15.35 77 321 2777 $120
FISCHER
38 Fischer M GDS Rally 102 27.38 295 34.00 13.39 65 291 2002 $16039 Fischer M Pro No. One 105 (SL) 105 27.00 335 32.00 12.60 58 318 1937 $180
RACQUETS AS OF MARCH 2007
BLACKBURNE 781-729-3891 • www.blackburneds.com
Racquet Headsize Length Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
BABOLAT877-316-9435 • www.babolat.com
AVERY 800-758-9467 • www.tomavery.com
BANCROFT 800-779-0807 • www.bancroftsports.com
DUNLOP 800-277-8000 • www.dunlopsport.com
FISCHER 800-844-7810 • www.fischertennisusa.com
FEATHER 323-692-8256 • www.feathersports.com
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Racquet Headsize Length Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
40 Fischer M Pro No. One 98 (SL) 98 27.00 337 32.25 12.70 56 312 1712 $180
41 Fischer M Pro No. One 98 (UL) 98 27.00 309 33.45 13.17 63 306 1889 $180
42 Fischer M Tour 100 (SL) 100 27.00 313 33.00 12.99 59 305 1800 $180
43 Fischer M Twin Tec Motion 112 27.63 278 36.00 14.17 70 307 2557 $210
GAMMA
44 Gamma Big Bubba 28 137 28.00 273 38.30 15.08 66 349 3471 $190
45 Gamma G250 110 27.75 275 35.95 14.15 72 319 2716 $180
46 Gamma G260 105 27.00 279 34.50 13.58 63 305 2018 $160
47 Gamma G290 103 27.50 305 33.50 13.19 73 324 2558 $160
48 Gamma G310 100 27.00 323 32.00 12.60 61 300 1830 $160
49 Gamma G325 95 27.00 341 31.15 12.26 61 297 1721 $160
50 Gamma IPEX 2.0 SOS 137 27.75 272 37.50 14.76 65 334 3197 $190
51 Gamma IPEX 3.0 OS 116 27.50 265 36.00 14.17 70 302 2575 $180
52 Gamma IPEX 5.0 MP 96 27.25 272 34.50 13.58 67 293 1932 $160
53 Gamma IPEX 7.0 MP 98 27.00 323 32.25 12.70 64 311 1951 $150
54 Gamma IPEX 7.0 OS 107 27.00 322 32.50 12.80 59 308 1944 $150
HEAD55 Head Airflow 1 99 27.00 267 36.25 14.27 76 294 2212 $150
56 Head Airflow 3 102 27.00 262 35.85 14.11 75 284 2173 $180
57 Head Airflow 5 109 27.00 250 35.50 13.98 74 270 2178 $200
58 Head Airflow 7 115 27.00 255 35.00 13.78 73 265 2225 $225
59 Head Flexpoint 1 MP 102 27.00 271 35.00 13.78 67 289 1975 $120
60 Head Flexpoint 1 OS 110 27.00 268 36.85 14.51 64 268 1887 $120
61 Head Flexpoint 10 121 27.50 259 38.00 14.96 69 316 2770 $275
62 Head Flexpoint 4 107 27.33 281 35.50 13.98 67 309 2288 $225
63 Head Flexpoint 6 MP 102 27.38 294 35.75 14.07 68 324 2332 $250
64 Head Flexpoint 6 OS 112 27.38 279 37.25 14.67 64 321 2387 $250
65 Head Flexpoint Fire 102 27.33 294 34.75 13.68 63 317 2104 $150
66 Head Flexpoint Heat 102 27.00 297 34.50 13.58 66 304 2047 $140
67 Head Flexpoint Instinct 100 27.00 308 33.00 12.99 65 308 2002 $180
68 Head Flexpoint Prestige Mid 93 27.00 345 32.00 12.60 67 312 1944 $225
69 Head Flexpoint Prestige MP 98 27.00 338 32.38 12.75 66 315 2037 $225
70 Head Flexpoint Prestige XL MP 98 27.38 342 33.13 13.04 67 333 2268 $225
71 Head Flexpoint Radical MP 98 27.00 312 33.75 13.29 65 324 2064 $200
72 Head Flexpoint Radical OS 107 27.00 318 33.50 13.19 59 330 2083 $200
73 Head Flexpoint Radical Tour MP 100 27.00 342 32.50 12.80 60 318 1908 $200
74 Head FXP Instinct Team (Flexpoint) 105 27.00 281 35.00 13.78 68 298 2128 $170
75 Head FXP Prestige Team 102 27.00 310 34.00 13.39 56 319 1822 $210
76 Head FXP Radical Team (Flexpoint) 102 27.00 294 35.00 13.78 59 312 1878 $190
77 Head Metallix 10 124 27.33 270 36.00 14.17 69 289 2554 $275
78 Head Metallix 2 102 27.30 273 36.00 14.17 69 290 2102 $200
79 Head Metallix 4 107 27.25 269 37.00 14.57 67 306 2249 $200
80 Head Metallix 6 115 27.30 268 36.25 14.27 69 290 2370 $225
81 Head MicroGel Extreme 100 27.00 312 32.45 12.78 68 308 2094 $180
82 Head MicroGel Extreme Pro 100 27.00 341 32.50 12.80 71 335 2379 $180
83 Head Protector MP 102 27.38 282 36.75 14.47 66 320 2235 $300
84 Head Protector OS 115 27.63 283 38.00 14.96 64 340 2659 $300
HEAD 800-289-7366 • www.head.com
GAMMA 800-333-0337 • www.gammasports.com
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POWERANGLE
85 PowerAngle Power 102 (Light Blue) 102 27.38 274 36.50 14.37 72 314 2392 $199
86 PowerAngle Power 102 (Navy Blue) 102 27.38 272 37.00 14.57 73 315 2433 $199
87 PowerAngle Power 102 (Yellow) 102 27.38 274 36.50 14.37 72 314 2392 $199
88 PowerAngle Power 115 (Light Blue) 115 27.38 268 37.25 14.67 74 318 2808 $199
89 PowerAngle Power 115 (Red) 115 27.25 262 37.25 14.67 73 309 2659 $199
90 PowerAngle Power 115 (Yellow) 115 27.38 268 37.25 14.67 74 318 2808 $19991 PowerAngle Power 98 98 27.00 322 30.50 12.01 63 289 1784 $199
92 PowerAngle Power 98/K 98 27.00 326 30.75 12.11 64 289 1813 $199
PRINCE
93 Prince Air Freak Midplus 100 27.00 305 34.00 13.39 71 317 2251 $120
94 Prince Air Freak Oversize 110 27.00 287 34.25 13.48 70 298 2295 $120
95 Prince O3 Blue 110 27.50 281 34.25 13.48 65 295 2215 $280
96 Prince O3 Citron OS 110 27.50 290 35.00 13.78 67 320 2476 $250
97 Prince O3 Hornet Hybrid Midplus 100 27.00 302 34.25 13.48 72 314 2261 $190
98 Prince O3 Hornet Hybrid Oversize 110 27.00 283 35.00 13.78 71 305 2382 $190
99 Prince O3 Hybrid Tour (16x18) 95 27.00 329 31.75 12.50 67 326 2075 $200100 Prince O3 Shark Hybrid Midplus 100 27.00 314 33.75 13.29 66 322 2125 $200
101 Prince O3 Shark Hybrid Oversize 110 27.50 295 35.00 13.78 67 323 2500 $200
102 Prince O3 Silver OS 118 27.75 270 37.50 14.76 78 320 3166 $300
103 Prince O3 Spectrum Hybrid Midplus 100 27.00 302 34.00 13.39 73 313 2285 $149
104 Prince O3 Spectrum Hybrid Oversize 110 27.00 281 34.50 13.58 69 293 2224 $149
105 Prince O3 Speedport Blue 110 27.50 290 35.15 13.84 67 325 2515 $269
106 Prince O3 Speedport Red 105 27.25 297 34.50 13.58 67 324 2336 $249
107 Prince O3 Speedport Silver 118 27.75 267 37.00 14.57 74 314 2947 $289
108 Prince O3 Tour 100 100 27.00 324 32.25 12.70 61 312 1903 $220
109 Prince O3 Tour MS 95 27.00 338 31.75 12.50 65 315 1945 $220
110 Prince O3 Tour OS 107 27.50 316 34.00 13.39 66 321 2380 $220
111 Prince O3 White MP 100 27.00 315 33.25 13.09 67 317 2124 $220
PRO KENNEX
112 Pro Kennex Core 1 No. 06 95 27.13 339 31.75 12.50 61 317 1860 $160
113 Pro Kennex Ki 10 (Kinetic Ionic 10) 100 27.00 311 33.50 13.19 68 305 2074 $180
114 Pro Kennex Ki 10 PSE (Kinetic Ionic 10 PSE) 100 27.00 323 33.00 12.99 62 311 1928 $180
115 Pro Kennex Ki 15 (Kinetic Ionic 15) 105 27.50 280 35.25 13.88 70 312 2408 $190
116 Pro Kennex Ki 15 PSE (Kinetic Ionic 15 PSE) 105 27.25 325 32.75 12.89 71 317 2422 $190
117 Pro Kennex Ki 20 (Kinetic Ionic 20) 110 27.50 271 35.75 14.07 69 309 2463 $210
118 Pro Kennex Ki 20 PSE 110 27.38 297 34.50 13.58 67 321 2454 $210
119 Pro Kennex Ki 30 (Kinetic Ionic 30) 117 27.38 270 35.00 13.78 73 299 2650 $250
120 Pro Kennex Ki 5 (Kinetic Ionic 5) 100 27.00 324 32.25 12.70 63 309 1947 $180
121 Pro Kennex Ki 5 PSE (Kinetic Ionic 5 PSE) 100 27.13 370 32.00 12.60 67 335 2273 $180
122 Pro Kennex Ki 5x (Kinetic Ionic 5x) 100 27.63 335 34.00 13.39 68 349 2522 $180
123 Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro 15g Light 105 27.50 272 35.00 13.78 65 300 2150 $150
124 Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro 5g 100 27.00 334 31.50 12.40 62 314 1947 $150
125 Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro 7g 100 27.50 342 32.00 12.60 65 332 2266 $150
126 Pro Kennex Type C 93 Redondo Edition 93 27.00 331 32.00 12.60 57 310 1643 $170
127 Pro Kennex Type C 98 Redondo Edition 98 27.00 342 31.00 12.20 56 314 1723 $170128 Pro Kennex Type R 100 27.00 328 33.25 13.09 56 315 1764 $160
Racquet Headsize Length Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
POWER ANGLE 877-769-3721 • www.powerangle.net
PRINCE 800-283-6647 • www.princetennis.com
PRO KENNEX 973-738-6941
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PRO SUPEX
129 Pro Supex Dynamic Energy 100 27.00 328 31.95 12.58 67 308 2064 $100
130 Pro Supex Ti. S1 100 27.00 314 33.50 13.19 70 316 2212 $100
SLAZENGER
131 Slazenger Pro X1 95 27.00 336 32.00 12.60 67 305 1941 $180
TECNIFIBRE
132 Tecnifibre T Feel 305 (16x19) 98 27.00 321 33.25 13.09 68 315 2099 $170133 Tecnifibre T Feel 305 (18x20) 98 27.00 321 34.00 13.39 69 332 2245 $170
134 Tecnifibre T Fight 320 (16x20) 97 27.00 329 31.50 12.40 67 299 1943 $170
135 Tecnifibre T Fight 320 (18x20) 97 27.00 335 32.30 12.72 68 320 2111 $170
136 Tecnifibre T Fight 335 (16x20) 97 27.00 350 31.25 12.30 67 315 2047 $170
137 Tecnifibre T Fight 335 (18x20) 97 27.00 351 31.50 12.40 66 319 2042 $170
138 Tecnifibre T Flash 290 100 27.00 308 33.75 13.29 69 312 2153 $170
139 Tecnifibre T Flash 310 (16x19) 100 27.00 329 32.85 12.93 71 320 2272 $170
140 Tecnifibre T Flash 310 (18x20) 100 27.00 325 32.10 12.64 70 314 2198 $170
VANTAGE
141 Vantage VT001 90 27.00 338 32.50 12.80 63 321 1820 $221
142 Vantage VT002 95 27.00 334 32.00 12.60 61 323 1872 $221
143 Vantage VT003 100 27.25 306 34.75 13.68 61 324 2026 $221
VOLKL
144 Volkl Boris Becker 1 110 27.25 269 36.50 14.37 65 304 2228 $160
145 Volkl Boris Becker 10 100 27.50 306 34.25 13.48 67 314 2209 $160
146 Volkl Boris Becker 5 102 27.00 276 34.50 13.58 62 282 1783 $130
147 Volkl C10 Pro 98 27.00 348 31.50 12.40 56 321 1762 $190
148 Volkl DNX 1 w/Power Arm 115 27.80 267 35.85 14.11 71 306 2698 $290
149 Volkl DNX 10 98 27.00 338 32.00 12.60 64 314 1969 $190
150 Volkl DNX 10 Mid 93 27.00 340 32.25 12.70 60 328 1830 $190
151 Volkl DNX 2 110 27.00 283 35.50 13.98 71 310 2421 $200
152 Volkl DNX 3 110 27.75 280 35.25 13.88 66 315 2458 $240
153 Volkl DNX 4 105 27.60 290 33.75 13.29 67 300 2237 $180
154 Volkl DNX 6 100 27.00 285 34.00 13.39 67 300 2010 $150
155 Volkl DNX 7 100 27.00 290 33.65 13.25 67 299 2003 $150
156 Volkl DNX 8 100 27.00 312 33.50 13.19 70 317 2219 $170
157 Volkl DNX 9 98 27.00 320 32.50 12.80 68 312 2079 $180
158 Volkl DNX V1 MP 102 27.00 302 33.50 13.19 69 301 2118 $220
159 Volkl DNX V1 OS 110 27.50 297 34.00 13.39 68 302 2372 $220
160 Volkl Tour 10 MP Gen II 98 27.00 339 32.25 12.70 64 322 2020 $180
161 Volkl V1 Classic 102 27.00 313 33.50 13.19 68 320 2220 $200
162 Volkl V1 Classic (Silver Color) 102 27.00 316 34.00 13.39 67 316 2160 $179
WEED
163 Weed EXT 135 Blue 135 28.25 280 37.00 14.57 64 338 3285 $250
164 Weed EXT 135 Green 135 28.25 275 37.00 14.57 62 334 3145 $250
165 Weed EXT 135 Pink 135 28.25 277 37.00 14.57 64 340 3305 $250
166 Weed EXT 135 Tour 135 28.25 263 37.00 14.57 60 322 2934 $250
167 Weed X-ONE25 (27 1/2) 125 27.50 269 36.25 14.27 69 311 2816 $209
168 Weed X-ONE25 (28 1/2) 125 28.50 269 38.25 15.06 69 360 3571 $209169 Weed Z-One 35 135 27.00 273 36.25 14.27 67 314 2840 $250
Racquet Headsize Length Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
VANTAGE +44 (0)1753 621177 • www.vantagetennis.com
VOLKL 866-554-7872 • www.volkl-tennis.com
TECNIFIBRE 877-332-0825 • www.tecnifibre.com
SLAZENGER 800-277-8000
PRO SUPEX 866-787-4644 • www.prosupexusa.com
WEED 800-933-3758 • www.weedusa.com
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WILSON
170 Wilson K1 122 122 27.50 264 38.20 15.04 73 316 2955 $350
171 Wilson K3 115 115 27.50 268 37.50 14.76 65 313 2457 $300
172 Wilson K4 105 105 27.25 281 35.00 13.78 75 311 2510 $230
173 Wilson K4 112 112 27.50 280 37.50 14.76 74 341 2968 $260
174 Wilson KSix One 95 95 27.00 347 31.55 12.42 71 325 2192 $210
175 Wilson KSix One Team 95 27.00 305 34.10 13.43 61 316 1831 $210
176 Wilson KSix One Tour 90 27.00 356 31.85 12.54 66 331 1966 $220
177 Wilson KSurge 100 27.00 292 33.95 13.37 71 303 2151 $200
178 Wilson KZen 103 103 27.25 318 33.10 13.03 73 328 2528 $190
179 Wilson KZen Team 103 27.25 285 34.50 13.58 73 305 2351 $190
180 Wilson n1 115 27.90 256 38.75 15.26 75 323 3037 $300
181 Wilson n1 Force 125 27.75 267 40.00 15.75 74 347 3450 $300
182 Wilson n2 121 27.50 265 37.00 14.57 70 313 2784 $270
183 Wilson n5 Force 110 110 27.25 286 37.50 14.76 56 329 2077 $240
184 Wilson n5 Force 98 98 27.25 276 37.50 14.76 56 312 1755 $240
185 Wilson nBlade 106 106 27.25 308 33.25 13.09 61 314 2081 $200186 Wilson nBlade 98 98 27.00 315 33.25 13.09 59 329 1902 $200
187 Wilson nFury 100 100 27.00 285 33.75 13.29 48 297 1426 $120
188 Wilson nFury 110 110 27.50 271 35.50 13.98 70 304 2458 $120
189 Wilson nPro Open 100 27.00 311 32.50 12.80 69 294 2029 $200
190 Wilson nPro Open X 100 27.50 316 33.50 13.19 68 319 2278 $200
191 Wilson nTour Two 105 105 27.25 296 35.25 13.88 64 322 2218 $200
192 Wilson nTour Two 95 95 27.00 302 35.25 13.88 65 326 2013 $200
193 Wilson W2 Black Whisper 117 27.50 273 37.75 14.86 66 326 2643 $270
194 Wilson W2 Blue Shadow 117 27.50 270 37.75 14.86 65 318 2539 $270
195 Wilson W2 Spicy Ruby 117 27.50 273 37.25 14.67 65 319 2547 $270
196 Wilson W3 Gypsy Rose 116 27.50 277 38.00 14.96 48 326 1906 $239
197 Wilson W4 Cobalt Storm 107 27.25 267 36.50 14.37 66 304 2201 $230
198 Wilson W4 Red Fury 107 27.25 272 36.25 14.27 67 307 2256 $230
199 Wilson W4 Savage Lime 107 27.25 271 36.75 14.47 67 311 2285 $230
200 Wilson W4 Savage Sapphire 107 27.25 272 36.25 14.27 67 305 2241 $230
201 Wilson W5 Divine Iris 111 27.50 273 37.50 14.76 64 323 2409 $219
202 Wilson W6 Blue Steel 97 27.00 299 35.25 13.88 59 327 1871 $200
203 Wilson W6 Wild Crimson 97 27.00 297 35.25 13.88 60 322 1874 $200
YONEX
204 Yonex RDS 001 90 90 27.00 344 31.75 12.50 65 320 1872 $199
205 Yonex RDS 001 98 98 27.00 309 31.75 12.50 66 309 1999 $199
206 Yonex RDS 002 98 27.00 315 33.00 12.99 66 314 2031 $179
207 Yonex RDS 002 Tour 98 27.00 342 31.75 12.50 68 320 2132 $179
208 Yonex RDS 003 100 100 27.25 312 32.75 12.89 69 306 2164 $189
209 Yonex RQS 11 100 27.50 292 34.25 13.48 67 311 2188 $229
210 Yonex RQS 22 102 27.50 285 34.80 13.70 65 309 2151 $229
211 Yonex RQS 33 107 27.50 279 36.00 14.17 70 321 2525 $239
212 Yonex RQS 55 112 27.50 265 37.15 14.63 70 314 2585 $259
213 Yonex URQ Speed 8 102 27.50 277 36.00 14.17 72 312 2406 $119
Racquet Headsize Length Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
WILSON 800-272-6060 • www.wilson.com
YONEX 310-793-3800 • www.yonex.com
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string PLAYTEST
EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)
Number of testers who said it was:
much easier 1
somewhat easier 5
about as easy 20
not quite as easy 9
not nearly as easy 2
OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)
Number of testers who said it was:much better 2
somewhat better 12
about as playable 5
not quite as playable 14
not nearly as playable 1
OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 1
somewhat better 13
about as durable 17
not quite as durable 3not nearly as durable 0
RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)
Playability 3.4
Durability 3.6
Power 3.2
Control 3.5
Comfort 3.4
Touch/Feel 3.0
Spin Potential (#2 overall to date) 3.8
Holding Tension 3.6
Resistance to Movement 3.6
Wilson Super Spin 16Wilson Super Spin is a hexagonally
shaped nylon string with a core consist-
ing of two simultaneously extruded lay-
ers. Around the core are wrapped 20
nylon fibers. The hexagonal shape is
achieved when the final outer layer is
added. According to Wilson, co-extruding
the core results in a soft feel with good
energy return.
Wilson tells us that it is aiming Super
Spin at players looking for more spin in a
comfortable and durable string, although it
is also a good choice for players who useand like nylon string, but are looking for
something different to enhance play with-
out giving up the benefits of nylon.
Super Spin is available in 16 gauge only
(1.33 mm) in crystal, blue, orange, red, and
yellow. The pricing is $4.50 per set of 40
feet, $15 for a “mini-reel” of 125 feet
(crystal only), and $75 for reels of 660 feet
(in red, yellow, or crystal). The mini-reel is
offered for those who want to use Super
Spin in hybrid string jobs. For more infor-
mation or to order, contact Wilson at 773-714-6400, or visit www.wilson.com. Be
sure to read the conclusion for more infor-
mation about getting a free set to try for
yourself.
IN THE LAB
We tested Super Spin in crystal. The coil
measured 40 feet. The diameter measured
1.24-1.34 mm prior to stringing, and 1.21-
1.29 mm after stringing. The large variance
in measurements is due to the hexagonal
shape of Super Spin. We recorded a
stringbed stiffness of 73 RDC units imme-
diately after stringing at 60 pounds in a
Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern)
on a constant-pull machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed
stiffness measured 66 RDC units, repre-
senting a 10 percent tension loss. Our con-
trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original
Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-
ately after stringing and 71 RDC units after
24 hours, representing a 9 percent tension
loss. Super Spin added 17 grams to the
weight of our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five
weeks by 37 USRSA playtesters, with
NTRP ratings from 3.0 to 6.0. Theseare blind tests, with playtesters
receiving unmarked strings in
unmarked packages. On average,
each member of our playtest team
used Super Spin for 18.6 hours.
Super Spin has a slightly
rough texture, which is enough to
catch your fingers a little bit when weav-
ing the crosses. However, this same tex-
ture also helps you hold the string
between your fingers, and the crosses
seem to pull through the mains just fine.You can get some light scarring on the
mains,
but this is not unusual these
days, and it doesn’t affect playability or
durability. If you face a blocked hole,
you’ll be glad to learn that Super Spincuts to a fine point (AKA plastic awl) bet-
ter than just about any string you can
think of.
No playtester broke his sample during
stringing, nine reported problems with
coil memory, four reported problems
tying knots, and 12 reported friction
burn.
ON THE COURT
It’s always nice when a product meets or
exceeds your expectations, and that’s afair summary of our playtest team’s expe-
rience with Super Spin, which placed sec-
ond overall in the Spin Potential category
out of the 110 strings we’ve playtested to
date. In case you’re wondering, the first
place string is none other than Wilson
Natural 16 (that’s “natural” as in “natural
gut”). Our playtest team also rated Super
Spin well above average in Playability,
Durability, Control, Comfort, Holding
Tension, and Resistance to Movement.
Our team also rated Power as above aver-
age. It’s almost anticlimactic to learn that
the overall average score was also well
above average. As one playtester put it,
“It excels in nearly every category.”
Two players broke the sample during
testing, one at 3.5 hours and one at 6
hours.
CONCLUSION
Out of our nine rating categories, our
playtest team rated Wilson Super Spin
well above average in seven of them. This
would be a good result for a high-end
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TESTERS TALK
FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAMWilson has generously offered to send a free set of the Super Spin to any
USRSA members who request it.Just cut out (or copy) this coupon and mail it to:
USRSA, Attn: Wilson Super Spin String Offer, 330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084or fax to 760-536-1171, or email the info below to stringsam-
[email protected] expires 20 May 07 Offer only available to USRSA members in the US.Name:
USRSA Member number:
Phone:
Email:If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.
May 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 43
“ Very easy to string. Great tension main-
tenance and good spin potential. This
string is very comfortable at impact.”5.0male all-courtplayerusingHead Prestige
Tour strungat58poundsLO(polyester/natural gut
17)
“ This string has outstanding durability
and comfort. The low power level allows
for a full swing, which adds loads of spin
control.”
5.0male all-courtplayerusing
Head Flexpoint Instinctstrungat59/57pounds
CP (polyester/nylon 16L/17)
“ This string is a very pleasant surprise. It
excels in nearly every category. I expected
a bland nylon, but I discovered outstanding
power, feel, and touch. This is definitely a
candidate for my next hybrid.”
5.0male
all-courtplayerusingWilsonnSix OneTour
strungat51poundsCP (polyester/nylon 17/16)
“While the comfort and control are
superb, the spin potential is simply off the
charts. You can literally feel this string grab
and rotate the ball. To top it off, the ten-
sion maintenance and durability are among
the best I’ve seen. I’m sold.”4.5 maleall-court player using Yonex RDTi 70
LongMPstrungat55poundsCP (LuxilonBig BangerAluPower Rough16L)
“ This string has an elastic feel, but it
plays quite crisply. The bite is exceptional
and spin comes easily. The comfort level is
surprisingly low for a synthetic. Power level
is low, making it harder to achieve depth.
Recommended to those who bring their
own power.”
4.5male all-courtplayerusing
WilsonnTour Two strungat61.5poundsCP
(Gamma Revelation 16)
“ The durability, spin, and tension main-
tenance are top-notch, but the comfort and
touch are not a good fit for my short
strokes. I would try this in a hybrid with a
soft, friendly cross.”5.0male all-courtplayerusing Fischer ProTour
FT strungat66/68 poundsCP (Natural Gut 17)
For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA mem-
bers can visit RacquetTECH.com.
nylon, but Super Spin could give bargain
strings some real competition based on
price alone. That’s a heck of a combination.
In addition to our nine main rating cate-
gories, we also ask our playtesters to com-
pare the playability of the test string against
that of their favorite string. Not surprisingly,
most of the time the test string doesn’t fare
too well. Yet once again, Super Spin didwell even in this area, rating in the top 20
percent of all the strings we’ve tested to
date.
It’s no secret that textured strings
haven’t always lived up to the claims
made about them. In fact, lab tests sug-
gest that the shape of the string doesn’t
affect the spin very much, and over the
years, our playtest teams have been
extremely conservative in granting high
ratings for Spin Potential. Based on our
playtest team’s evaluation of Wilson
Super Spin, it looks as though it’s time togo back to the lab and try again.
If you think that Wilson Super Spin
might be for you, fill out the coupon to
get a free set to try. —Greg Raven Q
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t h e E X P E R T Sask
RACQUETBALLSWINGWEIGHTS
IN REGARDS TO THE swingweight
numbers that are given each year in
RSI magazine for the new racquet-
ball racquets, how do you get those num-
bers? I know that the Babolat Racquet
Diagnostic Center (RDC) can measure ten-
nis racquets, but it is not designed to do
racquetball racquets.
BECAUSE RACQUETBALL racquets
aren’t long enough to mount proper-
ly on the Babolat RDC machine, the USRSA
uses a Rossignol Swingtest to measure the
swingweight of racquetball racquets.
STRING STRAIGHTENINGI HAD A ANOTHER LOCAL teaching
pro tell one of my customers that
moving your strings back into place
when they get out of line because of a top-
spin hit reduces the tension. I disagreed. I
say it has little to no effect on tension
loss. I feel that the strings play better if
they are lined up so I encouraged her
to do that in between points.
THE ONLY WAY THAT straighten-
ing strings could reduce the
string tension is if the racquet was
delivered freshly strung with the strings
crooked. When a straight string is
moved out of place, there is probably
some small amount of tension rise in
that string, but returning it to position
merely restores the string to its original
state.
To put it another way, if high ten-
sion were the only concern, why not
string the racquet higher to begin
with? Or, why not take a freshly strung
racquet and pull each of the strings
out of position before playing? The
more uniform the stringbed, the better
your chances of hitting a good shot.
CALIBRATION QUESTIONIN DOING SOME RESEARCH about
how to calibrate my lock-out machine,I have found that some people do it
with the calibrator going directly from the
clamps to the string gripper, while others
mount a racquet and simulate a string pull
that might occur while stringing a racquet.
Which one is a better practice?
THE STANDARD PROCEDURE IS to cali-
brate without having a racquet mount-
ed. This eliminates other factors, so that you
can set the tension head to pull at the refer-
ence tension. Attempting to calibrate with a
frame mounted (and the leads to the calibra-
tor running through grommet holes) intro-
duces friction into your calibration attempt
and increases cosine error — which is caused
due to the typically linear pull of the machine
working at an angle to the actual direction of
the pull on the string.
It is easy to understand why someone
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44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
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would want to try to mock up a rac-
quet in progress for the calibration
procedure, but the frame-in technique
introduces more problems than it
eliminates. If it is really that important
to have the reference tension accu-
rately transmitted to the string as it
runs through the racquet, the best
approach is to buy a machine such asthe Babolat Sensor Expert, which has
a tension head that rises to the level
of the stringbed during tensioning.
FLOATING KNOTSI HAVE BEEN STRINGING FOR
20 years, and our facility strings
more than 500 racquets a year.
I thought I’d seen it all, but I have
come across a very strange problem.
One of your certification testers has
instructed some of my stringers to use
a knot that I have never seen before.
He told them not to tie the knot
around the main or cross string, but
instead to float it in the grommet
hole. He claims this is a new tech-
nique in stringing and prolongs grom-
met wear and increases tension
accuracy. This sounds absurd to me
but before I question his expertise I
want to get your input.
THE FREE-FLOATING KNOT used
to be optional for starting the
cross strings, although at some point
in the last 21 years it was dropped
from our materials. It’s worth men-
tioning that there are many different
knots for tying off tennis string, and
some of the pro stringers even have
"signature" knots that allow them to
identify at a glance racquets they have
strung. The bottom line is that
although USRSA no longer teaches
that knot, it does work.
MOVING STRINGSON THE 18TH, I STRUNG A
customer’s racquet using a new
(for him) string. He returned it
on the 21st, complaining that the
strings were moving and showing
wear in one spot. I strung the racquet
as specified in the Digest, my machine
is calibrated, and I used the highest
recommended tension. This particular
racquet has really long mains, which
might account for some of the move-
ment, but other customers who use the same
racquet say they get some movement and just
deal with it. This customer used to play rac-
quetball, so his strokes are hard and fairly flat,
with little spin. I string about 200 racquets a
year and I’ve never run into this problem
before. Is there a string that moves less, or do
I recommend string savers?
STRING SAVERS MIGHT WORK, but not
everyone likes them. Different strings
react differently in different situations.
You should be able to find him a string that
doesn't move — or at least, not as much —
but unfortunately we can’t yet measure the
"moveability" rating for strings. However,
you might check the results of our playtest
reports. Our playtesters rate how much
each test string moves. You might be able
to find something there to guide you in the
right direction. If you haven’t saved your
back issues, our playtest reports can befound in full on the web. —Greg Raven Q
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac- quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].
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Your Serve
The Great DivideA longtime tennis observer says the USTA, with its diverse goals, may
better serve the industry if it splits in two.
Do you think the USTA knows what busi-
ness it's in? And, do you think its business
fits with yours?
The USTA's mission statement is pretty
simple: “to promote and develop the
growth of tennis.” That would seem to
imply its aim is in part to help you achieve
your goals. However, at a time when busi-
ness consultants buzz about the need to slim
down to core competencies, the monolith
based in White Plains, N.Y., certainly seems
structured at cross purposes, at odds with itsown "business," not to mention yours.
Half of the USTA’s operations and goals
involve Professional Tennis, headed by Chief
Executive Arlen Kantarian. The other half
concern Community Tennis, led by Chief
Executive Kurt Kamperman. (And let’s not
mention that third half, which focuses on
player development, diversity, the USTA Ten-
nis & Education Foundation, and everything
else. There just isn't room here for the "third
half solution.")
Professional Tennis seeks to turn a profitthrough the cultivation of an international
audience of spectators who shell out money
for tournament tickets and merchandise.
The buying power of the tennis audience
also appeals to sponsors and advertisers,
who are often ready to pay big money to
reach this high-end demographic.
Community Tennis, on the other hand,
has a nonprofit mindset. Its success is mea-
sured by raising the number of recreational
players in the U.S.—most likely your audi-
ence—whether or not they send money to
the USTA.
Hypothetically, this sounds like it might
make for a good fit. But marriage coun-
selors are a good source for stats on how
often partnerships made up of such dia-
metrically opposite types fail.
A simple, obvious example of this con-
fusion can be found at the website
www.USTA.com. When you have one site
that is supposed to cover every single
aspect of an organization—from selling
US Open tickets and merchandise, to pro-
moting Davis and Fed Cup, to offering
tips on strokes, to being a place for tour-nament sign-ups, etc.—things can get
confusing, especially since the target audi-
ences are so different.
I won't speak for everyone, but if I
don’t know the click stream to where I
am going on the site, my experience is
that I probably am not going to get there
anytime soon.
The obvious solution here is to split
USTA.com into distinct sites mirroring the
diverse goals of the organization. When
you land on USTA.com, you can eitherclick to a USTA Professional Tennis site,
where you can find out all about the US
Open or US Open Series, Davis and Fed
Cup, USTA Pro Circuits, and more; or you
can head to the USTA Community Tennis
site and learn all about USTA League Ten-
nis, how to get involved in the game, Rec
Coach Workshops, etc. Clean it up, make
it easier for everybody.
But let’s not stop at the website; let’s
carry this through to the organization as a
whole. Trying to be everything to every-
one, the USTA has gotten so huge that
it’s often extremely inefficient and waste-
Former Tennis Week Editor Kent
Oswald is a writer and marketing
consultant. He recently won sec-
ond place in the “Hard
News/Enterprise” category of the
2006 U.S. Tennis Writers’ Associa-
tion Writing Contest for a story in Tennis Week.
48 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2007
B Y K E N T O S W A L D
We welcome your opinions. Please emailcomments to [email protected] or faxthem to 760-536-1171.
ful. It’s time it splits itself up. Professional
Tennis should be a for-profit entity; Com-
munity Tennis, a non-profit organization.
The Pro side can maximize the money it
makes from tennis—and of course would
need to be set up with the USTA as a
major stakeholder so some of the money
could still flow back into America’s recre-
ational game. As a separate entity, the
Community side will no longer be a junior
partner in its own building, which might
allow for a clarity of mission and animprovement in defining a viable working
relationship with the USTA’s sections—a
working partnership currently akin to 17
spokes with different ideas and priorities
each trying to set the direction for the
same hub.
Given the dysfunction that has grown
like kudzu as the USTA resists organization-
al change, it could well be worth asking
how much will it help your business if the
USTA changed its own, in recognition that
tennis has evolved since it was organized126 years ago as a lawn tennis association
for East Coast gentlemen. Q
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