Novak's Laments Need Serious Analysis

Hats off to Novak Djokovic for his comments about the industry during Wimbledon. Right or wrong, they are appreciated because he has a global perspective. Hopefully, he and other playing professionals will address the growth of tennis in the future. Thoughts about his article are provided by topical areas from his comments.

Attract a younger audience – Youth are the future of the sport! Tennis is popular in the United States, but participation is less than in many team sports. Team sports will have extensive visibility during the Olympics and youth will be attracted to them.

Tennis is in good shape - Look at the popularity of other professional sports, such as Formula 1 – In the U.S., the tennis industry could learn from the success of team sports such as soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and basketball. Does Caitlin Clark play tennis?

We do not make it accessible or affordable – Don’t get me started about the cost of U.S. Open tickets and the price of a Honey Deuce at the Open. In the U.S., tennis is an elite sport, but it is a great sport for players of all races and ethnicities. In most metro areas, land is expensive and it is not cost-effective to build courts or tennis facilities. Would the USTA provide funds for cities to build facilities with eight courts or less in diverse communities? (Just Say No to 20+ court USTA-owned facilities).

The tours can do better – Most tour events appear to be trying to do too much. The cameras show many empty seats for early rounds in prominent tournaments. Players have become more vocal for legitimate reasons, ranging from injuries to poor scheduling. There is reason to believe there are too many events. Quality is better than quantity.

Capitalizing or commercializing on popularity - Tennis is popular in the U.S.; however, it plays second fiddle to team sports. In high school and college programs, tennis is called a minor or non-revenue sport for a reason. The TIA reports there are 24 million people who play tennis at least once a year; however, only about 6 million drive activity and revenue. Capitalizing on the popularity of tennis is essential for increasing the number of avid players.

Grow the number of players that make a living from this sport (about 400) – This is a fair statement when considering the professional players. The top-ranked tennis players make a lot of money; however, their earnings are often less than the top athletes in other sports. He assumes the pro players are the focal point of the sport. A view from 30,000 feet would say that he misses the point. The industry will benefit more if it looks at all the people who make a living from tennis - players, coaches, pros, media, pro tour, club owners, retailers, manufacturers, and various service providers. Their livelihood is based on their ability to provide tennis services and products to the players. The industry must also consider the revenue generated as well as the number of participants. Revenue measures the ability of clubs to provide services and products to players. In addition, the tennis industry must invest in its infrastructure to increase the number of clubs, courts, and players.

Federations with Big Budgets – Be careful what you wish for Mr Djokovic.

Fractioned, create a new foundation – It is sad to hear that tennis is divided into fiefdoms everywhere. The last thing the sport needs is another association to dilute the voice of the players at all levels. If the WTA and ATP ever merge, could they address the issues raised by Djokovic? Could his concerns be addressed by an infusion of $2 billion from the Saudis?

On a club level, tennis is endangered – Most clubs are on solid footing because of the tennis boom caused by COVID policies. In the U.S., a more prominent concern should be the lack of investment in parks, recreation, school, and college programs.

Pickleball is more economical – Agreed. Both are less economical than a factory. Occasionally, tennis clubs with low ROI are sold and turned into apartment complexes. What is the issue, return on investment or return of serve? How is tennis going to adjust to pickleball?

Marketing - Marketers have demonstrated they can promote Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and Barbie. Why can't the industry more effectively market tennis? Do the advertisements in the following link effectively market tennis?
https://www.ispot.tv/brands/d0j/united-states-tennis-association-usta.

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