Racket Business - Publisher's Notes for January 2025

Hope for 2025 - RSPA - USTA - RacquetX - INTENNSE - Letters - Updates - Shout-Outs and One Funny Tweet

Author

Rich Neher
December 30, 2024

Breaking News - Across the Board: Hope for 2025!

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow."
Albert Einstein

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

There are at least two different ways to look at HOPE, I guess. To give you a good example from politics: For 2025 (and beyond), U.S. Republicans hope President-elect Trump will be a great success for America and the world. On the other hand, Democrats hope that he will fail bitterly - naturally.

I looked through much of the media about the outlook for 2025 and, indeed, many writers and their publications seem quite positive. Here are three areas specifically because of their importance in society.

  • Spiritual Hope

  • Geopolitical Hope

  • Women’s Sports Hopes (With special regard to the hotly debated Transgender Women issue)

SPIRITUAL HOPE

The Pope has declared 2025 the Year of Jubilee, which happens only every 25 years. The 2025 theme is “Pilgrims of Hope”, a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of COVID-19, and a climate crisis. It includes the Jubilee pilgrimage for people with disabilities titled Living Fully with Value and Hope, which will take place at the serene Hotel Centro Giovanni XXIII in Frascati, Italy, from 26 April to 1 May 2025.

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."
Oprah Winfrey

GEOPOLITICAL HOPE

Media Bias/Fact Check rates The Cipher Brief as “least biased based on minimal editorializing of content.” They also rate them “High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing.” The Cipher Brief quotes General Frank McKenzie (Ret.) in a special report titled A Gift From Cipher Brief Experts: Reasons for Hope in 2025: “There is hope in the Middle East, and what has happened to Iran. The decapitation of Lebanese Hezbollah has removed Iran’s strategic hedge against Israel. The failure of two Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel laid bare their offensive inadequacies before the world. The Israeli response has highlighted the increasing technological gap between Israel and Iran. The sudden demise of Bashar al-Assad’s Syria is a fitting end to what has proven to be a disastrous year for Iran. Every foundational element of Iranian security policy has been tested — and found wanting.”

I’m no foreign policy or geopolitical expert, but I see grounds for optimism in that analysis.

"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one."
Brad Paisley

WOMEN’S SPORTS HOPES
(With special regard to the hotly debated Transgender Women issue)

If you follow the media (and this newsletter) you will know that women’s sports were all the rage in 2024 and will probably continue to be so in 2025. MSN writes under Women’s sport to be front and centre in 2025: “Women’s sport will be front and centre in 2025 when football’s European Championship, the rugby union World Cup and cricket’s One-Day World Cup will all come under the spotlight.” Nice.

Gary Horvath pointed out in mid-December that the NCAA volleyball nationals featured two women coaches. The Instagram post enjoyed almost a hundred thousand views. Penn State took the title over Louisville on December 18 & 21.

RSPA Master Professional and National Vice President Jenny Gray commented, “The National Championships were great, 4 solid sets of volleyball with 2 classy teams and coaches.  It was a great narrative that 2 female coaches were in the Championships for the 1st time.  What I didn’t realize until I started digging is that Penn State’s coach has been leading the charge while battling Breast Cancer and she hasn’t missed 1 practice during her treatments.  To me, that’s beyond impressive.  That she’s placed the importance of her health and treatment to parallel her relationships with her players and her coaching responsibilities.  Amazing!”

Penn State’s Katie Schumacher-Cawley (left) and Louisville’s Dani Busboom Kelly

Transgender Women Scandal

Another topic has been front and center in women’s sports in 2024 and things are heating up for 2025: Transgender Women creating unfair competition for women who were female at birth. As I have pointed out for years, women’s tennis leagues and tournaments from recreational to professional levels may become more impacted than we think. Well, my female friends, things are looking up for you! Here are some articles that will give you an idea of what’s currently going on in women’s sports regarding this topic.

"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."
Thomas Jefferson


I hope all our readers will have an outstanding 2025 with much success and good health all around!

Happy New Year!

Rich Neher

Letters - In response to…

Why Do Most Adult Beginners Leave Tennis Again Within A Year?
(November article)

Leaving Tennis Too Soon

Hi Rich,
Been more than a few years since I was a teaching pro/club manager in SoCal, but enjoy reading your Racket Business.  The article on people leaving tennis too soon hit a nerve!  When in SoCal, I worked in commercial clubs, HOA's and municipal facilities, and the more I watch pros in FL, CA, NY, and IL the reason isn't all the USTA.  It's the pros, and if anyone else reads this, certainly not all of them.  First, instructional clinics became drills.  Clinics teach, drills practice and the latter is easier for younger inexperienced pros.  They expect players to improve through repetition, but I rarely see instruction or correction.  So players just don't improve, they become consistent in doing it wrong and this doesn't keep them interested in playing and certainly not embarrassing themselves in leagues.  Even when explaining it to my pro staff in tennis, pickle, and platform,  I get the three-headed stare.  While the members understand the difference between drills and lessons/ clinics, the pros ignore it.  Either they don't know better, don’t care or are just content with their current earnings. For me it was the continuity in group lessons that got my students better and making sure they were fun...people learn faster! The occasional private lesson for something that tripped them up: drop shot, slice serve, beginner topspin...so while we can blame the USTA for much, sometimes we have to look closer to home!
Thanks for hearing me out.

Jamie Blatman, Greater Chicago area

USTA VENTURES invests in New York-based ‘Court 16’

Hi Rich,
This reads like a bad MBA group project. The golf pro where I worked used to say, "Don't put perfume on a pig. It doesn't work and it pisses off the pig." The USTA is out of touch.

Is Court 16 located in the same building as Studio 54? Will it be like Studio 54 and "inspire healthier people and communities everywhere?”

It is great that the USTA funded a tennis technology company that developed an electronic line-calling (ELC) system to increase accurate, user-friendly ELC for junior, adult, and recreational play nationwide. This is critical to the growth of tennis because those rec players are the biggest cheaters in the sport. They have a gimmick/gadget (that probably works) to call lines. There is an epidemic of cheating in junior tennis and they want to use the gimmick/gadget for recreational players. That is like using B52 bombers to get rid of the dandelions. Hundreds of thousands of players quit the sport last year because they were hooked by 75-year-old ladies with 2.076 NTRP ratings who think the scoring system is 5, 15, 30, 35, 40, 45, deuce, and ad.  

Only the USTA is capable of "delivering dynamic tennis programming.” Court 16’s cutting-edge curriculum builds a strong technical foundation, develops well-rounded athletes, inspires a true passion for the sport, and provides a picture of you dancing with John Travolta.  Thank goodness the USTA is doing this. They are the only group capable of certifying coaches who can implement "dynamic tennis programming with a strong technical foundation". Not even Patrick M can do that. The best part is that they produce well-rounded athletes. Dolly Parton might say that is a sexist comment. 

Thanks to Studio 54, Court 69, and the USTA for clarifying how this partnership will "not only transform clubs but also help shape the broader tennis landscape". Now I get it, they are not a pickleball club, nor are they a tennis business, they are a landscaping business. Their landscaping will include legal marijuana and "inspire future generations by setting new standards for tennis education.”  Rumor has it that Cheech and Chong will be advisors.

Studio 54/Court 69 is supposed to foster the growth of tennis in urban areas. Earth to USTA, that is an irrelevant mission. The land is too expensive and not available in many areas. That is where tennis is. It speaks volumes about the tennis industry when this is a top innovative solution for "growing the game", I should have said increasing revenue for the USTA. 

I hope Santa brings a new Thesaurus to Brendan McIntyre, Robyn Wilkov, Ronald McDonald, and the other clowns who wrote this happy horse pucky. If they were in the federal government Elon would surely eliminate their jobs. They used and misused every adverb, verb, adjective, and dangling participle in the book to make a press release that only they could understand.

The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them

USTA NATIONAL CAMPUS AWARDED 10-YEAR BID TO HOST NCAA DI MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hi Rich,
What a boring press release. Lew Sherr is an idiot.  He doesn't understand that college tennis is the source of tennis teaching professionals.

This isn't the kind of help that college tennis needs. The NCAA, ITA, and USTA need to make sure there will be teams that will play in the championships.

The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them

USPTA Obituary

USPTA Sept. 23, 1927 - Sept 16, 2024
Lake Nona, Florida
By Mark Savage

The USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association) died on Monday, September 16, 2024.  The USPTA, known for being a leader in tennis coaching education with an industry drive toward improving the tennis teachers’ careers passed away peacefully surrounded by the current CEO, Brian Dillman, staff, and a few on the Executive board.  The organization was diagnosed with not being able to grow its membership, not being able to engage its members, a loss of industry influence, and an unstoppable growth of pickleball.  

The USPTA had a long and successful but often turbulent rise throughout the years but remained steadfast in its mission to provide tennis professionals with a safe haven to grow, network, and foster
life-long friendships.  

Its beginnings were formed by a small group of tennis professionals who gathered in an upper-story room of the Spalding building in New York City on Sept. 23, 1927, according to the RSPA website.  Their mission was to bridge the gap between the amateur ranks and a respectable career as a tennis professional.  Their answer was to establish the Professional Lawn Tennis Association of the United States.  It would be forty-two years before they were able to create enough demand and influence to begin certification exams for their members.  A year later the Association changed its name to the United States Professional Tennis Association.

In 1974, the organization created its first national office in Houston but moved in 1975 to Chattanooga, Tenn.  By 1977, it was celebrating its 50th anniversary and would launch its first industry magazine.  In 1982, what many consider the most influential CEO in USPTA history began to put his mark on the tennis professional industry in the U.S.  Membership by 1992 swelled from a few hundred to 10,000, and in 1993, the organization officially opened its Hall of Fame with the induction of the late great Arthur Ashe.

The USPTA had such hits as “Find-a-Pro service, free personal websites for every member, a TV show “On Court with the USPTA” airing on the Tennis Channel, and the introduction of the “Player Development Program.”

In the early 2000’s however, the industry began to see a downturn.  Fewer people were coming into the profession and the quality of prospective professionals was low.  The decision to lower the standards of those entering the profession may have been a contributing factor to the overall decline in the health of the USPTA.  From 2008 to 2011 there was a civil war within the organization as to what direction to go.  Some on the executive board felt that the organization needed to move in a more progressive direction while others felt that standards should remain high.  Clearly, there was a dividing line between those who wanted to preserve the USPTA mission and those who wanted to move the mission forward.  Those that wanted to move forward wanted to see the USPTA look at others in the industry as partners while those in the preservation camp wanted us to be aware that the so-called partners were interested in making the USPTA less influential and had their own interests ahead of the partnerships.  The preservation camp was interested in being the leaders of the tennis-teaching profession while the progressive camp was interested in “if we all get along” it will raise all boats.  This is my interpretation as I was in the room from 2005-2017.  It's complicated for sure.

What we do know for certain is that as the USPTA, the mission was 100% about the tennis teaching professional.  And it should be noted that many around the world mourned the loss today.  The USPTA is survived by thousands and thousands of tennis professionals since 1927, many of who see tennis as the sport of kings and #1 in their hearts.  For those who have worked extremely hard to make the organization what it was, I’m proud to say I was a USPTA Master Professional and will forever be.

In lieu of flowers, please send your condolences to the RSPA, 11961 Performance Drive, Orlando, Florida 32827.  By phone 407-634-3050 or by email: [email protected]

Mark Savage
New Windsor, NY

Things that make me go hmmm…
(Lew Sherr, USTA Investor, UTR, USTA Florida, Pickleball Denial Conspiracy)


Lew Sherr being “interviewed” by Katrina Adams at Wharton Business School (Video)

That interview was a complete farce in my opinion.

  • Pre-arranged softball questions. All of them.

  • Sherr said Pickleball is a threat while taking tennis courts away but no mention that they converted tennis courts at the National Campus to PB. They were kids’ tennis courts!

  • Sherr said that Covid was big in participation growth and “not many have left” which is a direct contradiction to his 2024 interview where he said that 98% of the 4.8m new players during Covid have left the sport already.

No wonder The Commish had such strong feelings about Sherr in LETTERS (above).

Press Release: “The USTA joined the LEAD One family as a strategic collaborator. The USTA aims to gain access to startups and technologies meant to help drive tennis and sports business.”

Just when I was planning to approach LEAD One for a funding round, haha. All joking aside, my impression from seeing the startups and technologies that USTA has invested in is: There is not much innovation in tennis. But in case there is, I have little confidence the USTA will be able to do anything good with it.

Press Release: UTR Sports, creator of the world-class tournament management software, announced it has acquired PicklePlay, a platform designed to simplify the process for pickleball players and organizers to connect, for an undisclosed amount.

If anyone thought UTR was dead – they just raised the coffin lid. Seems to me they are quite a bit behind in their race against DUPR. On a side note, I hope, PicklePlay will be able to remove the errors from their “Search for Courts” function one day.

Press Release: USTA Florida Unveils Inaugural Economic Impact Report Showing $145.9 Million Return on Tournaments & Events

The press release says, “The report highlights the substantial contributions of amateur, youth, and adult tennis tournaments and events to Florida’s economy in 2023.” While I rarely have reason to criticize anything Laura Bowen is doing for her well-run USTA section, this month I must point out something a friend made me aware of: A $145.9 million economic impact is not significant at all!

Here’s why: According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, last updated September 27, 2024, for the years 2019-2023, Florida’s annual nominal GDP (Gross Domestic Product) for 2023 is just about 1.6 billion dollars. 146/1,600 = .009% of the state's GDP.  It is not even close to 1% of GDP.  In Florida, pipeline transportation had a GDP of 140 million dollars in 2023. 

As a comparison, the 2024 NCAA Men's Final Four in Glendale, Arizona generated $429 million in economic impact, according to a study by Arizona State University's Seidman Research Institute.

The Florida USTA office thought they were doing a good thing by having a report prepared that showed a big number, (compared to my income, haha.) Florida is an important place for tennis. Tennis is important to many people. It is not important to the state economy.  My friend says that this report should be buried.

Pickleball Noise - The Big Denial Conspiracy

Disclaimer: I like the sport of pickleball and the fact that millions of people are out there playing it now. I don’t play it mainly because there are no opportunities in my vicinity. What I don’t like is the weird point-counting system and the noise! Ah, the noise. It’s the single biggest problem millions of people have with pickleball. Especially the ones living next to a PB court.

And here is the puzzling thing I’ve noticed all year long reading about pickleball events, conventions, any reports. No one in the industry is ever addressing the big elephant in the room. Yes, there are some manufacturers that offer noise-reduced paddles and now also balls in addition to the curtains and court dividers available commercially for quite some time.

I have seen no reports that speakers talk about noise problems at conventions and other meetings. Just look at one item I posted in the “The Dink” section of our pickleball page this month. Under Poll: What's the most popular unpopular opinion? (about PB) no one is answering NOISE. That’s because they asked players, I guess. And players are in complete denial.

I call that the BIG Denial Conspiracy in pickleball.

(Btw, as a professional courtesy and to maintain consistency with other racquet sports, I have decided to no longer capitalize "pickleball" in my articles This aligns with the standard practice for sports such as tennis, badminton, and squash.)

Seen in 1440 Newsletter

Noteworthy
(RecycleBalls, RSPA, RacquetX, INTENNSE)


RecycleBalls

Wonderful Year-End message from our RecycleBalls friends. Kudos to all their accomplishments in 2024!

RSPA

Brian Dillman’s handwriting is all over the organization’s 2025 Resolutions. And that is probably a good thing. I’m watching the rebirth of a once-great organization that took on some considerable heat after the September rebranding (see Mark Savage’s letter.) We will check off everything Brian has accomplished and report about it in a year.

RacquetX 2025 (March 22-24, 2025)

Main Stage Agenda is Live!

Message from Robyn Duda: “We are thrilled to announce that the Main Stage agenda for RacquetX 2025 is now live! Prepare for an electrifying lineup of speakers as we gear up to bring you the ultimate fusion and celebration of all racquet sports. Join us in vibrant Miami from March 22–24, 2025! Don’t miss out—early bird tickets are available now. Secure yours before they’re gone!”

Agenda Highlights! 

Saturday, March 22: Mastering the Mind: Applying The Inner Game of Tennis with AI
Discover the timeless wisdom of The Inner Game of Tennis coming to life with cutting-edge AI. 

Sunday, March 23: The Next Gen: The Padel and Pickleball Race for Olympic Status, and how the U.S. is readying the Padellers and Picklers of the future for Olympic Stardom
Challenges and opportunities for padel and pickleball as they aim for Olympic inclusion.

Monday, March 24: Winning Strategies in Sports Marketing: Insights from Leaders in Tennis 
An intimate discussion focusing on sports marketing specific to the tennis industry.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this groundbreaking event! Register now to secure your spot and be among the first to experience everything the Racquet X 2025 has to offer.

RacquetX Webinar from December 18: The Club Experience: How Focusing on the Customer Creates Growth

One very informative hour moderated by RacquetX CEO Robyn Duda. With Jarrett Chirico, Julian Wortelboer, David Gutstadt, and Jess Nicol.

INTENNSE Receives $4M to Energize Tennis

INTENNSE COO Bruce Waschuk posted on his LinkedIn page: We're thrilled to announce that Triple B has invested $4 million in INTENNSE, a bold and innovative team-based tennis league launching in 2025!

With a fresh format combining high-energy play, team dynamics, and immersive fan experiences, 𝘐𝘕𝘛𝘌𝘕𝘕𝘚𝘌 is redefining what tennis can be for players and fans alike. From live coaching and quick-paced matches to dynamic venues like basketball arenas, we’re creating a league that’s as engaging as it is groundbreaking.

Kicking off in 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮, 𝗚𝗔, this June, 𝘐𝘕𝘛𝘌𝘕𝘕𝘚𝘌 will deliver fast-paced action, community-focused initiatives, and unforgettable moments for players and spectators. Learn more about our vision and how we’re transforming tennis for a modern audience: https://lnkd.in/g2qrigJQ

Updates
(Doping, Transgender, Sexual + Other Abuse, Corruption)

DOPING

The Age: Tennis greats speak out over ‘sloppy’ handling of doping cases
Former Australian Open boss and grand slam doubles champion Paul McNamee believes the “sloppy” handling of doping cases by tennis has cast a shadow over the sport ahead of the Australian summer.
Read more

ITIA: Australian tennis player Max Purcell elects to enter voluntary provisional suspension
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Australian tennis player Max Purcell has elected to enter into a voluntary provisional suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). Read more.
 

TRANSGENDER WOMEN

Tennis Threads Magazine: London | LTA publishes new Transgender and Non-binary Policy
The Lawn Tennis Association has updated its policy on transgender athletes competing at the highest level of tennis and padel, taking a lead on a contentious issue that the powers in sport are struggling with and have been put under pressure to clarify their position on. Read more

SEXUAL AND OTHER ABUSE

Head Topics: Fort Lauderdale Tennis Coach Arrested for Child Sex Abuse
Daniel James Riggs, a Fort Lauderdale tennis coach, faces charges of enticement of a minor and production of child pornography after allegedly engaging in sexual conversations and abuse with a minor victim. Read more.

Eastern Progress: 'Angry gamblers' behind half of abusive tennis social media posts - report
Tennis chiefs revealed Thursday that "angry gamblers" accounted for almost half of abusive social media posts targeting top tennis stars. The AI-led Threat Matrix, launched by the ITF, WTA, Wimbledon and the US Open, analysed nearly 2.5 million posts on X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok between January and October this year. From that number, "around 12,000" abusive messages were identified.
Read more.

CORRUPTION

777score: Three Players and a Referee Suspended Amid Corruption Allegations
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Wednesday (November 18) the provisional suspension of three players and a referee while investigating allegations related to the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). Read more.

Seen in 1440 Newsletter

Shout-Outs + One Funny Tweet

Big Shout-Out to the RSPA Southwest division. As one of the smaller RSPA divisions in the country, they seem to be incredibly engaged as evidenced by their inspiring December 2024 Magazine.

Big Shout-Out to the BNP Paribas Open for earning the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 Tournament Of The Year for the tenth consecutive time.

Big Shout-Out to Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare of the New York Times for their excellent article: The tennis stories of 2024, from doping bans and Grand Slam titles to a bee invasion

Big Shout-Out to Courtreserve for turning EIGHT this year!
A Year in Review: CourtReserve 2024 Highlights

One Funny Tweet