Racket Business - Publisher's Notes for June, 2025

Hello, dear readers, friends, and racquet sports enthusiasts.

I hope May was a good month for you. It ended with a bombshell news about USTA CEO Lew Sherr leaving the organization for the New York Mets. Woohoo. I have no clue what transpired in Orlando over the last few weeks. But I have a few questions:

• Did Sherr finally cave in after reading hundreds of Javier Palenque's appeals for him to resign? (Just kidding…)

• Why would anyone leave a job that pays more than 1 ½ million dollars, with super benefits, first-class travel, and President’s Suite tickets for all 4 Grand Slams? (I’m not kidding…)

Did Lew Sherr Not Toe the Line Anymore?

I do have a feeling that four particular things came together that soured Lew Sherr’s relationship with the USTA Board after he was the darling of this group of people for more than a decade. I can’t prove any of this, of course. It’s just my own opinion. Here are the four things that altogether amounted to a career-limiting situation:

1. Player Development. (Follow the money!)
   For quite some time, I’ve been saying that Sherr’s predecessor as CEO, Michael Dowse, stumbled over PD and clashed with the Board when trying to cut the department down to save some money during the Pandemic in 2020.
   - Did Sherr have a similar problem? Did he think the USTA could put some of the $30M the money pit PD gobbles up every year to better use?
   - Did Martin Blackman have to leave over this because his $800K salary was needed elsewhere?
   - Was US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster asked to leave her job after the 2025 US Open for the same reason last December?
   

2. Lawsuits (An avalanche of problems.)
   How many lawsuits are currently filed against the USTA? 30? More? This must be a real nightmare for Lew. I can see why any CEO would be tempted to throw in the towel and run away. I can also see any executive being scared of the ever-present, all-knowing General Counsel and COO. Wouldn’t you? Is she maybe behind all this? I assume her power comes from being the only USTA executive who knows where ALL the skeletons are buried…
   

3. Press Release Faux Pas #1 (The first of two unforced errors.)
   First, it was the Lew Sherr interview in the spring of 2024: Tennis, everyone: USTA CEO Lew Sherr on the new strategy for the growth of tennis. It was the first time ever that a high-ranking USTA executive admitted something so unbelievable and alarming, it makes you cringe (although many insiders knew of it for decades). When I worked on the USTA Tennislink Team, we heard what insiders only whispered: The majority of people who learn to play tennis as adults leave the sport again within a year, never to come back. The reason for that unpublished stat: The unwelcoming and unfriendly attitude of tennis players toward beginners or lower-level players. That reason is directly related to the never-ending competitive grind in USTA Adult League Tennis. The Win-At-All-Cost Mentality turns league players into hostile, unfriendly individuals as soon as they hit the 3.0 or 3.5 ratings level. It has been my opinion for quite some time that the USTA Adult League program is single-handedly responsible for beginners and novices leaving our sport in disgust because they couldn’t find anyone to play with and got a cold-shoulder attitude from established players - fueled by “professional captains” whose goal of going to Nationals with their team is killing the fun in tennis.
   

4. Press Release Faux Pas #2 (The second unforced error.)
   Then came the press release “35 by '35: The USTA's growth strategy for 35 million tennis players by 2035”. I don’t even want to elaborate too much. Just know this: It’s a number so crazy, it’s not even funny. Even if you believe all the participation lies and buy the bogus claims that there are 24 million tennis players in the U.S. right now (There aren’t!), to grow tennis by 40% in 10 years is just plain lunatic. Maybe the Board agrees with me and withdrew their support for someone who lived by sales forecasts all his life and went overboard believing the participation numbers spoon-fed to him year after year.

But - is there maybe a 5th possible reason? Pickleball?

Was Lew Sherr not OK with the USTA engaging so much in pickleball? Building PB courts on the family courts at the National Campus? Running secret PB tournaments there, they would not publish to USTA members? Encouraging sections to organize PB Leagues? Was he realizing that the growth of pickleball, at the expense of tennis courts, is unstoppable, and his constant touting of the bogus tennis growth figures would sooner or later be exposed as a Big USTA Hoax?

Or how about the latest event at the US Open grounds? Pro Pickleball Takes Over Iconic New York Venue

Since Lew Sherr’s announcement to join the New York Mets came so soon after the message of a big $800M expansion of the US Open, was he maybe not on board with that monstrous plan?

Questions over questions. What do you think happened? Do you even care? Is the USTA important to you and your work, your life? Please email me and don’t hold back!

I hope you like the June issue, I hope that you will learn a few things from it that will help your business thrive.

Rich Neher

Table of Contents

• BREAKING NEWS - USTA CEO JOINS THE NY METS!

• SAM Insurance - the new Sword of Damocles in the U …

• Events Calendar

• Webinar Watch

  • Webinar: CourtReserve and Save My Play

  • Webinar: RacquetX

  • Webinar: CourtReserve and SWISH

• Things that make me go hmmm…

  • USTA - A New $800 Million Blunder? Imagine how man …

  • I think Sportskeeda (Mobile version) is a disgrac …

  • National “Hit to be Fit” Day

  • A Tennis Playing Pope

  • Parkkonen and Stockwell hired by the USTA

  • Is the Apocalypse near? Ask Anthropic…

• Noteworthy

  • U.S. Tennis Needs a City League!

  • American Racket Sports Association (ARA) Grows Nat …

  • Wilson Roland Garros Clay Court Tennis Balls

  • RacquetX Clubs City Series

  • Tennis Resort Online’s 2025 Top Resorts

  • Upcoming: HEAD Arthur Ashe Collection

  • RSPA Partners with GPTCA and the Segal Institute t …

• Updates

  • (Doping, Corruption, Transgender, Miscellaneous)

• Shout-Outs + One Funny Tweet

USTA CEO Lew Sherr is leaving the organization on June 30th to become the new President of Business Operations for the New York Mets.

A lot of people are calling me: Was he fired? I don’t think so, but I still think the USTA Board let him go. We hope to have more information for you next month.

I had never heard of SAM (Sexual Abuse and Molestation) Insurance until this year, when the topic came up in conversation with writer, friend, and acclaimed teaching pro, Susan Nardi.

A quick Google search showed that SAM Insurance can cover legal defense costs, settlements, and other expenses related to an organization’s (or an individual’s) protection against claims of sexual misconduct, abuse, or molestation. SAM seems to become increasingly important for anyone working with vulnerable populations, such as kids.

And, as always, California entities responsible for hiring tennis professionals, like Parks & Rec departments, go WAY overboard with this. Just read Susan’s article this month: In the Trenches: Regulated to Ruin - The Crushing Insurance Burden on Tennis Pros

I think it’s a wake-up call for all teaching pros out in the trenches! Especially those that are concessionaires on Parks & Rec courts. And make no mistake, folks, it is my experience that much of the crap happening in California sooner or later finds its way to other states. And don’t even think about asking the USTA for help when it comes to SAM insurance. A little voice is telling me that, due to all the lawsuits they are involved in, they probably won’t be able to get it anyway. Or, at an exorbitant premium.

On a side note, Susan is quite kind to the squatters of the tennis world in her article. Do you think the main squatting organizations care whether pros who play by the rules have to now pay $10,000 more to get SAM insurance? Hint: they probably don’t! Heck, they most likely also don’t care about Safe Play, so why should they care about any insurance? (I just hope they don’t laugh all the way to the bank while good pros are facing real problems today.)

When was the last time you went to our Events page and checked on all those racquet sports conventions, expos, and workshops? Just scroll up to the top menu and, voilà…

Let me just point out one event that you may have missed. And it’s in Socal, Irvine, to be exact. Steve Riggs’s 14th Annual OCCTA Tennis Seminar attracts not only a huge number of teaching pros but also a high-quality list of speakers.

More here.

Capture. Connect. Grow: CourtReserve + Save My Play

The invitation read: Join us for an exclusive webinar with David Fox, founder of Save My Play, and Ashley Owens from CourtReserve as we unveil an exciting new integration that helps clubs unlock new revenue streams and deliver added value to their players. Save My Play is a cutting-edge court recording tool that allows players to capture their court time on video—perfect for reviewing matches, training, and sharing with others. Now fully integrated with CourtReserve, clubs can easily offer this premium service, streamline setup, and create new opportunities for engagement and growth. Whether you're a club owner, manager, or looking for innovative ways to boost player satisfaction and revenue, this session will give you the insights you need.

My take: Well worth it. Not only for club owners. Also present was Kevin Richards, Founder + President of RECS (Recreate - Exercise - Compete - Socialize), a 9-indoor courts pickleball facility in Portland, OR. I learned how easy it is to set up Save My Play, almost like “Plug and Play.” While a multi-camera setup is possible, you really only need one camera per court.

Ashley gave us an example of a fun use case: They have two courts set up with Save My Play (one camera only per court!) at their new “Old Coast Pickleball” facility in St. Augustine, Florida. When her husband, Tim, plays at one of the courts in the evening after work, she can sit at home on the couch and watch him play live on their YouTube Channel. How cool is that?

The webinar also gave us good insights into monetizing those courts with cameras and how the integration with CourtReserve makes that very convenient.

Here is the link to the webinar.

RacquetX: The New Clubhouse: Winning Over Gen Z and Millennial Members

As racquet sports clubs and facilities look toward the future, understanding how to engage younger generations is more important than ever. This session dives into how clubs can evolve beyond tradition to meet the expectations and lifestyles of Gen Z and Millennials—two groups redefining what community, wellness, and social experience mean.

We’ll explore the strategies successful clubs are using to attract and retain younger members, including programming, culture, and technology that speaks to their values.

From rethinking events to designing inclusive spaces, this webinar will offer actionable insights for operators, marketers, and anyone shaping the modern club experience.

Host: Robyn Duda, CEO of RacquetX
Moderator: Andre Brown, Co-Founder / Head of Business Development / Brand Strategy & Marketing at Padel Up

Watch it here on LinkedIn

Streamline & Score: Maximize Club Efficiency with SWISH and CourtReserve

Join Ashley Owens from CourtReserve and Mark Tenney from Swish for a deep dive into how their new integration is making club management easier, faster, and more efficient. With Swish now integrated directly into CourtReserve’s court booking system, clubs can seamlessly accept registrations and payments while keeping everything in one place. This powerful connection means fewer errors, faster transactions, and less time spent on manual entry. Learn how your club can simplify operations, enhance the member experience, and keep financial data in sync automatically—giving you more time to focus on growing your community.

Here is the link to the webinar

I could not believe it when I saw the article in many news outlets: U.S. Open announces $800 million renovation as images show incredible Arthur Ashe makeover. My first reaction: Unforced error. Similar to the never-ending race to who pays the most prize money at a Grand Slam, we are now seeing our NGB wasting almost a billion dollars on a venue that is perfectly fine and will hold another decade at least in the current state. Boy, just imagine if they were planning to put $800 million into grassroots tennis instead of more and bigger luxury suites for companies that can write off the expense and couldn’t care less about tennis as a sport.

I can only shake my head in disgust. I guess one of the reasons for this obscene waste of money is the need to uphold the perception of tennis growth created by the bogus survey numbers. Well done, Mr. Sherr. Well done, USTA Board.

Questions for USTA CEO Lew Sherr:

• How many old tennis courts could be refurbished with $800 million?

• How many new tennis courts, indoor and outdoor, could be built?

• How many tennis courts could be saved from the claws of pickleball?

• Why are you not paying down some of the $600 million in debt?

• Why are you adding more debt to your fragile financial structure?

And then, out of the blue, The Commish responded to the news. Here is their letter:

You’ve Got to be Kidding Me

By The Commish

The “exciting” news is that the USTA is renovating Ashe Stadium and BJK US Open grounds to the tune of $800 million! Wow, isn’t that great!

• Forget the fact that other racquet, paddle, etc, activities are growing fast and stealing potential tennis players.

• Forget the fact that the USTA doesn’t know how to grow tennis……..oops, that is in their mission statement.

• Sorry I forgot to mention their “new” concept, Red Ball tennis.

When the 36-60, ROGY, Quickstart Tennis came out some 20 years ago, they said it was only for kids. Despite the fact that other countries had adult orange and green ball programs at the time.

Does the $560 million dollar 2024 operating revenue need to make more money? Here’s a novel idea: how about spending the $800 million to grow tennis? Bring back Area Training Centers. This would include the Regional Training Center concept and the annual coaches clinic for education and updates.

Spend some money to help the Leaky Bucket League program and bring back certified verifiers for a true rating system rather than the self-rating fiasco.

How about sending each of the 17 sections some money to hire teaching professionals to promote tennis and give clinics to schools and organizations.

Let’s face it, in general, for a junior to become a competitive player on the tour, it takes a lot of money. We are at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the world. Most tennis federations support their players in every way to produce US college players that are educated here with US dollars, as well as producing the world’s best professional tennis players.

I attended the US Open two years ago. It really looked fine to me, but well, I don’t have $800 million to spend.

The Commish

(Reminder: The Commish is not just one single person; it is a real and true thought experiment of many different entities. That's also why the Commish has no preferred pronouns, and you can call the Commish anything and anyway you want. Makes no difference to the Commish. The Commish lives in the minds of all tennis professionals, tennis players, tennis organizers, and everyone with a clear and logical thought process.)

I love Chris Evert. I’m sure she knows what she’s talking about in this Sportskeeda article: Chris Evert makes feelings clear on lack of friendship between modern day tennis players.

So, you may ask, what’s my point? I’ll tell you what my point is. Sportskeeda is a bloody disgrace. In my opinion, this publication is one huge clickbait trap when you go to their mobile site. Their main purpose is for you to click on a headline that looks interesting and then they’ll hammer you with ads for the most rediculous crap.

So, Chris Evert: Yes! Sportskeeda Mobile: No!

Okay, they had this big shindig about the National “Hit to be Fit Day” on May 10. We saw Bill Riddle (who I love!) do some on-court sessions at the National Campus in Orlando. We also saw Michele Krause (who I love!) all over the country promoting Cardio Tennis and Triples.

My question about the Orlando event: Is it true that 90% of participants were USTA staff who were encouraged (forced) to participate? I just refuse to believe that the USTA names a National XYC Day and people are flocking to the venues. Are we all being duped into believing the USTA has any clout with anyone else but their own staff? (And their Adult League players.)

From tennis.de: Pope Leo XIV is one of us. He told US magazine “The Pillar” in September of 2023 that he was a tennis enthusiast and loves being on a tennis court.

DTB President Dietloff von Arnim remarked, “We are happy for our sport that the Pope is an enthusiastic player and invite him to visit the Hamburg Open in 2026. We’ll see whether he really decides to come or not. If he is innovative, I can imagine he would. Because what is the glue in our society? Faith and sports.“

It seems I was spot on with much of my analysis last month. Especially in regard to the level of salaries, both PTR and RSPA are able to pay their executives. These are not cash-rich organizations, so those salaries are most likely not at the USTA level. I applaud both organizations for doing what they are doing and being frugal with their money. That cannot be easy.

Brian Parkkonen’s new position at the USTA is Sr. Director, Tennis Industry Outreach & Engagement. Not sure what the position entails, but I searched for USTA salaries of Senior Directors. Here’s what I found:
Senior Directors at the USTA generally earn within a range of $72,000 to $140,000 per year, depending on the specific role and responsibilities. For example, a Director of Membership at the USTA National Headquarters in Lake Nona, FL, earns between $120,000 and $140,000 annually, according to Indeed. 

According to the PTR’s 990 filing, Parkkonen had already made $176,708 in 2023 - so money may not have been the main reason for him leaving his COO post. Well, I hope it works out for him. Good luck, Brian. And good luck to the PTR finding a new COO with similar experience.

Jim Stockwell’s new position at the USTA is Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships. A search for typical Sr. Manager salaries brought this result:
Senior Manager positions at the USTA typically have a base salary range between $70,000 and $120,000 per year, with some positions reaching up to $145,000. The average salary is around $101,309, but this can vary based on specific roles and experience. Salary.com: $130K-$150K p.a.

Indeed: A Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships, also at the USTA National Headquarters, earns between $72,000 and $85,000 per year, as shown on Indeed. 

Did Stockwell take a pay cut? Be it as it may, I wish him all the success in his new role! Hopefully, the RSPA Board will be able to find a replacement quickly.

Who is Anthropic? 

Anthropic PBC is an American AI startup company founded in 2021 and based in San Francisco. Anthropic has developed a family of large language models named Claude as a competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.

Why did I put the words Anthropic and Apocalypse in the same headline?

Here is a news item from May 23:

• Anthropic's new Claude Opus 4 model frequently attempts to blackmail engineers, threatening to reveal sensitive personal data if they try to replace the AI system.

• This blackmailing occurred in 84% of tests where Claude Opus 4 faced replacement by a similar AI, a higher rate than previous models.

• Due to these concerning behaviors, Anthropic is activating its ASL-3 safeguards, reserved for AI systems presenting substantially increased catastrophic misuse risk.

Hu? Is that the beginning of the end for the human race? Or for AI? Stay tuned for more, I guess.

U.S. Tennis Needs a City League!

I have always liked the concept of the German Tennis Bundesliga. Wikipedia writes, “The Tennis Bundesliga or 1. Bundesliga is the top level of the German tennis league system. It was formed in 1972. Contested by 10 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga (formed in 2001). Seasons are usually played in the months of July and August.” Clubs have sponsors, and so does the league. Players are usually Open level and receive an income of varying amounts depending on the sponsorships. Teams can employ top players. I remember many years ago, I watched a German Bundesliga match where both teams had Top 100 ATP players on the payroll. Players who wanted to keep playing and make some money in the summer season.

Why not create such a high-level league system in the U.S.? Similar to the NFL, it has regional competition, playoffs, and a season-ending Championship somewhere. We’ll call it the American City League (ACL). Find a bunch of sponsors, and all players can be paid. Teams play for their city (remember City Slams?) It could have the feel of an Inter-American Davis Cup or BJK Cup. Add teams from Canada and Mexico, and you’ll have a North American League.

Best of all: You don’t need the USTA at all. How about it, Bill Ackman? Serena? Ben Navarro?

The American Racket Sports Association (ARA) is excited to announce new chapters launching in Puerto Rico (Caribbean), South Carolina, Texas, and Colorado, expanding their national presence. We recently sponsored successful networking events at the RSPA Southern Conference in South Carolina on May 2-3, connecting industry professionals, and where ARA CEO Shaun Boyce was able to sit down with RSPA CEO Brian Dillman. ARA is also raising the profiles of racket sports professionals by inviting industry leaders to their podcast to discuss upcoming events, share insights with their audience, and showcase their products.

Visit their events page at https://americanracketsportsassociation.com/events/ to join online events from anywhere, attend in-person events in Georgia, and explore membership opportunities for professional networking with the ARA community.

From Tennishead: The French Open champions will be using these...

Clay tennis courts have recently had a strong resurgence with tennis clubs springing up with a popular artificial version. The Wilson Roland Garros Clay Court tennis ball is ITF approved for competition, made of gum and felt, comprising of 100% natural rubber and has been the official ball of French Open since 2020.
Read More.

RacquetX Clubs City Series
in Partnership with The Directors Club of America

RacquetX announced: Hello RacquetX Friends!
We’ve been quietly working on something close to our hearts, and we’re thrilled to finally share it with you. The City Series has been a long time in the making—something the RacquetX team has poured time, energy, and love into. It’s a big moment for us, and just the beginning of our journey bringing the RacquetX experience to you.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the RacquetX City Series in partnership with The Directors Club of America – a dynamic, one-day event series designed to bring the energy and insights of our flagship Club Summit directly to racquet sports professionals nationwide. Each stop offers high-impact sessions, curated networking opportunities, and actionable strategies from industry leaders, all tailored to the needs of today’s top club pros.

First Stop: Philadelphia, PA
Date: June 29, 2025 Location: The Philadelphia Cricket Club with exclusive on-court activities on June 28, PLUS an opening party at Ballers!

Join us for a day of engaging discussions, hands-on activations, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Whether you're looking to stay ahead of industry trends, expand your professional network, and of course bring fresh ideas back to your club, the RacquetX City Series is your gateway to the future of racquet sports.

Stay tuned for more dates and locations as we bring the RacquetX City Series experience to a city near you!

TRO just released their TRO Top 100 for 2025, featuring the top tennis resorts, pickleball resorts, and camps around the world. The announcement is here: TRO Top 100 News. And browse the full list here: Top 100 List

Watch out for the launch: June 19, 2025.

The Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA) has announced an exclusive global partnership with the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association (GPTCA) and the Segal Institute (SI) to bring world-class performance coaching to RSPA members.

This partnership will offer RSPA members access to high-performance training courses led by some of the world’s most prestigious coaches. These professionals have worked with elite players and developed methodologies that have reshaped the landscape of professional tennis. Participants will earn GPTCA diplomas certified by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), along with a suite of resources designed to help coaches understand, implement, and champion high-performance training programs.

This partnership represents a major step forward in our mission to elevate coaching standards across racquet sports,” said Brian Dillman, the RSPA’s CEO. “By learning from some of the most accomplished minds in tennis and earning GPTCA ATP-certified credentials, our members will be better equipped than ever to lead, inspire, and develop the next generation of high-performance athletes.

“This will give us all the opportunities to share top-quality information with RSPA coaches, members, and everyone who wants to grow into high-performance tennis coaches. We are very glad to work together on this,” said Alberto Castellani, the GPTCA’s president.

“Education is the most powerful way to unlock potential, create growth, and to empower each one in tennis!” said Fernando Segal, director of this high-performance project and Segal Institute CEO. “We are helping transform the coaching process to something much better, more effective, and inspirational to provide everyone participating in our courses the resources to create impacts in tennis.”

DOPING

CNN
System needs to ‘reinvent itself’: Tennis has an anti-doping procedural problem, critics say

ITIA
Max Purcell accepts 18-month Tennis Anti-Doping Programme suspension

CORRUPTION

ITIA:
Three tennis players suspended under Tennis Anti-Corruption Program

TRANSGENDER

Her Campus
A Brief History of Transgender Women in Athletics 

LGBTQ Nation
Amateur tennis league boots trans woman & everyone who stood up for her

Reduxx
Trans-Identified Male Athlete Calls For Cancellation of Tennis League After Removal From Women’s Category

ABUSE + DISCRIMINATION

The Guardian
‘Where is the adult?’: how Leonardo Van Dijl filmed the story of a child tennis star’s abuse

MISCELLANEOUS

The San Francisco Standard
Tennis coach says Waymo stole his rackets in new lawsuit

SportsTech Weekly
10 New Sports Leagues & Emerging Formats
Intennse – Tennis meets team sport

7KPLC
La. senator proposes law to limit international college athletes

Awful Announcing
Grand slam tournaments to be added as defendants to tennis antitrust lawsuit

Big Shout-Out to Peter Hurley for remaining a true professional amid a lot of challenges at the PTR.

Big Shout-Out to a nation of 59 million (Italy) for producing the no. 1 man (ATP) and the no. 4 woman (WTA) in tennis.

Big Shout-Out to Novak Djokovic for winning his 100th title in Rome last month.

One Funny Tweet