Racket Business - Publisher's Notes for October 2024

… The great Robert Lansdorp passed away at 85
Many news outlets reported about Robert Lansdorp's passing. A good summary was posted by Ken Thomas of Radio Tennis and he also posted a link to his 2020 interview with Lansdorp.

• One of the greatest tennis coaches of all time has left us.

• Robert Lansdorp coached Tracy Austin (30 career titles), Lindsay Davenport (55 career titles), Maria Sharapova (36 career titles), and Peter Sampras (64 career titles).

• Lansdorp students have also won 148 USTA National Junior titles and 38 Grand Slam titles.

• The attached interview was recorded at Lansdorp home in Palos Verdes, California on June 18, 2020.

• This interview is considered the definitive Robert Lansdorp interview. Numerous major media outlets from around the world have quoted from this very interview. Lansdorp goes into some stunning details about his life and his tennis coaching career.

• Robert Lansdorp was truly an amazing man who lived life on his terms. I can only hope that he soon gets inducted into the Hall of Fame.

• Hope you enjoy this awesome interview and may God bless Robert Lansdorp.

  Click here - Robert Lansdorp interview June 18, 2020

Andy Dowsett is giving away his popular eBook System 9: Mini Red available for free. He’s also making a lot of his work available for one lucky person.
See details under LEARN FROM THE BEST.

==> Dan Santorum - PTR/Racket Pro

Rich,

Regarding the comment by one of your readers that Dan Santorum was propped up by his staff over the years, that’s true. He was put in charge of the PTR because he was so badly mismanaging Dennis Van der Meer’s pro shop. VDM moved him to the nascent PTR, which was basically set up to service VDM’s TennisUniversity students.

Julie Jilly ran the organization until John Raker got there and set up the national certification workshops, which effectively killed TU, but brought in loads of new members (and cash into the PTR). 

Raker helped the PTR finally compete with the USPTA by churning out new national testers and thousands of new members. Miles Williams and Brian Parkkonen are other examples of aides to who helped Julie manage the PTR.

Santorum was fantastic at glad-handing, and those in the industry all wanted to have a beer (but not work) with him. That’s how the PTR was able to insinuate itself into many organizations (including the USTA) that had previously been the sole purview of the USPTA.

Santorum made millions smiling and shaking hands while NOT doing what Kamperman did almost everywhere he went (driving programs, departments, companies, and organizations into the ground with his egomaniacal incompetence).

Don’t count out Santorum’s new organization, however. Santorum knows that the vast majority of American tennis teachers only join the PTR and PTA because they need liability insurance. They don’t care about a magazine, symposium, continuing education, complicated certification, etc.

That’s how the PTR overtook the PTA via Raker – the PTR dumbed down the entry requirements (no needing a member to sponsor you, no credit check, $199 for a 10-hour certification course and test, etc.).

American tennis coaches are tired of paying expensive dues to support large HQ payrolls and subsidized vacations (annual meeting speaker slots) for friends of HQ.

If Santorum charges around $100 per membership (and includes liability insurance), he’ll steal thousands of members from the PTR and PTA. If he charged $75 per membership, that would be the death of the USPTA. 

The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them

==> USPTA Name Change

Rich,
Very disappointed to have United States taken out of the name.  I understand the need to include pickleball, padel and any other racquet sport people come up with but why not the United States Professional Racquet Sports Association?

Keep up the good work!

Doug Atkinson 
Tennis Director: Broadstone Sports Club, Academy & Spare Time Sports Clubs
USPTA & PTR Certified: 2023 USPTA Lifetime Achievement Award  

The World Racquet Conference 24 (WRC24) was an unequivocal success. Having attended two previous United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) World Conferences, I observed a marked increase in positive energy and member enthusiasm. One of the primary benefits of such conferences is the opportunity for professional networking, and WRC24 provides an ideal platform for extensive peer-to-peer interactions.

My recommendation: Accept it and move on. And if it means that you don’t have to split up the organization into different sports categories like the PTR did, that may be a good thing. Send me your comments if you disagree or agree.

*Jarrett Chirico - Director’s Club of America

Following our initial contact, a comprehensive Zoom conversation was conducted with Jarrett, during which he addressed all inquiries in detail. This interaction provided valuable insights into the current status and future aspirations of the Directors Club of America (DCA). Presently, DCA is in a critical development phase, with Jarrett's long-term vision centered on transforming it into a nonprofit organization.

As stated on the DCA website, "The Directors Club is an exclusive community of Industry Leaders with the sole purpose to educate, communicate and illustrate the continued path to success in the Racquets and Hospitality Industry." Jarrett envisions DCA as a dynamic forum for racquet professionals, fostering an environment where members actively support and celebrate each other's achievements.

The core philosophy of DCA revolves around interactive learning and engagement. Rather than traditional, one-sided lectures, the organization aims to facilitate discussions where participants can thoroughly explore and comprehend industry topics. This approach is designed to provide members with a deeper understanding of the racquet industry, ultimately leaving them inspired, motivated, and better equipped to excel in their professional endeavors.

I also learned that membership to DCA is $395 per year and scholarships are available. The next Retreat will be again at Boca West from March 30 until April 1 next year. The cost of the retreat is $425 per person.

This dialogue has provided valuable insights into the DCA's operations and long-term objectives. Moving forward, we anticipate a more transparent relationship with the DCA, which will enable us to provide our readers with accurate and comprehensive information about this influential organization in the racquet sports industry.

TENNIS CHANNEL’S WOES

DEADLINE and many other publications reported on September 7 about Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon’s firing. (Sinclair Ousts Tennis Channel CEO, Citing His Role As Adviser For Dr. Phil’s Company—Report)

Deadline reporter Natalie Organesyan wrote, “According to the Journal, Sinclair courted investment bank Moelis to sell the Tennis Channel — in 2022 valued at $750 million — alongside a portion of its local TV stations. Solomon, who stands to profit from the sale as a stakeholder, has been heavily involved in the proceedings, working with the bank to meet with potential buyers. Sources told the publication that the sale is continuing, with a deadline for final bids to be set in the coming weeks.”

Now this is all nice and dandy. As our readers recall, we have posted about the Tennis Channel and its woes amid Sinclair Broadcasting property Diamond Sports Group’s bankruptcy. However, in the aftermath of Ken Solomon’s firing, I have heard of bits of news from TC’s Santa Monica offices that really made me go hmmm…

Sources that will remain unnamed for obvious reasons reported that in regard to Ken Solomon’s leadership, he seems to have made some emotional and personal decisions that were superseding decisions that are best for the business. Some call it “mismanagement all over,” and others talk about a “toxic culture in Santa Monica.” I have no way of verifying this, of course, but it really made me wonder about this organization. If he really put his personal interests ahead of the interests of the business, how did this carry over to all the spending decisions at the company?

I heard reports of an “inferior culture where leadership always puts people in their place. Never open to change or new ideas. No one ever got bonuses. Never an opportunity to grow at the company.” One person said this about leadership at the Tennis Channel: “Always dickheads and rude to people in the trenches.”

I guess when Sinclair bought the business, they should have hired new top-line management but they let the business continue as usual. And now that decision may have come back to haunt them.

TVNewsCheck reported September 25 RETRACTION: Bill Simon Tapped As Tennis Channel Interim President 
Minutes after posting a story about Sinclair’s Tennis Channel naming an interim president succeeding Ken Solomon who was fired earlier this month, a Sinclair representative contacted TVNewsCheck and said the information, which came from the Tennis Channel, was incorrect, and that plans have not been finalized. A “Sinclair miscommunication” was blamed for the mistake. TVNewsCheck apologizes for any confusion.

Hmmmm…

Pickleball is not a complement to tennis. It’s an exit route.

Steve Whelan
Do You Play Tennis, or Just Take Tennis Lessons?

After posting Susan Nardi’s October article In the Trenches: Bring the FUN, a recent conversation I had with her and others at WRC24 in Rancho Mirage came to mind. She mentioned something I never paid much attention to: “Tennis is the only sport where the least qualified teachers take care of beginners and it should be the other way around.” So, the highest qualified coaches should teach beginners. I asked Susan to elaborate and here’s her reply.

Had a conversation with Dr. Ben Marlin when he was Superintendent of West Palm Beach SD. Please note he had been a teacher and principal at every level. Dr. Marlin says:

"You need great teachers and administrators at every level of education. But the best of the best need to be at the elementary schools. You must get the beginning right, before the other levels matter."

Susan’s take: The same holds true for coaching tennis. We need the best coaches at the beginning so players will learn the sport. When we have new coaches, our least experienced coaches teach beginners, whether they be juniors or adults. This approach sets the players up to not succeed as they should, which in turn sets our sport up for low retention of players.

The important skills we can teach new coaches are how to effectively communicate with players, how to manage group classes, and how to operate their business.

Coaches can't sit back and always blame the USTA or teaching organizations for the struggles of tennis. We need to look at everyone's part in this. Coaches have had a role to play in it too. Coaches must do a better job at creating a fun environment where players are learning and improving while playing the game of tennis.

The study about how racquet & paddle sports athletes live ten years longer and have a much better quality of life needs to be massively publicized in magazines, newspapers, and social media. Every parent and adult I tell these stats to is signing up for lessons.