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- Serving the Racket Sports Community: Reflections on My 11 Years of Passion, Persistence, and Professional Pressure
Serving the Racket Sports Community: Reflections on My 11 Years of Passion, Persistence, and Professional Pressure
Quality people I met along the way. Many had quite an impact on my life.
Rich Neher
December 15, 2024
The end of 2024 marks the end of my 10-year Anniversary curating and publishing industry news and information for tennis professionals. Going into my 11th year, I decided to look back at some quality people I met along the way who impacted my career and life.
The first decade of the Tennis Club Business newsletter was shaped by four key factors: passion, persistence, professionalism, and performance under pressure. Our unwavering enthusiasm for tennis served as the foundation, driving us to excel in an industry often characterized by conformity. Our commitment to thoroughness and in-depth analysis set us apart, as we consistently strived to uncover comprehensive insights for our readers.
Along the way, I met some incredible people who impacted my life and my career. Below, I’m going to point out a few outstanding individuals who had special meaning for me in the context of passion, persistence, professionalism, and pressure.
But first, some history.
My interest in the tennis business started in 2006 when I worked on the USTA Tennislink Team, a support group for the then 1,100 USTA Coordinators in the sections and for league and tournament players. My role was the team lead for Leagues and NTRP Ratings. Every team member had to also perform after-hour and weekend duties on a rotating schedule. Answering emails and phone calls was the biggest part of that schedule. I vividly remember one email that came in during my shift. It had no name, no subject line or address, and no information to help me help that person. It just had one question: “When is my match tomorrow?”
I worked in that role until 2010 and became an independent consultant trying to find an outlet for publishing information and my five cents to the tennis industry. During those four years, I made many USTA friends such as David Schobel, Diane Ansay, Chad Docktor, the late John Callen, Anna Elefant, Sally Baird, the late Larry Jones, Sheila Banks, Becky Lenhart, Darcy Cobb, Bud Spencer, and Ron Romano.
The picture below shows great past USTA Community Tennis leaders: (from left) David Schobel, Diane Ansay, and Bud Spencer.
2014
It all started in January of 2014 with the first, skinny issue of Tennis Club Business. At the time, I used EMMA as my newsletter and email marketing platform. I had topics like Pro of the Month, Facility of the Month, and Organization of the Month. The entire newsletter was just one page that grew longer and longer over time.
The below photos were taken during a charity event at the beautiful Malibu Racquet Club.
(from left) Pierce Brosnan, Sloane Stephens, Pam Shriver, Jon Lovitz, Wayne Bryan
2016
Rod Heckelman joined me as the first writer in March of that year, and with him came a wealth of knowledge in the Facility and Tennis Teaching areas. Rod was Director of Tennis at the Mt. Tam Racquet Club in Larkspur (north of San Francisco) and knew how to write!
At about the same time I began writing about Pickleball and although most people claimed “it’s a fad and will go away” I kept saying it’s here to stay. And boy, was I right!
(from left) Vic Braden, Brad Parks, Tracy Austin, Pam Shriver, Rosie Casals, Maria Carrillo,
Cliff Drysdale, Larry Ellison, Ray Moore, Charlie Pasarell
2017/2018
Over two years, I developed an appetite for looking at the USTA, their words, and their actions, and I noticed discrepancies. I saw things clearer after meeting a certain Javier Palenque in Miami. January of 2018 I wrote the first article about him: “Florida Man Wants Answers.” Looking at Tennis Club Business 6-7 years ago makes me appreciate the way it looks today thanks to my partner Tim Farthing!
FIRST US OPEN
 | The year 2018 was quite special for me because it was my first-ever US Open. A dear friend had purchased 2 US Open President’s Club tickets at a Billie Jean King’s charity silent auction in Pasadena but she ended up not being able to go. So she gave them to us and Pat and I enjoyed that a lot. The picture shows us with then-President Katrina Adams at Arthur Ashe Stadium. |
Briefly talking to the USTA’s Gordon Smith and Kurt Kamperman at a 2018 convention where they gave me some bull answers about how they have Pickleball under control, made me adopt the mantra I’m still using today: I’m holding their feet to the fire!
2019
Many things happened in 2019, a pivotal year for Tennis Club Business.
March 2019: At the USTA’s Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, Kamperman and Smith issued an official order to all staff nationally and in the sections: “As far as Rich Neher and Tennis Club Business is concerned, ignore the noise!” Was that wise? I redoubled my efforts and moved their feet a little closer to the fire!
Also, in March 2019: I became the lucky recipient of the PTR’s 2019 Media Excellence Award.
April 2019: Some USTA staffers threatened one of our advertisers and warned he would lose USTA business and support if he continued to advertise with us.
August 2019: Gary Horvath became our second writer and provided the article “Is Tennis Participation Limited by the Way the Sport is Marketed?” The article had a lot of views and the newsletter raised some eyebrows.
May 2019: An industry insider offered to arrange the sale of Tennis Club Business to Sinclair Broadcasting, suggesting I had finally made money with the newsletter. However, there was a catch: I wasn't "toeing the line" with the USTA. Apparently, other publications in the industry were beholden to the USTA due to advertising dollars, agreeing to publish only positive news about them.
Recognizing this as a questionable practice, I declined to conform. Instead, I redoubled my efforts to maintain editorial integrity and continued to hold the USTA accountable through my reporting.
(from left): Milos Raonic, Sloane Stephens, Andre Agassi, Fernando Verdasco, John Isner
2020 TO DATE
I was delighted that other very experienced tennis professionals decided to occasionally provide content for Tennis Club Business. Scott Mitchell, Dave Miley, Todd Rubinstein, Chris Hagman, and Ashley Owens, are some of them.
In 2020, The Commish made their first appearance and has been a regular contributor ever since. Many readers keep thinking that I am The Commish but I can assure them, that I’m not.
The 2020s have been marked by significant developments in the tennis industry, including the unprecedented publication of sexual misconduct lawsuits against the USTA. This has raised questions about potential previous settlements that may have been resolved discreetly.
In August 2021 we published a report that raised a lot of eyebrows:
USTA SECTIONS - Executive Salaries - How Much is Too Much? You Decide!
We rated the PNW (Pacific Northwest) Section the worst with only 1 star. Northern California, Midwest, Southwest, and Southern obtained 5 stars.
WHISTLEBLOWERS CAME FORWARD
A month later, some whistleblowers came forward, we had to write about PNW again because the executives were accused of “looting their section.” (THE USTA PNW SECTION SAGA CONTINUES.) That was the time when a new motto came up in my mind: WE EMPOWER THE POWERLESS (meaning USTA section staff).
April 2022 brought another USTA section to the foreground: Mid-Atlantic. Whistleblowers and current staff agreed: another “looting” situation (USTA MID-ATLANTIC TURMOIL) We had a CEO who was “managing through fear” and whose salary rose from $179K in 2015 to $301K in 2019. Both the PNW and the Mid-Atlantic CEOs are still in office, of course. I found that the Boards of sections like these are always complicit. Why? Read the article. (Hint: Free US Open President’s Box tickets. The best currency when you want someone to overlook improprieties).
The same year we reported that the USTA was in debt to the tune of $726M. No one else but Javier Palenque was willing to write about this.
RACKET BUSINESS
I had been looking for a partner who could expand the Tennis Club Business newsletter better and faster than me for quite some time. My dream came true at the end of 2023 when Tim Farthing and I entered into negotiations. Tim is an accomplished UK publisher in the tennis space. His publication, Tennishead, is a marvelous print and digital magazine.
March of 2024 was the last issue of Tennis Club Business. In April, we started the rebranded newsletter titled Racket Business. There’s still lots to do but I’m very optimistic with such an experienced partner. My personal goal is to reach 25,000 subscribers by the end of 2025.
RACKET SPORTS INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
I have listed a lot of connections I made in the industry during the past 11 years. Many stood out but I want to showcase a few because of their special gifts.
A
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R S T V W | PASSION - (the late) Vic Braden  Vic and I had many encounters over a span of almost 20 years. From listening to his funny keynote speeches with all those incredible Bobby Riggs stories to my hiring him for a one-day clinic with my San Diego group at Rancho Valencia Resort. Vic was one of only a handful of tennis professionals I know who answered his phone or, if he was on the court, called back within a few minutes. Vic had a passion for tennis and to teach it the right way, which was unparalleled. My favorite Vic Braden line when I asked him for something funny for an article I was writing: “I’ve never seen a tennis player bent his knees too low!” Vic and I coined a phrase together when he started to say “Tennis is 100% mental…” and I finished that sentence with “…and the rest is luck.” Here is one story example: Vic played Bobby Riggs a few times in tournaments and usually lost despite him being almost 11 years younger. One day, at a tournament in the Midwest, Vic won the first set. He thought, wow, I will beat the famous Bobby Riggs today. When they crossed paths to start the second set, Bobby stopped him, put one hand on his shoulder, and said, “Do not worry, Vic. Your serve will come back one day.” Vic Braden didn’t win another serve and lost the match badly. (Remember, “Tennis is 100% mental…”) HONORABLE MENTION 1 - (the late) John Callen There was another person always available and never holding back with advice and suggestions: The late John Callen, Executive Director of the largest USTA section, Southern. I respected this man a lot. He thought communicating was a good idea, and I agreed. John’s passion for tennis and doing the right things to grow our sport is also legendary. HONORABLE MENTION 2 - (the late) Don Henson Don was one of the most well-known tennis teaching personalities in Southern California and a 27-year USPTA Master Professional until his passing in 2020. He was one of a kind, and everybody loved him. His kind ways, his simple but powerful methods, and his encouraging personality. I consider myself lucky to have known Don Henson a little. PERSISTENCE - Armita Omidian 
Over the years, I followed her inspiring journey, marked by remarkable persistence and dedication. After moving to Canada in 2021, Armita began working with the incredible Pierre Lamarche at ACE Tennis, where she further honed her coaching skills and immersed herself in Canadian tennis culture. Her time at ACE laid the foundation for her professional growth, and in 2023, she embarked on a new chapter with another outstanding mentor, Geoff Bower, at Bayview Golf and Country Club in Toronto. Here, she took on the role of Head of Junior Tennis, bringing her passion and expertise to one of the country’s premier private clubs. Armita’s pursuit of excellence continued as she earned her Club Professional 1 certification with Tennis Canada in 2021 and, in 2024, achieved the prestigious Club Professional 2 certification, further solidifying her reputation as a leading figure in junior tennis development. Rouzbeh was able to join her in Canada a year later, and together they’ve built a fulfilling life. Armita’s story is a testament to resilience, hard work, persistence, and passion for her craft. HONORABLE MENTION - Barbara Wintroup The most incredible former USPTA tennis teaching pro and legendary Pickleball pioneer Barbara Wintroup has become a dear friend of mine. She’s a fighter and an expert senior Pickleball player, bringing in all the gold medals - if they let her. Over the past 5 years, I have learned how Pickleball executives have changed the rules to make it impossible for the older good players to compete in their age groups so the lower-level (and younger) players can rake in gold medals without real competition. For me, Barbara looks like Don Quixote fighting the Pickleball honchos/windmills who are trying to phase out the Barbaras of the world, the players who helped them build the sport over decades. Barbara’s persistence is truly legendary! PROFESSIONALISM - Steve Simon  Steve is another professional who has no problems communicating with people who are much lower than him on the totem pole. I call him the consummate professional. Doing his job as Chairman and former CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association is like walking a minefield, in my humble opinion. I met Steve while he was the Tournament Director at the BNP Paribas Open and COO of the Indian Wells organization. One day in 2008, or 2009 when I was working on the USTA Tennislink Team in San Diego, a woman emailed me who thought I had great reach into the biggest tennis stars’ camps. Her daughter had some form of terminal cancer and wanted a souvenir from her favorite tennis star, Rafa Nadal. I didn’t know what to do so I contacted Steve Simon and told him of the situation. Exactly one week later I held a Rafa Nadal calendar in my hand, personally signed by the legend himself. That’s Steve Simon for you. He could have said no. He could have made excuses. Instead, he made a very sick little girl’s dream come true. I will never forget that generous gesture. HONORABLE MENTION - Walid Fatah I met Walid Fatah in 2017/2018, the heydays of his leading KOURTS as CEO. (See our October 2018 article about KOURTS) Walid and I hit it off, and over the years, I was lucky enough to get a lot of mentor-like advice from him. KOURTS was a frontrunner in online court bookings, a system that was supported by Roger Federer’s camp and enthusiastically embraced by many U.S. club owners. Walid, a personal friend of RF, sold the company in 2021 to Playtomic and I don’t really know what they are doing with it since their main focus seems to be Padel and not tennis. Walid moved back to his home city of Dubai in the UAE and he is still, many years later available for advice. A true professional. PRESSURE - Carrie Cimino  When I think about Carrie Cimino, I remember how good that woman is under pressure. And pressure is written with a capital P in that HEAD District Sales Manager’s life. Just look at these accomplishments: Carry was nice enough to ask me to be on her Advisory Staff Board in the Los Angeles area. Not only did I get to know a whole bunch of great tennis people that way, but I also found out that the HEAD Prestige racquet is one of the best in the business. I’ve been using it for over 10 years now, and it encouraged me to promote Head racquets wherever I can. Unfortunately, Carrie moved from California to Florida’s West Coast a few years ago. I miss her a lot. But I’m confident she is killing it for HEAD in Florida, too. You guys are lucky! HONORABLE MENTION - Mitch Kutner and Nate Gross What do these two gentlemen have in common? They started two racquet sports that are in direct competition with Pickleball and they keep plugging away in light of enormous pressure to give up and throw the towel. Mitch Kutner’s POP Tennis and Nate Gross’s Spec Tennis are wonderful additions to racquet sports and deserve recognition. Kurt Kamperman told me in 2018 that the USTA was putting its eggs in the POP Tennis basket as an answer to Pickleball’s advances at the time. Hasn’t happened and Mitch is still at it as the POP Tennis Ambassador. Kudos to Mitch and Nate! |
TENNIS CLUB BUSINESS AND RACKET BUSINESS ADVERTISERS
I don’t want to forget to mention the advertisers who have supported me over the years.
Number one on this list is HEAD Penn Racquet Sports. Joe Keenan and Allison Barnett started advertising in TCB in July 2015. The last HEAD ad ran in September of 2023 when they decided to allocate their advertising dollars somewhere else. It was a pleasure to work with HEAD for over 8 years and I am extremely grateful to them. Together with my love for the Prestige tennis racquet, they made me a lifelong HEAD fan.
From August 2019 until November 2023, PTR Professional Tennis Registry was a regular advertiser. Working with Dan Santorum, Julie Jilly, and Caitlyn Fries was great and I am grateful for their support.
Another company has a special place in my heart: NGI Sports. Rick Burke started booking the coveted TCB Top Banner in 2019 and he’ll be with us until at least 2027. Thank you, Rick.
MORE TCB ADVERTISERS
Four more companies deserve special mention because they are great organizations: USPTA was with us all of 2015. Today, they are advertising again under their new name, RSPA. One company has a special place in my heart: Oncourt Offcourt. Joe and Kalindi are quality professionals who should be supported in their efforts to grow racquet sports. Courtreserve is one of the greatest apps ever. Tim and Ashley Owens are just wonderful people who know what’s important in running a club. Courtreserve customer service is second to none! Our latest advertiser is Cesar Andrade, and his app is RacquestAppSuite. Cesar created a huge app with all the bells and whistles that I’m sure will take the industry by storm next year. Other advertisers that have supported us on our journey over the years are Cruise Control Gear, Full Court Tennis, Redclay USA, ESS, Spec Tennis, Neurotennis, Slinger Bag, Stonesnet, Topspinsports, Kourts, TGA, Sports Club Advisors, Control Tennis, Retour tennis, and 10-S Tennis Supply. Thank you all. |  |
It’s been an interesting 10 years for me. Much was accomplished but a lot more is coming. Thanks to my partner Tim Farthing, the future looks a lot brighter next year. Can’t wait to continue holding feet to the fire and empowering the powerless while at the same time giving our readers content they can use.