The first quarter of 2013 proved challenging for the tennis industry in terms of wholesale distribution from manufacturers and retail sell-through for specialty tennis retailers. These two trends are measured on a quarterly basis by the Tennis Industry Association’s Census Reports and Specialty Store Retail Audits.

Overall factors potentially impacting the declines seen in year-over-year comparisons include weakened consumer confidence, weather trends across the country, and early wholesale deliveries of racquet products from manufacturers in late 2012, which traditionally would have been delivered in early 2013.

Beginning in early 2012 the Tennis Industry Association worked closely with the USTA and tennis industry manufacturers to develop a National Youth Tennis Retail Initiative plan. The focus of this plan was to develop consistent messaging that would help educate consumers and retailers on the proper equipment for youth tennis as well as drive them to the website, youthtennis.com, where they could find play opportunities quickly and easily. As a result, the TIA coordinated the printing of over 1 million tennis racquet hang-cards to be placed on youth racquets at the various retail channels throughout the United States. In addiiton, the TIA worked closely with the USTA to develop POP signage for retailers to utilize in their stores.

In March, the Tennis Industry Association organized meetings in both New York and Florida to discuss efforts to promote retail and to grow the game and the "business of tennis."

Mike Ballardie, the new CEO of Prince Global Sports, is the newest member of the Tennis Industry Association’s Board of Directors. Ballardie, who is based in London, has been responsible for Prince’s operations in the eastern hemisphere for nearly 10 years.

The ITF announced that it has relaunched the official website of its Technical department: www.itftennis.com/technical. The new-look website is part of the ITF’s redesign of its family of websites, following the relaunch of the official ITF website, and Davis Cup and Fed Cup websites.

The tennis industry rebounded from a challenging year in 2011 with positive dollar growth in all equipment categories measured by the TIA in 2012, which includes tennis racquets, tennis strings, and tennis balls - which include breakout categories for championship as well as red, orange, and green (ROG) tennis balls.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (Dec. 13, 2012) — Greg Mason, the vice president of sales and marketing for Head Penn, will be the president of the Tennis Industry Association for 2013-2014. He succeeds Wilson Racquet Sports General Manager Jon Muir, who was president for the last four years and remains on the TIA’s Executive Committee.

TennisIndustry.org, the central information source for the tennis trade, has recently been redeveloped and relaunched by the Tennis Industry Association. The new website not only focuses on providing specified content for the various segments of the industry, but it also consolidates much of the information that previously resided on ancillary sites hosted by the TIA—making TennisIndustry.org a true "one-stop shop" for industry information.

TennisIndustry.org, the central information source for the tennis trade, has recently been redesigned and is set to launch in mid- to late-November. The new website not only focuses on providing specified content for the various segments of the industry, but it also consolidates much of the information that previously resided on ancillary sites hosted by the TIA—making TennisIndustry.org a true "one-stop shop" for industry information.

The tennis industry will be heading into the holiday shopping season on the heels of a strong third quarter compared to 2011. For the first time this year, TIA Wholesale Shipment Census Reports indicate positive growth in all categories measured. In addition, the dollar value of units shipped in each of these categories grew in Q3 2012 compared to Q3 2011.