The tennis marketplace continued to struggle through the third quarter of 2016, as racquet units at both wholesale and pro/specialty declined, as did ball and string wholesale shipments.

Throughout the summer and fall, the TIA hosted a free series of educational webinars for the industry on a variety of important business topics. Nearly 2,000 people signed up for a webinar in the series, and recordings of the webinars are available online at TennisIndustry.org/webinars.

Registration is now open for the fourth annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference, presented by the TIA, which will be March 27-29 at Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando, Fla., with a site visit to the USTA National Campus. Register at TheTOMConference.com.

Fromuth Tennis is looking for stringers to join the stringing team at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. In addition to being able to string racquets, responsibilities include educating customers on the different strings offered and guiding them to the best selection for their games; training and educating staff on string and stringing techniques; and assisting customers in the retail store. For more information or to apply, email applications@fromuthtennis.com.

The USTA Southern Section has released the 28-page online publication “Making Tennis Matter: A USTA Southern Facility Toolkit,” aimed at supporting Community Tennis Associations, facility owners, municipal leaders and grassroots advocates as they work to build more tennis courts in local communities.

In a new partnership, Adidas will become an official sponsor of the USTA National Campus, USTA Player Development, and USTA League Tennis. In addition, Adidas will become the exclusive presenting sponsor of the USTA National Junior Rankings and newly named “USTA Adidas Junior Championship Series,” comprised of junior tournaments that feature some of the top young players in the country.

The fourth annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference, presented by the TIA, will be March 27-29, 2017, at Rosen Shingle Creek, a 230-acre resort in Orlando, Fla.

Top retail expert Dan O’Connor, the founder and CEO of RetailNet Group (RNG), spoke to tennis retailers, manufacturers and others in the industry at a roundtable sponsored by the TIA. "The business question I get asked all the time is, ‘What’s next?’” O’Connor said. “The fundamentals of retail are shifting in a way that I’ve never experienced. It’s all about the merchandise and execution.”

More than 300 attendees heard top U.S. and international tennis executives present key industry research, initiatives, issues and challenges at the ninth annual TIA Tennis Forum, held on Aug. 29 in New York City, the first day of play at the 2016 US Open.

When TIA members enroll in the TIA Shipping Program, they’ll have a chance to win up to $10,000, or more than 100 other prizes, in the FedEx Advantage $25,000 Get Ready Sweepstakes. With the TIA Shipping Program, TIA members can save up to 29% on select FedEx services. The program is free to join and there are no minimum shipping requirements.