Tennis…Play and Stay

1. Tennis…Play and Stay Increasing participation world-wide

2. Manufacturer support • Vital for the success of the project • Involved in Intro To Tennis meetings • Updated throughout the 4 years *

3. Specifications ITF Approval Terminology Identification Court size Racket size Issues discussed

4. Ball Quality • Concern over existing products • Consistency of properties between brands • Brands not meeting specifications • Are the specifications appropriate? • Systematic laboratory-based market test

5. *

6. Are specifications appropriate? • Play test • 21 brands • National Association experts, beginner adults, young children

7. Are specifications appropriate? • Play test • 21 brands • National Association experts, beginner adults, young children

8. Are specifications appropriate? • Play test • 21 brands • National Association experts, beginner adults, young children • In general, balls within existing specifications were preferred over those outside/in various specifications

9. Conclusions • Specifications should be introduced into ITF Approval • Existing (FFT) specifications retained • ITF approval scheme for introductory balls introduced in 2005 *

10. Specifications • Stage 2 and Stage 1 – laboratory tests • Specifications amended to allow balls to be the same size as standard ball

11. Specifications • Stage 3 – existing laboratory tests inappropriate • Group of experts evaluate brands by play test • Year 1 – all brands evaluated; ‘gold standard’ brands selected • Year 2 – brands compared to gold standards

13. Identification scheme • Common identification scheme preferable • Complications: • 3 sub-types • Variety of ball constructions • Existing schemes

15. Identification scheme • Tests at LTA centres • Starter players and coaches • Standard protocol

16. 33% 8% 13% 17% 8% 21%

17. Identification scheme • Stage 3 – red and yellow; all red (except cut foam balls) • Stage 2 – orange and yellow; yellow with orange dot • Stage 1 – green and yellow; yellow with green dot

18. Terminology • Transition • Mini-tennis • Starter • Modified • Slower • Softer • Introductory • Low compression

19. Red Stage 3 Orange Stage 2 Green Stage 1 ITF recommended terminology

21. Red/Stage 3 – ideal for Mini Tennis Ball/court matching Orange/Stage 2 – 50% slower and ideal for starter players of all ages Green/Stage 1 – 25% slower and ideal for an introduction to the full court

22. Terminology • Most other nations now using “red, orange, green” to describe the balls • FFT considering changing to this terminology to support the project

23. Other introductory equipment issues • Court sizes • Net size • Rackets

24. Red/Stage 3 – 11 metre/36 ft court Court size Orange/Stage 2 – 18 metre/60 ft court Green/Stage 1 – full court

25. Racket size • Match racket and ball to help make the game easier to play. • Particularly important for junior players. • 16 inch (bat), 17 inch (43 cm), 19 inch (48 cm), 21 inch (53 cm), 23 inch (58 cm), 25 inch (63 cm), 27 inch (68 cm).

26. Promotion and distribution Dave Miley

27. Promotion of the Balls • Needs • Convince federations and coaches to use the balls • Educate parents/prospective players to use the balls • Get balls used in competition • Improve the distribution direct to coaches and through retailers, and so… • …increase the size of the market

28. Marketing and communication • Tennis Manufacturers • Incorporate Play and Stay message into marketing material • Use contracted players to help promote the programme • Use ITF stamp of approval: “As recommended by theInternational Tennis Federation”

29. Promotion and distribution • Help promote the balls • Promote all manufacturers making the balls • Already purchasing and distributing many balls free to 100 less developed nations • In addition, ITF will help nations/coaches to purchase balls where they aren’t yet available

30. www.tennisplayandstay.com www.tennisplayandstay.com

31. Promotion and distribution • Web page with all of the logos of the companies making the balls • Link to their website • One page where they can display their products on our web site/list of suppliers • All treated the same

32. Other ideas/considerations • Other ideas to promote the ball • Other ways for the ITF and the major nations to work with the manufacturers to increase tennis participation worldwide

33. Strong ITF guidelines • Equipment (ball, court, racket) • Important for retailer to link recommended ball, racket and court size to players • Message on rackets and balls

38. Challenges • Limited space on ball cans for message • Getting retailers to stock the balls • Little/no facility for on-line sales direct to coaches

39. Measuring success • Ball sales is the best measure • Ball sale figures are available in 16 of the nations • Can the ITF help to gather the sales figures in the other 23 nations? • Provide ITF (and manufacturers) with a good measure of how tennis is doing

40. Manufacturer support • Support is vital • Want to increase the market for red, orange and green balls… • …which could impact sales of other tennis products • ITF and the Nations welcome suggestions on what we can do in addition • Follow-up meeting with manufacturers tomorrow

41. Tennis…Play and Stay Increasing participation world-wide