www.tennisindustrymag.com34 TennisIndustry August 2019

2019 TIA Tennis Participation ReportYouth tennis and Cardio Tennis continue to grow, though the latest participation research highlights ongoing challenges such as declining play occasions and fewer frequent and avid players.

The most recent data by the Physical Activity Council (PAC) shows that total U.S. tennis participation increased a slim 0.9 percent from 2017 to 2018, to a

total of 17.84 million players. Over the last five years, the average annual change rate is flat at 0.2 percent. The tennis participation rate for the U.S. population ages 6 and older remained at 5.9 percent, the second straight year with a participation rate under 6 percent.

Among the positive trends is a 12.6 percent increase in Cardio Tennis players and a nearly 2 percent increase in youth tennis players over the past year. In addition, “latent demand” for tennis remains strong. The PAC study shows that over 16 million non-players are interested in tennis, and another 14 million Americans “consider themselves players” (also known as “intermittent participants”), but may not have been on court in the last two years. These intermittent players make up 4.7 percent of the age 6-and-over U.S. population, the highest percentage of the population since latent demand was first measured in 2011.

That said, total “play occasions” decreased in the past year, down 3.3 percent to 384 million. This decrease is driven by declines in frequent and avid player play occasions, which make up more than 70 percent of all play occasions. And equipment sales, as indicated by the Tennis Equipment Index (shown at right), continue to slide.

The most recent industry research is available from the TIA at various membership levels. Visit TennisIndustry.org or call 866-686-3036.

2019TENNIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION PARTICIPATION REPORT

In partnership with the Physical Activity Council

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY METHODOLOGY TENNIS PARTICIPATION TRENDS PLAY FREQUENCY TENNIS PARTICIPANT PROFILE PLAYING VENUE SPENDING DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A TENNIS PLAYER? TENNIS PLAYERS AND LATENT DEMAND FITNESS/HEALTH FANDOM INTEREST TENNIS CROSS PARTICIPATION

0.0M 2.0M 4.0M 6.0M 8.0M

10.0M 12.0M 14.0M 16.0M 18.0M 20.0M

Millio

ns of

tenn

is pla

yers

Total Tennis Participation 2000-2018

Growth 2000 to 2010: 44% Growth 2010 to 2018: -5%

Nominal Dollars

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

100 103 109 114

125 122 116 118

112 119 115 115 113

101 98 96

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

TIA U.S. Tennis Equipment Index (2003-2018)

The Equipment Index summarizes the census data by adding the wholesale value of racquets, balls, and strings. Index reference year is 2003.

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www.tennisindustrymag.com36 TennisIndustry August 2019

Total Participation 17.84 MillionYouth Tennis Participation 4.64 Million Ages 6-12 2.40 Million Ages 13-17 2.24 MillionCore Tennis Players (10+ times a year) 9.67 MillionCardio Tennis Players 2.5 MillionTotal Play Occasions 384 Million

Manufacturer Year-End Wholesale Shipments (units)Tennis Racquets 2.23 MillionTennis Strings 2.75 Million Tennis Balls (including ROG) 103.6 Million Red, Orange, Green Balls 4.4 MillionTennis Equipment Index 96 (index reference year: 2003)

The Industry at a Glance (2018 data)

Participation

0.83 M 1.00 M

1.34 M 1.29 M 1.44 M 1.54 M 1.62 M

1.82 M 2.12 M 2.22 M

2.50 M

0.00 M

0.50 M

1.00 M

1.50 M

2.00 M

2.50 M

3.00 M

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Numb

er of

playe

rs (m

illion

s)

Total Cardio Tennis Participation 2008-2018

1.96 M 1.79 M

2.40 M 2.24 M

0.00 M

0.50 M

1.00 M

1.50 M

2.00 M

2.50 M

3.00 M

6~12 13~17

Millio

ns of

youth

play

ers

Total U.S. Youth Tennis Participation (ages 6-17) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Millio

ns of

play

occa

sions

Total U.S. Tennis Play Occasions by Play Frequency

1-3 times/year

4-20 times/year

21+ times/year

Total Play Occasions

384.4 M 393.2 M

355.8 M 356.3 M

372.7 M

352.5 M 356.5 M

331.9 M 299.8 M

281.1 M

99.7 M 93.8 M 89.3 M 79.6 M

84.6 M 83.0 M 82.2 M

84.7 M 87.6 M 93.3 M

6.6 M 6.8 M 7.3 M 6.6 M

6.6 M 7.5 M 7.8 M

8.4 M 9.4 M 9.5 M

490.7 M 493.8 M 452.5 M 442.5 M

463.9 M 443.1 M 446.4 M

425.0 M 396.9 M 383.9 M

0 M

100 M

200 M

300 M

400 M

500 M

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Millio

ns of

indiv

iduals

2018

17.84 M

14.05 M

16.32 M

Tennis Players and Latent Demand - PAC Study

Latent Demand (non-playersinterested in tennis)

Intermittent (non-players overthe last 2 years who considerthemselves players)

Total Active Tennis Players

2.40 M

2.24 M

2.44 M

3.64 M

3.03 M

2.22 M

1.88 M

0.0M 1.0M 2.0M 3.0M 4.0M

6~12

13~17

18~24

25~34

35~44

45~54

55+

Total U.S. Tennis Players in 2018 by Age

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0.83 M 1.00 M

1.34 M 1.29 M 1.44 M 1.54 M 1.62 M

1.82 M 2.12 M 2.22 M

2.50 M

0.00 M

0.50 M

1.00 M

1.50 M

2.00 M

2.50 M

3.00 M

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Numb

er of

playe

rs (m

illion

s)

Total Cardio Tennis Participation 2008-2018

1.96 M 1.79 M

2.40 M 2.24 M

0.00 M

0.50 M

1.00 M

1.50 M

2.00 M

2.50 M

3.00 M

6~12 13~17

Millio

ns of

youth

play

ers

Total U.S. Youth Tennis Participation (ages 6-17) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Millio

ns of

play

occa

sions

Total U.S. Tennis Play Occasions by Play Frequency

1-3 times/year

4-20 times/year

21+ times/year

Total Play Occasions

384.4 M 393.2 M

355.8 M 356.3 M

372.7 M

352.5 M 356.5 M

331.9 M 299.8 M

281.1 M

99.7 M 93.8 M 89.3 M 79.6 M

84.6 M 83.0 M 82.2 M

84.7 M 87.6 M 93.3 M

6.6 M 6.8 M 7.3 M 6.6 M

6.6 M 7.5 M 7.8 M

8.4 M 9.4 M 9.5 M

490.7 M 493.8 M 452.5 M 442.5 M

463.9 M 443.1 M 446.4 M

425.0 M 396.9 M 383.9 M

0 M

100 M

200 M

300 M

400 M

500 M

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Millio

ns of

indiv

iduals

2018

17.84 M

14.05 M

16.32 M

Tennis Players and Latent Demand - PAC Study

Latent Demand (non-playersinterested in tennis)

Intermittent (non-players overthe last 2 years who considerthemselves players)

Total Active Tennis Players

2.40 M

2.24 M

2.44 M

3.64 M

3.03 M

2.22 M

1.88 M

0.0M 1.0M 2.0M 3.0M 4.0M

6~12

13~17

18~24

25~34

35~44

45~54

55+

Total U.S. Tennis Players in 2018 by Age

Tennis participation has remained fairly constant over the past eight years, with an average annual change of -0.4 percent from 2010 to 2018. In the last five years, overall participation has seen negligible increases, averaging an annual change of 0.2 percent; “core” tennis participants—those who play 10 or more times a year—increased 1.6 percent from 2017 to 2018, but have fallen 1.7 percent each year on average from 2010 to 2018 and 0.7 percent from 2013 to 2018. Participation continues to trend to more casual play, with a 13.6 percent increase in non-core participation since 2009 and a 14.9 percent decline in core participation in the same time period.

“Core players account for 86 percent of the money spent in the ‘tennis economy’ and 93 percent of all tennis play occasions,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.

“This decrease in core players is in line with a trend toward more casual play for sports overall, rising inactivity levels, aging baby-boomers, and new generations of players who are ‘samplers’ of multiple sports and activities, and is a major concern for our industry. Fortunately, Cardio Tennis is following the positive trends in fitness and group exercise and Net Generation’s focus on bringing more youth into the sport is seeing growth.”

Youth participation increased 1.6 percent in 2018, driven by teenage players ages 13 to 17, which increased 2.8 percent while the youngest players ages 6 to 12 grew 0.5 percent.

Within the total number of young players, “core” youth players, those who play at least 10 times a year, grew by a significant 6.7 percent to 2.83 million.

www.tennisindustrymag.com August 2019 TennisIndustry 37

Getting to know TENNIS PLAYERS in the U.S.In 2018, total Tennis participation grew 0.9% from a total of 17.68 million players to 17.84 million players.

GENDER AGE

INCOME

HIGH EARNERS59% of tennis players have a household income greater than $75,000/year

26% of tennis players are under the age of 18

EDUCATION

WELL EDUCATED49% of tennis players have a college degree or higher

$

WHERE THEY LIVE

17.84 Million Players!

Play Occasions in 2018, down 3.3% Average of 22 play occasions per player

2.05 million NEW players in 2018, up 1.8% from 2016.

All data sourced from 2019 Physical Activity Council Participation Study

ETHNICITY

40% of tennis players are ages 35+

Over 16 Million consumers are interested in playing tennis!

Male (55.0%)

Female (45.0%)

8.9%9.4%

69.5%

10.8%

1.4%

African American/BlackAsian/Pacific IslanderCaucasian/White, non-HispanicHispanicOther

13.5%

12.6%

13.7%

20.4%

17.0%

12.4%

10.6%

6 to 12

13 to 17

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55+

8.0%

16.1%

16.8%

17.4%

41.7%

Under $25,000

$25,000 to $49,999

$50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,000+

24.7%

1.1%

7.6%

18.0%

31.0%

17.7%

Education Under 18's

1-3 years of High School

High School Grad

1-3 years of College

College Grad

Post-Grad Studies

22.9%20.8%

13.1%11.7%

10.7%6.4%6.0%

4.3%4.1%

PacificSouth Atlantic

East North CentralMiddle Atlantic

West South CentralMountain

West North CentralEast South Central

New England

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