We are allowing anonymous Letters to the Editor because we understand your position and have experienced USTA backlash to dissenting voices ourselves. Please be aware whenever a letter is signed with The Commish it's always a tennis director, a teaching professional, a vendor or a USTA insider who is in fear of retribution. Thank you. We look forward to the day when everyone can voice their opinion freely and without fear.
TENNIS INDUSTRY
December 26, 2022
​
Rich,
​
It seems to me the tennis industry has been reactive, rather than proactive. I really don't like Amy Choyne and her marketing of the US Open. At the same time, I think she took a different approach. The USPTA and PTR seem to be fighting the same territorial battles they have fought for the last 50 years. It will be interesting to see what happens if we hit a deep recession.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
January 1, 2023
​
Rich,
​
I recently had to renew my accreditation with Safe Sport. The organization has gone from genuinely showing support for athletes to another organization that is trying to force its woke agenda on the public. Safe sport indicates that a coach should be reported if they do not support the pronouns.
Sports are beginning to have trouble finding officials and coaches. This will only add to that problem.
​
Best wishes for 2023.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
January 16, 2023
​
Rich,
​
Excellent comments about the Davis Cup.
I'm thinking back through last year. The fight over vaccinations. The ban of the Russians. The loss of ranking points at Wimbledon. The retirements. Now the Davis Cup. The USPTA certification fiasco. PTR, a national organization, making agreements with USTA divisions. The announcement that there are 36.5 million pickleball players. The USTA does not support entrepreneurship in American tennis (UTR). Tennis is decentralized and is on a mission to implode. It finds a way to keep coming back.
Great job on all the good things happening with Conga Sports.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
December 17, 2023
​
Re: Tennis Industry United Newsletter of January 17, 2023
​
Rich,
The USTA said that tennis participation went up by one million players. They said that TIA compiled it. Under Hainline, it appears they have a new PR person. USTA is taking as much credit as possible to make people think they are doing something. It may or may not be justified. This newsletter makes it very clear that USTA and their big-time PR is in charge. I had to laugh at how they made the Tennis Channel sound so special.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
January 16, 2023
​
Rich,
​
If the USTA Board members were smart, they would hire you and Javier Palenque as Efficiency Analysts and Management Consultants. But - don't give up your day job just yet.
​
You are the best thing that ever happened to the USTA and to the tennis industry! Keep up the good work!
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
DAVIS CUP
January 15, 2023
​
Rich,
My guess is it's an unintended consequence of the pandemic. Don't focus on blame, focus on the solution. Your sport is a dying sport. Start there.
​
All of sport is driven by ratings today- the format is important but not vital. My guess is the investors lost money and pulled the plug.
Focus on what the sport does-- make it relevant. My suggestion is to focus on wellness and longevity and --- it transcends human divides-- economic, gender, political, racial, age, religious, etc -- each teaches fair play, it has the unique power to bring together whole communities.
Tennis is a unique global and transcendent sport-- there are not many. You can count them
​
Joe Bailey
Bailey & Associates
Scottsdale, Arizona
​
​
​
January 15, 2023
Rich,
I saw a little bit of the Davis Cup and I don't even know who won. The format was so unappealing that I was totally uninterested, and that's after 48 years of being a tennis player and teaching tennis for a living, and watching tennis. The powers that be have certainly made a mess of it! The old format was much better. Between pickleball and the new Davis Cup format, it's a toss-up for which one is the most unappealing. Let's hope it gets better!
Thanks,
Richard Tracy
Tennis Professional at Cliff Drysdale Tennis
Johns Creek, Georgia
COLLEGE TENNIS
January 10, 2023
​
Rich,
​
College tennis is incredibly important to tennis and nobody knows that. Tim Russell's middle name is USTA. He tries to market the USTA as though it is the feeder program for the pro circuit. Earth to Timmie, Johnnie, and Dannie boy, college tennis is the source of teaching pros in the U.S. Why aren't the good ole boys working together to take advantage of that? Periodically, ITA provides a list of former college players on the circuit. Most college tennis fans do not know these players. It was obvious that Russell did not understand tennis during COVID. He tried to provide academic justification for keeping tennis programs, thinking the world would be impressed with his Ph.D.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
January 24, 2023
​
Rich,
​
I listened to two people talking at a recent college match.
Person 1: Have you seen how many Americans are still in the Australian Open?
Person 2: It is about time the college programs started producing some good players.
There are Americans who do not know about the incompetence of the USTA and its player development system. I have never heard anyone think the colleges are a farm system for the pros except Ted Russell.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
USPTA LEADERSHIP
January 24, 2023
​
Rich,
​
I saw a USPTA update that indicated that Feisal Hassan will conduct a majority of the (TE?) workshops in 2023. He is the General Manager/Tennis Director at the 16- court indoor/outdoor Midlothian Club in Virginia. I don't know what his relationship is with his club. If the USPTA is doing its job in recruiting prospective members, I would question whether he will have time to meet their needs. Why is USPTA relying on one person to do the training when there are many capable testers in the U.S? From the DEI perspective why isn’t USPTA diversifying its testing staff – is everyone else in the organization too stupid? On a confidential note, weren't some people upset with him and didn't want him around?
​
Also, the topic of the article by Michael Provenzano is excellent. I find it very odd they didn't include a picture of him. Is it because he is a white guy? Instead, it appears their intent was to fill the page with photos that help them meet their quota of DEI photos. The USPTA DEI effort is a joke. It shows they have lost their focus.
​
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
PICKLEBALL
January 15, 2023
​
Rich,
​
I was moved to write in response to your constant pickleball bashing. You are wrong in thinking that pickleball is some passing fad and that tennis will continue to remain more popular and a better sport.
As a USPTA Master Professional who began teaching pickleball near the end of my career, I am certainly still in love with tennis. I am still competing at a 4.5-5.0 level, which is a ton of fun. However, having recently retired and moved to a community with tennis, pickleball, and numerous other amenities I have finally been able to get my wife out on the pickleball court. She was never an avid tennis player, but she has become a regular pickleballer. Her 3.0 tennis skills made the transition pretty easy. In a few months, we have met a variety of other players at a similar experience level and some with more experience, but we all have a great time playing together. Many in our group are over 70 and some are younger, but you would never find such a diverse group having this much fun and being competitive in such a short time playing tennis. Pickleball is way easier to learn and reach a level of enjoyable competence at, it is faster paced, and more social, and I have seen numerous older players pick it up quickly, where learning to play tennis would not be an option for them.
I agree that teaching pickleball does not offer the same financial opportunity for pros, because the game is learned so quickly. I gave a lot of first lessons and then people felt comfortable enough to play on their own. Those who really want to get better may continue to take some lessons, but that is a small percentage of most pickleball players. It also can be disconcerting to have pickleballers want to take tennis courts away and fighting against that actually cost me a job, but that doesn't change the fact that pickleball is a great game with many advantages over tennis. Being a 4.0-4.5 pickleball player I can say it is a blast to compete at that level, and even though most players will not get there, I believe that 3.0-3.5 pickleballers are having more fun than tennis players at a comparable level. You also would never see so many different level players playing together and enjoying themselves in tennis as you do in pickleball. I have lots of fun playing with the group with my wife and there is a range of levels within the group, but no one is really even a 3.5. Better pickleball players seem to be much more willing to play with weaker players and help them along. This has never been a strong point of tennis players.
I guess the bottom line is, pickleball is not going anywhere. It has significant advantages over tennis and time will only make this more obvious. I worry much more about the future of tennis as a recreational sport. Harder to learn, more expensive, severe shortage of young pros choosing teaching tennis as a career. I guess we'll have to revisit the issue in 20 years and see how it has worked out.
Howard Chodak
USPTA Master Professional
Pompano Beach, Florida
January 24, 2023
​
Rich,
​
Pickleball is going to cut into tennis market share on the courts and on television - CBS and ESPN. Interesting that this group bought into the 36.5 million hype. What a great marketing tool - Lying about the number of players. Imagine that.
The Commish
Everywhere, USA
Pronouns: They/Them
January 6, 2023
​
Re: Pickleball Soars to 37M Players in U.S.
Rich,
​
This is from Front Office Sports. Wow! I remember when the USTA had a goal of 30 million.
Maybe there is some justification for more pickleball courts.
Jim Block
Pittsburgh, PA
ONE-QUESTION SURVEY FOR JANUARY 2023
QUESTION
Should the USTA become the National Governing Body for pickleball?
​
COMMENTS​
-
Not just no, Hell no! The don't have any more business being NGB for pickleball than they being the NGB for heart surgeons. They need to focus on being the best NGB in the (heart surgeons included)!
-
Why would anyone support this?
-
They have proven they can't do tennis; why should they be given control over another sport. Won't the United States Pickleball Association have something to say about that?
-
Pickleball is in direct competition with tennis for resources, players and facilities. "You cannot serve two masters!"
-
Because current governing body of tennis can’t grow their own sport.
-
Only if you wish bad things to happen to piclkeball. Otherwise, keep them away.
-
And I mean - Oh, hell no!!!
-
Control and regulate pickleball and use it to help tennis grow.
-
The USTA needs to focus on US tennis.
-
Are you kidding? Pickleball is thriving on its own
-
Absolutely not! It’s the United States TENNIS Association! And they have yet to master tennis.
-
USTA would just mess it up too.
-
Fix your own leagues.
-
The USTA has their hands full with governing tennis in the US...far better that there be a new approach to managing the growth and expansion of Pickleball, with new leadership!!
-
It would be a great way to throw up a roadblock to pickleball’s success! lol.. Anonymous please….
-
Pickleball is aggressively trying to take over public tennis courts. The USTA needs to recognize that pickleball (while a nice moneymaker) is detrimental to the health of tennis!
-
The USTA has ruined tennis in many area's, why would we want them in charge of pickleball. Also, if pickleball is as popular as it seems to be, they should be able to organize their own governing body.
-
1. NO! The USTA needs to stay in their own lane. 2. The big wigs and other geriatric, boys club members pontificate daily on how Pickleball isn’t going to last so why would they even be interested??? 3. Pickleball isn’t going to pay the ridiculously exorbitant salaries the USTA guys get for doing nothing. 4. Let them take over their favorite new friend, Padel. The sport they think will pass the growth of Pickleball. (Also, if you want my two cents on that, Padel is the new racquetball. We all know how long that lasted.)
-
Pickleball does 2 things to tennis both not good. 1 It takes away tennis courts, 2 It takes away tennis players! Tell me WHY is this good for the USTA?
-
“National governing body” usually means more bureaucracy and corruption
-
Even if the USTA wants to, it will never happen
-
Oh and pickleball needs fresh pickleball specific decision making - the old entrenched ideas of the Usta will be bad for pickleball
-
Fuck No
-
It's wishful thinking to imagine the USTA would manage such a unified system, but there's great potential in merging these diverse games. It's the merger of diversity with a few fine lines leading to mutual transferrable fun for all! It would be great to GET OVER the divisive talk and program in a way of cooperation! DAlexson
-
Focus on being more current on tennis. With technology and growing our sport
-
USTA should focus on getting its house in order. Pickleball is a unique sport that is drawing tens of thousands of players monthly (from 10-85 years old). The game can be learned in 2-3 weeks with tennis taking 2-3 years. Great exercise, very social and extremely addictive. I see if surpassing tennis participation in the US by 2030 or before. The sky is the limit. I love tennis and have worked in the sport for nearly 40 years. An incredible game & it will always have a big draw for pro tournaments. Pickleball will not become a huge spectator sport. PBall players want to play, not watch. USAP is still on a steep learning curve, and slowly making strides. The USTA is not run to grow the game. It has other agendas that I won’t speak of. But I will say that the USTA doesn’t deliver what the mission statement advertises. It’s all about money and power. And very high salaries abound.
-
They can’t manage tennis…want to see pickle ball lose millions of players?
-
Pickleball is doing fine without them. USTA had there chance and took a pass.
-
I wouldn't mind if the USTA just switched to pickleball and got out of the tennis business entirely. Then the USTA could do for pickleball what they have done for tennis. That way there will be fewer tennis courts being converted to pickleball.
-
They have enough to do.
-
Universal Tennis should be
-
PICKLEBALL SHOULD NOT BE PAIRED WITH TENNIS.
-
But they really are stupid enough to think it’s a good move, and even ‘healthy’ for tennis....
-
Embrace it as a fun alternative to tennis and make sure pickle has there own courts
-
The USTA would have no grounds or leverage to attain this status. The PB world would never accept it. USA Pickleball has proven itself to be far more adept at growing the sport than the it’s ever could. I don’t understand how this question is even being asked.
-
USTA should concentrate on improving and growing tennis not diverting its attention to pick;leball.
-
They can’t run tennis well! Why add more to it?
-
Per Cyrano de Bergerac, "I say NO! And again I say NO! And I say a thousand times NO".
-
Two entirely different sports with pickle ball being much more recreational in nature with little or zero international following . Little financial reward fo Spencer’s or players
-
They can't even do the job governing tennis. They are two different sports with different cultures.
-
the USTA , PTR & USPTA should band together and OPPOSE the pickleball governing body from stealing our tennis courts. they should create their own pickleball courts.
-
Stick to what you do best or at least try to do best
-
The usta can't get tennis right so how do they think they can do pickle ball.
-
They have enough trouble governing tennis
-
They need to get their own courts. Hurting tennis.
-
They can't govern tennis so let's not let them screw up another sport.
-
The "T" in USTA is Tennis not pickleball.
-
No
-
USTA has done enough damaged, don't ruin it for the pickleball, need new management.
Do you like our content? If you do so, please consider supporting us. For as little as $1 a month, you can help ensure the long-term future of TENNIS CLUB BUSINESS.
Click here to support and please share this with all the tennis lovers you know.