By Bill Simons
Kurt Kamperman, the USTA’s Chief Executive for Community Tennis, is a candid critic who has an innovative vision for the future of American tennis in a culture that’s changing.
Once a tennis director in South Carolina before going on to become a top leader at the USPTA and the Tennis Industry Association, Kamperman more recently adeptly ushered in key initiatives at the USTA.
At the US Open, he contends, “The last 18 months have seen more changes than ever at the USTA, in large part because of the leadership of USTA President Dave Haggerty.” Haggerty was a teaching pro before heading the Prince and Head racket companies.
Kamperman says tennis needs to adapt to people’s needs. So, for instance, the USTA is beginning to explore low- and no-cost memberships to attract more players who want greater flexibility and options.
Beyond this, notes Kamperman, the USTA is focused on creating a greater number of frequent players. But he quickly concedes that “our competitive models for the masses stink.” In other words, they are designed for the very best players at the top of the pyramid, who are focused on intense competition for rankings and national championships. We don’t have enough programs for players that just want to show up, play a fun match or two, and enjoy the game (as well as compete).
Millions get introduced to the game each year, but few adults or kids have an interest in playing traditional tournaments that stretch—at the least—from Friday to Sunday. According to Kamperman, people want to have more non-elimination events in which players “know when the event starts and when it ends. They need to know they are going to play more than just a single match, and that they won’t need to travel far or have to buy a hotel room.”
In terms of juniors, many parents want to bring their kids at 9:00 a.m., pick them up at 12:00 p.m., and not have to travel extensively or get a hotel room. This way, 25 kids can spend $15-20 for three hours, without their parents hovering about for an entire weekend.
Kamperman notes that only 23,000 players competed in six or more elite level junior tournaments last year, and only ten percent of high school players compete in USTA tournaments. He claims that—despite new rules for young kids, and ROG balls—there is still a traditional mindset amongst many teaching pros and tournament directors that a tournament has to start on Friday and finish on Sunday.
Of course, Kamperman admits, the USTA doesn’t exactly change with a comfy ease: “With our 17 sections and 30 national committees, we sometimes have trouble getting out of our own way. We’re not too good at keeping it simple, and most things don’t happen quick.”
So, does the big ‘ol USTA care? “Absolutely,” Kamperman says, with a quiet, knowing confidence. “We’ve a sense of urgency to grow the game at all levels, but particularly with kids.”
Other notes from meetings of the Tennis Industry Association on the eve of the US Open:
• Fitness and lifestyle motivations are the dominant reasons for playing sports. Twenty-eight percent of Americans said they didn’t do any sporting activity last year, which prompted observers to say that there is “an inactivity pandemic” in America. Many believed that was impossible, but almost 92 million are inactive, and that represents a $28 billion loss in the past six years. And it isn’t just aging members of the boomer generation who are becoming inactive.
The core reason is that we are engineering inactivity into our culture (i.e. kids not only no longer bike to school, they’re obsessed with their techno widgets). Plus, the 2008 recession really hurt people’s involvement in activities. When sports were cut from schools, and people no longer had the money to join clubs, they didn’t come back to play the sports that were dropped or re-join the clubs where they were once members.
• In light of the inactivity pandemic in America, the fitness industry may well be seeking tax cuts on spending for sports equipment.
• The lousy, very snowy weather this year hurt sporting goods sales big time.
• While wearable technology is still an unknown frontier, it is almost a certainty that big electronic companies like Sony will soon be coming into the tennis industry.
• Running and jogging have had the biggest jumps among the big sports. They’ve been successful as a fun activity for all age groups, and have seen a $4.2 billion increase over the past two years
• Basketball footwear is driving mall traffic, and one group, Nike, is overwhelming that group.
• Stand-up paddling is the hottest sport in the country. But its numbers are tiny. The top ten sports in America include user-friendly activities such as walking or bowling (which many play just once a year.)
• During the World Cup, people “bought the heck out of stuff.”
LUCIA HOFFMAN CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY
