The Tennis Industry Association (TIA) recently surveyed Cardio Tennis
sites to see how providers are delivering CT and the benefits facilities
derive from the program. About 88 percent of facilities responding to
the survey have an established CT program (5 percent say they
expect to start or restart a program soon), and 75 percent of those
have been running CT for at least three years.
The survey indicates that facilities are more satisfied with the
benefits they gain from CT now than in previous survey
periods. About 79 percent of facilities with established programs
believe CT offers good/very good benefits, up from 74 percent in 2006.
In 2011, more facilities (79 percent) recognize the financial benefit
associated with offering CT programs than in previous survey periods – the
largest financial impact from CT is with increased program revenue and
increased lesson revenue.
Also, a larger percentage of facilities believe CT is
effective/very effective at introducing non-tennis players to the
game – 45 percent in 2011 compared to 31 percent in 2006.
For facilities with established CT programs, the average
number of CT sessions offered per week increased, from 3 in 2006 to 4 in
the latest survey.
The average number of participants per class also increased by about 10 percent, to 7.4.
About a third of facilities expect to increase their CT offerings in
the future, and just under two-thirds expect their CT programs to
remain the same – which points to a steady demand for Cardio Tennis in the
future.
In terms of numbers of players brought into the average CT
facility, the survey estimates, on average, (i) 24 new players (ii) 23
returning players and (iii) 22 players playing more frequently. These
numbers are all up significantly compared to previous survey periods.
(However, the question was re-worded in 2011, asking for an estimate
over the last two years rather than last 12 months.)
The survey also indicated demand for additional Cardio Tennis training
for staff remains strong, at 77 percent. Learning about CT games and
drills are the two most essential skill sets that facilities desire for
their staff. For more information, including how you can run Cardio
Tennis at your facility, visit CardioTennis.com.
TIA noted that Cardio Tennis has seen tremendous growth since it was created and launched by the TIA in 2005, with now more than 1,700 Cardio Tennis sites in the U.S. According to a Physical Activity Council report earlier this year, Cardio Tennis grew by 28 percent in 2010, to more than 1.5 million participants.
The Cardio Tennis program also has spread to more than 30 countries. In December, Anna Kournikova was named a Cardio Tennis spokesperson; she had led contestants through a CT workout last fall on NBC's “The Biggest Loser” TV show.
