Prince Sports, Inc. and IMG Academies announced an enhanced renewal of their long-standing relationship.

 
Under the terms of the new agreement, IMG Academies will become a prime catalyst of Prince’s ‘Who’s Next’ philosophy, aimed at cultivating future champions and taking the game of all tennis athletes to higher levels through leading-edge on court weaponry, training, and complete athlete support programs. Additionally, as part of the agreement, Prince will establish a flagship, first of its kind, advanced tennis innovation facility on site at IMG Academies, set to open in 2012.
 
“At IMG Academies, we align ourselves with the most innovative companies to provide our athletes with as many resources and tools possible,” said Sam Zussman, managing director, IMG Academies. “While Prince has played an important role in the advancement of our tennis program for many years, we are looking forward to this next step, which will bring the best of Prince’s product and technical expertise to the heart of our campus.”
 
For years, Prince has been at the forefront of product innovation, engineering and customizing its products to help today’s athletes gain a competitive advantage as they step on the court for battle.  More than gear, Prince is relentlessly committed to arming players with on-court “weaponry” and as such, Prince has invested in building a flagship, first of its kind, advanced tennis weaponry facility on site at IMG Academies, and set to open in 2012.
 
The facility, which will be outfitted with state-of-the art product and performance-testing equipment, will become the global destination for product and athlete performance and development. The innovation center will offer athletes a comprehensive approach designed to help them take their game to the next level, including customized product fitting and product-concept testing activities.
 
In addition to Prince’s on-site presence via the new center, Prince and IMG Academies will collaborate on and off-site to offer committed athletes a comprehensive product, training and development program. This 360 degree support program will include not only advanced and custom-product offerings, but also collaborative talent scouting programs, training analysis and online information offerings for elite athletes and tennis enthusiasts globally. With several hundred full-time tennis student-athletes, and thousands more camp participants of all ages descending on its campus annually, IMG Academies provides an ideal environment for athletes to play an active role in all stages of Prince product development long before new products enter the marketplace.
 
“We are bringing to life a philosophy that has been an integral part of Prince’s DNA since its inception,” said Gordon Boggis, Chief Executive Officer at Prince Sports, Inc, “which is to relentlessly pursue and deliver meaningful game-changing innovation and opportunities designed to help players take their game to the next level.” Continued Boggis, “By actively leveraging our relationship with a world-leading institution like IMG Academies, and specifically with the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, we can combine our innovations with their world-renowned methods and leadership in coaching to create an ideal environment for athlete development. Together we will help nurture the next generation of tennis champions, and continue to be the first to arm them with the technology of tomorrow, while providing them with everything else they need to reach their next level – whatever level that may be.”