Surge in Tennis Participation Led by Growth in Ethnic Diversity

Posted: March 1, 2023 in Suppliers

USTA USTA

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – The USTA announced further demographic information detailing the continued surge in tennis participation in the U.S. The breakdown reveals a significant increase in the Hispanic/Latino, Black/African-American and Asian/Pacific Islander populations over the last three years. The information was provided by the Physical Activity Council Study on Sports and Physical Activity (PAC) administered by Sports Marketing Surveys USA and the Tennis Industry Association Participation and Engagement Study (PES).

As was announced earlier this year, tennis participation increased by one million players in 2022, marking the third consecutive year of growth by one million or more new participants for tennis in the U.S. The 23.6 million people playing the sport represents an increase of 5.9 million, or 33 percent, since the start of 2020.

Over that same three-year span, the USTA provided $9.4 million in funding for facility assistance and grants in an effort to ensure that the sport would be able to properly capitalize on this significant increase in participation, and facilitate a successful delivery system moving forward. Looking ahead, the USTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the USTA, has also pledged $6 million in grants over the next three years targeting participation growth and infrastructure/facilities projects at National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapters, which support under-resourced youth through free or low-cost tennis and education programs.

Key findings from the data:

The number of people playing tennis (23.6 M) is more than the combined number of people playing pickleball (8.9 M), badminton (6.5 M), racquetball (3.5 M), and squash (1.2 M).
Participation has seen dramatic growth among the Hispanic/Latino population, with 3.8 million players in 2022, representing a 90 percent increase over the last three years.
Black/African-American participation has increased by 46 percent over the last three years, with 2.3 million players in 2022.
Asian/Pacific Islander participation has increased by 37 percent over the last three years, with 2.4 million players in 2022.
People of color now represent 38 percent of the U.S. tennis player population, up from 32.5 percent in 2019.
Adult players aged 55+ grew by one million in 2022, a 17 percent increase, and have grown by 1.7 million since 2017, a 94 percent increase. This follows two years of significant growth in players aged 6-17, which had grown from 4.6 million in 2019 to 6.9 million in 2021 (we saw a decrease in this category in 2022).
4.2 million players age 6+ tried tennis for the first time in 2022, with beginners accounting for 18% of the total playing public.

“One of the goals of the USTA is to make tennis ‘look like America’ and to do that we need to help make tennis available to people from all walks of life, in all communities,” said Brian Hainline, Chairman of the Board and President, USTA. “Tennis is the ideal sport for individuals and families of all ages and abilities, with extensive health and wellness benefits, and we are pleased to see that a more broadly diverse group of people are becoming active and healthy through this wonderful sport.”

The growth and health of the sport was not limited to just participation, as a variety of key efforts and initiatives were focused on increasing access to the game and making the overall tennis experience better for all players. Included in the highlights:

Health and Wellbeing

According to multiple sources and studies, tennis has been shown to have a significant positive impact on the health of participants. Included in the effects:

Tennis players on average lived an additional 9.7 years than sedentary individuals.
The 9.7 additional years for tennis players ranked highest among all sports included within the study, beating out soccer by 5 years (4.7), cycling by 6 years (3.7), swimming by 6.3 years (3.4) and jogging by 6.5 years (3.2).
Participation in racquet sports, including tennis, reduces risk of all-cause mortality by 47 percent and cardiovascular-related death by 56 percent.

Facilities and Public Parks

The USTA continued its work in supporting the infrastructure of tennis in the U.S. through various facilities grants and support work. In 2022, the USTA worked with more than 100 facilities across the country to provide technical assistance to build or refurbish courts at public parks and tennis facilities. More than $750,000 was awarded to more than 45 total projects, with $285,000 going to new construction projects. These efforts represent more than 585 courts completed, and an impact of more than $50 million in tennis infrastructure.
The USTA also issued the first ever Tennis and Pickleball Statement of Guidance, developed with park professionals and court contractors, detailing ways that public parks could most efficiently, economically and effectively incorporate the growth of both tennis and pickleball within their communities.

Schools

Tennis was offered in more than 20,000 schools across the country, as part of their overall physical education programs. Since the start of 2017, the USTA has donated equipment to 8,300-plus schools, including donations to nearly 1,600 schools in 2022, giving 5.9 million children access to the sport.

USTA Foundation and NJTL Chapters

In 2022, The USTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the USTA, contributed more than $7 million in support, services and funding to NJTL chapters. The Foundation also awarded more than $435,000 in scholarships for 46 student leaders in 2022.
In total, the Foundation affected more than 130,000 youth from nearly 270 NJTL Chapters across the country last year.

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