Preview
This short analysis of the USTA League identifies trends in the number of registrations, unique players, and registrations per unique player between 2010 and 2019. The combination of this information and Tennis Industry Association (TIA) data is used to measure the impact the USTA League has on total U.S. tennis participation.

The terms "registrations" and "participants" are synonymous. They refer to the number of players entered in each league. It is possible for players to register for multiple leagues, which means they are counted multiple times in the participation or registration data. Registrations are important for allocating resources such as staff or courts.

Obviously, the term "unique players" counts players only once, regardless of the number of leagues they participate in. The number of unique players measures the contributions of the USTA League to total tennis participation.

The "registrations per unique player" is calculated by dividing the number of registrations by the number of unique players. The registrations per unique player can be used as a metric for frequency of play.

Finally, "registrations" and "unique players" are not necessarily synonymous with playing time because roster sizes vary, and players may play in 20% to 100% of the matches.

Background of the USTA League
Very few people in the 2019 tennis community can recall a time when the USTA League did not exist. It was started in 1978 as a pilot project in the Southern and Midwest sections and distinguished itself by having teams compete at defined ability levels. At the end of the league seasons, the champions at each level had an opportunity to compete in a playoff against other players at the same level.

The pilot project was successful and in 1980 the USTA formulated a plan for a national program called the USTA League. Initially the new program was administered by the USTA and promoted it under the moniker of its outside sponsors, Michelob Lite and Volvo. In 1990, the USTA put its brand on the league and served as both sponsor and administrator.

Since then the USTA League has grown as the U.S. population increased, facilities were added, and professionals and tennis organizations turned over their leagues to the USTA "for the good of the cause". In addition, the USTA ensured the growth of their program by discouraging the efforts of other tennis organizations to start their own leagues or use rating systems other than the NTRP.

Registrations
TIA data for 2010 to 2018 shows declines in participation, frequent play, and equipment sales. With that as a background, it is refreshing to see that registrations for the USTA League have increased by an annualized rate of 2.4% between 2010 and 2019.

Registrations Per Unique Player
The registrations per unique player increased from 2.1 to almost 2.8 between 2010 and 2019. There are obvious benefits to a higher frequency of play; however, the downside is that playing time and spending are zero sum games.

At the micro level, players have a limited amount of time and money to allocate to tennis. For example, if they spend more time playing in the USTA League, they will have less time to participate in other tennis-related activities.

Similarly, at the macro level, if players participate in multiple leagues at their facility, it may create an imbalance between USTA League activity, unstructured play, instructional programs, tournaments, and the many other activities that comprise a comprehensive program.

Unique Players
Between 2010 and 2018, the number of unique players showed a change in annualized growth of -0.7%. This is identical to the decline in total tennis participation for the same period.

From an economic perspective it is puzzling that the number of unique players peaked in 2011, two years after the official end of the Great Recession. Given the demographics of tennis players and the strength and duration of the recovery, there should have been a steady increase in tennis participation between 2010 and 2019.

Annual Change in Registrations and Unique Players
The bad news continues in the review of the year-over-year (YOY) change in the number of registrations and unique players.

The largest change in the number of registrations occurred in 2013, the year the USTA League was restructured to "guarantee more frequency of play opportunities at more appropriate age groups." The changes temporarily stimulated growth in the number of registrations; however, they have increased at a decreasing rate since 2013.

The number of unique players increased in only three of nine years. There was a significant increase in 2011 that is most likely related to the slightly larger decrease in 2012. The increases in the other two years were miniscule.

The Impact of the USTA League on the Tennis Industry
The combination of data from this analysis combined with information from TIA press releases and state of the industry summaries show the USTA League has a very small financial and participation impact on the industry.

In 2018, unique players in the USTA League represented about 2.7% of the 13.2 million adult tennis players in the U.S.

Core players, those who play 10+ times a year, accounted for about 73% of the total adult players in 2018. The number of unique players in the USTA League represented at most 3.6% of the 9.7 million adult core players in 2018.

The estimated size of the 2018 U.S. tennis economy was $6.2 billion. If registered participants spent $100 for league fees and tennis related goods and services while participating in the USTA League, their purchases would be about 1.6% of the total tennis economy. Average spending per unique player during the time they were registered for a league would be slightly more than $250 per unique player.

The number of unique players in the USTA League represent about 45% of the total USTA membership.

Moving Forward
Slightly more than 97% of adult tennis players do not participate in the USTA League; however, it is an important part of the tennis culture at many facilities. In addition, the USTA League generates a revenue stream and creates jobs at tennis facilities and the USTA. Finally, it has increased brand awareness and raised the perception of the USTA.

The USTA League has had a limited impact on tennis participation because it is tailored for the masses. In addition, the rules and guidelines that make it an effective national program also constrain its growth.

The USTA League was re-structured and initiatives have been put in place to jump start league and overall participation. These efforts have demonstrated that repackaging current programs and establishing new initiatives are not the answer to the sport's participation woes. The tennis stakeholders who have direct contact with the players (owners, managers, tennis directors, professionals, instructors, coaches, league coordinators, and tennis retailers) must take greater responsibility for influencing people to take up the sport and play it for a lifetime.

Tennis stakeholders must creatively provide the players with opportunities to have fun playing tennis in unstructured play, quality instructional sessions, and structured activities. From a league perspective, stakeholders should customize their league program to meet the needs and preferences of their players whether it is drop-in leagues, World Team Tennis or UTR leagues, in-house and non-USTA leagues, or the USTA League.

Stakeholders must have a single focus on promoting and developing the sport in a way that emphasizes both attraction and retention. When that happens, overall tennis participation and the number of unique players in the USTA League will again trend in a positive direction.