From the USTA: Overarching Multi-Year Agreement Makes adidas the Official Partner
of USTA Player Development and Sponsor of the newly named
USTA adidas National Junior Championship Series
Partnership includes a Prominent Presence at the USTA National Campus,
the Home of American Tennis
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., September 1, 2016 – The USTA and adidas today announced a multi-year agreement which will impact the future of American tennis through a number of key initiatives and programs. As part of this newly forged, expansive partnership, adidas will become an official sponsor of the USTA National Campus, USTA Player Development, and USTA League Tennis. In addition, it will become the exclusive presenting sponsor of the USTA National Junior Rankings and newly named “USTA adidas Junior Championship Series,” comprised of five, L1 individual 16 & Under and 18 & Under junior tournaments that feature some of the top junior tennis players in the country.
adidas will have a strong presence throughout the USTA National Campus, the home of American tennis in Orlando, Fla. They will receive naming rights to, and have an extensive branding presence throughout, the “adidas Performance Center” which will serve as home to the USTA’s Player Development (USTA PD) division, which is tasked with developing the next generation of American champions. adidas will also become the official outfitter and apparel partner for USTA PD, outfitting the coaching staff in adidas gear. They will also have a strong retail presence within the pro-shop of the USTA National Campus.
“We are very excited about partnering with the USTA,” said David Malinowski, Senior Director adidas Tennis US. “The USTA’s commitment to the player development program aligns with our mission as a brand and we are focused on helping make the next generation of athletes better from the grassroots level on up.”
adidas Tennis is dedicated to supporting grassroots programs, and this partnership allows the brand to be even more connected to some of the best young tennis players in the United States. As presenting sponsor of the adidas Easter Bowl tournament and the “USTA adidas Junior Championship Series,” adidas will be supporting some of the most prestigious junior tournaments throughout the U.S. The Series will consist of the following 16 & Under and 18 & Under national junior events:
- adidas Easter Bowl
- Boys’ National Hard Court Championships (Kalamazoo)
- Girls’ National Hard Court Championships (San Diego)
- Boys’ National Clay Court Championships
- Girls’ National Clay Court Championships
- Boys’ National Winter Championships
- Girls’ National Winter Championships
- Boys’ Indoor Nationals
- Girls’ Indoor Nationals
“It’s incredibly exciting to have adidas coming on board to support ‘Team USA’ at both the USTA National Campus and at our top national junior competitions every year,” said USTA Player Development General Manager Martin Blackman. “The success of our sport depends on the success of the international tennis industry as a whole. We are fortunate that our game is supported by world class brands that produce tennis racquets, tennis balls, apparel and footwear. We are committed to working collaboratively with the entire industry to make sure that tennis players of every level and age have access to the equipment and sportswear that they want and need, to be able to enjoy the game. Our partnership with a global leader like adidas will enable our Player Development Team to reflect the look and professionalism that exemplifies Team USA. The partnership supports our Mission; to maximize the potential of every American player to ensure a successful future for American tennis.”
The partnership will also impact many of America’s most passionate adult players, as competitors in the USTA League program, the country’s largest recreational tennis league with more than 800,000 participants nationwide, will have the opportunity to take advantage of a new team uniform program beginning in 2017.
Beginning in 2016, adidas will have a dedicated retail location at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. The store will carry the latest adidas Tennis apparel and will be open exclusively during the US Open tournament.
“This close partnership will prove tremendously beneficial for both the USTA and adidas,” said USTA Chief Revenue Officer Lew Sherr. “The USTA will have one of the leading brands in performance apparel supporting American tennis, and adidas will gain an increased foothold in both the high-performance and recreational tennis communities, while at the same time investing in the vitality of the future of the game in America.”
More to follow….