Leveling the Court: The Changing Face of Racquet Sports - DEIB

Leveling the Court T H E C H A N G I N G FAC E O F RACQUET SPORTSD I V E R S I T Y, E Q U I T Y, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING A R a cq u eTre n d s Re p o r t f rom R a cq u e tX

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Sport sees no race, gender, age, or ethnicity.

Sport embraces all.

Let’s open our facilities, programs, and clinics and include everyone to be more active and engage in all racquet sports to live healthier lives.

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T H E S E WO R D S P E R F EC T LY CAPTURE THE MISSION AND S P I R I T O F R ACQ U E T X , T H E F I R S T-E V E R A L L-I N C LU S I V E EXPERIENCE AND THOUGHT L E A D E R S H I P CO M M U N I T Y T H AT W E LCO M E S CO N S U M E RS A N D I N D U S T RY TO T H E WO R L D O F R ACQ U E T S P O RTS. A L L S P O RT S A N D A L L S EC TORS A R E R E P R E S E N T E D.

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K at r in a A d a ms , fo r m er C h a i r pe r so n a n d Presi d en t, U S TA

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Why is DEIB Important?

DEIB stands for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

We live in a world – including the world of racquet sports – that is increasingly diverse and global.

RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT COMPANIES WITH A DIVERSE POPULATION ARE 35 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO HAVE ABOVE-AVERAGE PERFORMANCE. 1

That holds true in both racquet sports courts and in company offices.

We’ve seen tremendous progress over the past decades, but we have a way to go. Massive shifts in the demographic and ethnic makeup are happening worldwide, and understanding the importance of DEIB in everyday life and business is the first step toward making meaningful change.

DIVERSITY

players, management, and brand marketers that truly reflect the world’s population.

EQUITY

opportunities for earning (including sponsorship deals) are the same, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, or age.

INC LUS ION everyone is part of the team – on and off the court.

BE LONGING slightly different from inclusion, it means that people who are different from the majority feel that they fit in.

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Different styles and perspectives make the game more interesting and lead to more opportunities for everyone.

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A Brief History of Racquet Sports

A Socio-Economic Evolution Ironically, racquet sports have their roots in debtors’ prisons. is the first step toward making meaningful change.

But soon, they became pastimes for privileged classes. Tennis was considered a sport of the wealthy and mannered – and dominated primarily by white men – until the 1970s!

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We at RacquetX are committed to creating live events and experiences that make everyone feel welcome and engaged. In fact, our planning team and partners reflect that belief.

Because, after all, DEIB has its roots in small but meaningful day-to-day actions.

“TENNIS WAS NOT JUST ABOUT GROUNDSTROKES AND TROPHIES: IT WAS ONE OF ONLY A FEW SPORTS THAT SERVED AS A BREEDING GROUND FOR THE UPPER SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS OF AMERICA.”

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T HE DE M OC RAT IZAT ION OF RACQUE T S PORT S HA S BEEN ACC E LE RAT E D BY: More public courts

Increasing racquet sports options in schools and summer programs As sports-targeted brands plan marketing campaigns and allocate sponsorship dollars, they must be diligent in representing diverse populations and evaluating opportunities based on the markets they serve.

Role models who reinforce that all groups are welcome to play

Brands must remain connected to the markets and consumers that buy and use their products and ensure their messages and actions are consistent with their beliefs.

Pressure from players and the media about inequities

Awareness by major sponsors that welcoming all will improve their reach and perception

Establishment of professionals and committees to focus on education and diversity within their own ranks

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It’s a w i n - wi n fo r b oth b r an d s an d t heir cu s t o me r s .

Plu s, or g a n i zat i o n s t hat tru l y b e l i e ve i n DEIB a n d ac t o n i t s p rin cip l e s w i l l at tra ct an d re t ai n t he best t a l e n t .

The globalization of sports and awareness of talent within all groups

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Photo courtesy of On Holiday Pickleball

The Battle of the Sexes: Women in Racquet Sports What’s 49.6%?

That’s the proportion of women in the world. That’s close to 4 billion people!

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And yet, they haven’t always been allowed on the courts.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER RACQUET SPORTS?

1884 was a pivotal year.

It was the first time women were permitted to play at Wimbledon.

That’s a full seven years after it began!

Women were included in the professional badminton world in 1900.

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The gender split in pickleball is changing, but only 40 percent of players are women.

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Both genders are playing padel, but 65 percent of players are still men.

Both Ireland and the U.S. had brought women in at a professional level at local tennis tournaments before that.

Of interest is that table tennis seems to be the most “equitable” sport these days, with women representing close to 50 percent of players.

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ESPN recently ran a headline that said:

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Show us the Money The Battle of the Sexes was the epic and highly contentious tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. King emerged as the victor in this highly-publicized event and endured a barrage of chauvinistic claims along the way.

Along with Title IX legislation (which was passed in 1972), it prompted a movement toward more equity in women’s sports. Before that, a mere 1 percent of college athletic budgets went to women’s sports, and male athletes outnumbered female players by 12.5 to 1.12

The Grand Slams led the way in pay equity in tennis.13 But sadly, pay gaps remain a global reality. For example:

Italian Open Men: $8.4 million paid out Women: $3.9 million paid out

Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open Men: $6.6 million prize Women: $2.8 million prize Although a phased-in approach is underway to close these gaps, it’s still slow-going, with full equity not anticipated by the World Tennis 14 Association (WTA) until 2033.

Perhaps newer sports like pickleball and padel will learn from this inequity and develop more equitable policies from the onset.

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FIFTY YEARS AFTER BATTLE OF THE SEXES, GENDER EQUITY IN TENNIS REMAINS ELUSIVE.

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Ethnic Diversity at Long Last

As tennis attire was once all white, so was the racquet sports world. We’re beginning to see change – especially in recent years.

This chart from the USTA’s website illustrates how the tide is starting to turn.

GROWTH OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS Hispanic/ Latino

+90% +46% 2.3M Total

Black/ African

2022

2019

38%

32.5%

The fact that these trends are now being measured is, in itself, a huge leap forward for our industry.

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+37% 2.4M Total

Asian/ Pacific Percent of diverse U.S. tennis players

3.8M Total

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Although Arthur Ashe is often heralded as the man who created a “tipping point” for people of color on the court, he was predated by a number of exceptional players and coaches who served as role models and inspiration for up-and-coming players.

They include:

Althea Gibson

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Robert Walter Johnson Ora Washington Richard Hudlin

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Arthur Ashe was a humanitarian and won many titles, which is why his name is usually the first to come to mind when thinking about ethnic diversity in racquet sports. He was the first African-American man to win: THE U.S. OPEN (1968) THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN (1970) WIMBLEDON (1975)

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Z INA GARRISON LE S LIE ALLEN LOR I MCNEILL C HA N DRA RUBIN M A L I VAI WASHINGTO N K ATRINA ADAMS

(WHO WENT ON TO LEAD THE USTA)

Although black women tennis stars 19 began emerging as early as 1906, they faced a steep uphill climb.

But people of color are not just those within the BIPOC community and Tennis is not the only sport we must focus on.

More than 80 percent of pickleball players are currently white.

Spain and Argentina are the primary countries where padel is played,21 so courts tend to be more diverse (although largely male, as previously reported). As padel gains in popularity in the U.S. we expect to see more statistics about the player mix.

The squash community has taken major steps to become an inclusive 22 sport, especially at the college level.

Because of its origins 23 , table tennis has long been a diverse and inclusive sport. The ITTF (International Table Tennis 24 Federation) has the tagline, “For All. For Life,” which speaks volumes in four simple words.

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A GROUP CALLED THE ATA (AMERICAN TENNIS ASSOCIATION) WAS FORMED IN 1916 AND ITS MEMBERSHIP WAS COMPRISED MOSTLY OF A DOZEN BLACK TENNIS CLUBS. COMMITTED TO PROMOTING THE SPORT TO NEW GENERATIONS, THE ORGANIZATION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MENTORING PLAYERS LIKE:

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Serving the LGBTQIA+ Community

Today, about 7 percent of the adult population identifies as lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

Another .5 percent are transgender. QIA stands for queer (or questioning), intersex, and asexual.

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These numbers may be under-reported due to the concern about society’s judgment or family views.

Th e fir s t op e nl y g ay p ro fe s s i onal mal e squas h p l aye r (R anke d # 1) i n t he U.S. w a s To dd Harri t y , w h o d i dn’t come out un t i l 2 0 1 8.

ACCORDING TO GLAAD’S GLOSSARY : 25

Intersex means “someone with one or more innate sex characteristics, including genitals, internal reproductive organs, and chromosomes, that fall outside of traditional conceptions of male or female bodies.”

Asexual is an adjective used to describe a person who does not experience sexual attraction.

Re n é e Ri c h ards , a fo r me r op ht hal mol ogi st , di s r up t e d the t enni s wo r l d w i th he r ma l e -t o-fe mal e t r a n s i t i on and pl ayi ng as a t r a n s woman at t he 197 6 U.S . Open.

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Bi l l i e Je an Ki ng’s re l at i on s hi p wi th a fe ma l e p ar t ner was re ve a l e d i n 19 8 1, and Ma r t i n a Nav rat i l o v a w a s out as l esbi an.

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Coming out (declaring one's sexual identity or gender identity) in the sports world has long been fraught with stigma and anxiety.

Men in professional tennis have not come out as openly queer at the same rate as women in the sport.

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“THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO OUT GAY PLAYERS ON THE MEN’S [ATP] TOUR, AND NO PROFESSIONAL MALE TENNIS PLAYER HAS COME OUT PUBLICLY IN THE OPEN ERA WHILE STILL PLAYING THE GAME.” 26

- P INK NEWS

Although LGBTQIA lifestyles are more accepted today than in past eras, slurs have targeted more than 80 percent of the population, and a huge percentage do not feel safe as players or spectators, according to a major study about sexuality and bias in sports.

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-PinkNews

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Local groups are also forming 32 worldwide, like All-Out Padel (England’s first gay padel club). The United States Gay Sports Network (USGSN) publishes a directory of 33 gay-friendly leagues nationwide.

WHAT RACQUET SPORTS PLAYERS CHOOSE TO DO OFF THE COURT SHOULDN’T SERVE AS A DISTRACTION OR INHIBITOR IN GAMEPLAY OR THE ABILITY TO GET SPONSORSHIPS. BUT ONLY EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION, AND ACCEPTANCE THROUGHOUT ALL RACQUET SPORTS WILL ULTIMATELY FOCUS ON THE PLAYERS INSTEAD OF WHO THEY CHOOSE TO LOVE AND HOW THEY WANT TO LIVE.

SO M E O RGAN I Z ATI O N S THAT AR E CO M M I T TE D TO M A K ING TH E S E CH AN GE S AR E : The Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA), which has its own World Tour.29 Athlete Ally works across all sports to educate players and fans about acceptance, and partners with brands and organizations.30 The You Can Play Project offers a wide range of resources to players, coaches, and allies.31 The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has a clear policy for acceptance of the trans community.

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The “rainbow laces” program spearheaded by Liam Brody at the Australian Open was designed to raise awareness of the LGBTQIA population in the sports community 28 and gestures like this can certainly raise media and spectator awareness of their own biases. However widespread education throughout the sports world is essential to making change and ensuring players feel safe and supported should they choose to come out publicly.

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Serving Intergenerational Markets: Racquet Sports for All Ages

Although most racquet sports have attracted an age-diverse population, pickleball is emerging as one of the most “age-agnostic” and inclusive sports.

But younger populations are gravitating to the sport too.

ACCORDING TO THE P ICK L EBAL L DIN K S, T HIS IS TH E C U RR ENT AGE BREAKO U T: AG E

TOTA L P L AY E RS

CORE PLAYE RS

C A S UA L PLAY ERS

6-17

21.2%

14.2%

23.9%

18 -3 4

28.8%

1 6 . 8%

3 3 . 5%

3 5-54

20 .4%

17 %

2 1 . 8%

55-64

12%

19 . 2 %

9.2%

65+

17.6%

3 2 .7%

11.6%

-J E FF WE I S S , PRE S I DE NT A ND C EO, AGE OF MA J ORI T Y 34

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With 1/3 of older adults playing pickleball, it is no wonder that the sport has grown to close to 40 million people. It is a truly inter-generational and inclusive racquet sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages with different athletic abilities.

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BUT P I CK L EBAL L I S NOT T H E O NLY S P O RT APPEAL I N G TO PEO P L E O F A L L AG E S .

According to the USTA,

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The number of adult players 55+ grew 1 million in 2022, a 17% increase 1.7 million since 2017, a 94% increase The number of players ages 6-17 is up about 2 million since 2019.

But in professional tennis, younger players are stepping in to take the place of retiring superstars like Roger Federer, who still remains a key representative of the sport.36

FROM THE TIME WE CAN WALK UNTIL OUR LAST MOMENTS ON THE PLANET, WE CAN ALL FIND JOY WITH A RACQUET OR PADDLE IN OUR HANDS AND THE SPORTS COMMUNITY IS FINDING ROLES FOR AND WELCOMING US.

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Older players find lucrative roles as influencers, sports event hosts, mentors, and product/service sponsors.

And older public figures (like The Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner) are serving as spokespeople for pickleball and other racquet sports.

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-JAC K I E S K Y E M ULLE R , 37 F O U NDE R , R ECR E ATION AL H AB ITS

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Club sports are a wonderful part of American culture that we noticed were still relatively exclusive in our modern day. We wanted to change the narrative around these recreational activities because we know the benefits it can have to a young player.

Beyond health and wellness, participating in club sports is a great way to earn scholarships, expand one's network, and many more serendipitous opportunities that could arise. It was important for our brand to really educate and expose the next generation of players to these activities so that all people, regardless of race or class, can experience the joys of club sports.

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disability Adaptive Racquet Sports and Equipment: Disability is No Longer a Barrier to Play

Injuries and congenital conditions used to mean that racquet sports players were sidelined. But no longer!

Organizations and product manufacturers are coming up with a wide range of solutions to enable everyone to play – and provide support to racquet sports players at all levels who may have issues with mobility, sight, learning, and hearing.

A MO NG T HESE G ROU P S A R E : T he Cha llen g ed Athlet e s Fou ndat ion

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T he Un ited States Ten n is A ssoc iat ion (USTA ) 40

A daptive Pic kleba ll Wor ld Squa sh

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T he LTA’s Dea f Ten n is Com m u nit y Grou p in t h e UK Ath lete s Without Limit s Dis ab ility Spo rt

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Many others! Most p ro fe ssional spor t s or ganizat ions a re now s upp ortive o f a ll t ype s of playe r s and prov ide gu id a n ce regardin g ga mep lay a nd e qu ipm e nt .

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Move Un ited

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W HE E LCHAI R T EC HNO LO GY HA S A DVAN CE D TO O AND A W I D E RA N G E O F SPO RT S-FRI E ND LY MO B IL IT Y SO LUT I O NS. AMO NG T H E S E CO M PANI E S ARE :

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Technology is advancing to allow play among people who have vision and hearing challenges. Drone-powered badminton 49 and Action Audio50 (which enables sight-impaired spectators to participate in fan excitement) are two such examples.

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“In the world of sports, adaptability is what can unlock the hidden potential within every athlete, especially those with special needs. Adaptive sports options not only level the playing field but also allow individuals to build self-confidence, develop skills, and create a sense of belonging. I have a saying ‘It's more than just tennis’ that we do, meaning we impact people and can change their life through tennis and complementary racquet sports. It took on a new level of meaning when I became the father of a special needs daughter. I have personally witnessed the impact sports have had on her and I've come to appreciate how these opportunities can be life-changing, demonstrating that with the right support and inclusive programs, sports can make a difference to all athletes."

-Simon Gale, Director of Racquet Sports, USTA National Campus, Orlando

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Many racquet sports also have their own tournaments.

The International 51 Paralympic Committee website details all the sports that are now open to athletes who are wheelchair players.

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global communitires The Global Community Comes Together to Compete

As you’ll see for yourself at RacquetX 2024, the racquet sports community comes from around the world. Players in major tournaments speak almost every language imaginable and come from all seven continents.

PA D EL I S C URRE NT LY POPULAR IN EUROPE AND L AT I N A ME RI C A A ND IS GR AD UALLY M AKING ITS WAY I NTO THE UNI TED STATES. EVERYTHING PA DD E LELISPCURRENTLY O P U LOF AR GO-TO IN EU RO P E AN D L ATI N PA UBL I S HE S APLIST AM E R IC A AND IS GRADUAL LY M AK IN G IT S WAY IN TO T H E D ES T I NATI O N S F O R PLAYING R IGHT NOW. UNITE D STAT ES. EVERYT HIN G PADEL P U BL ISHES A LI S T O F G O-TO DEST INATIO N S F O R P L AYIN G R IGHT N OW. 52

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Although some sports are more popular than others in specific regions, racquet play is the ultimate unifier!

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Squash is being considered as an addition to the 2028 Olympics.

The summer games already include Tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

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Top 5 Countrie s Where Table Tennis is Mos t Popul a r

THE TER M “OPEN” I S OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH TENNIS TOUR NAM ENTS, AND THE NAM E R EFLECT S THE GLOB AL D IVERS I T Y YOU WILL FIND AS A PLAYER OR FAN.

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C hin a

3

2

5

Japan

Germa ny

4

Korea

Sweden

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equal pay Equal Pay for Equal Play

Progress, But Not Yet Perfection As noted earlier, tremendous strides have been made in prize money and sponsorship deals for different types of players.

Payouts are rising in pickleball, with pro players making as much as $115K, which clearly lags behind tennis. Men and women are equally balanced on the top earners’ list. The World Padel Tour is committed to gender pay equity.

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THE WORLD’S HIGHEST-PAID TENNIS PLAYERS OF 2023 55

1. Novak Djokovic: $38.4 million 2. Carlos Alcaraz: $31.4 million 3. Iga Swiatek: $22.4 million 4. Daniil Mevedev: $20.1 million 5. Rafael Nadal: $15.5 million ONLY ONE WOMAN IS ON THE LIST, BUT THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT FOUR OF THE NEXT FIVE TOP EARNERS ARE WOMEN!

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Only one woman (at 51 years old) made it to the top 10 list of highest-paid table tennis players. The list of high earners in badminton is becoming gender-balanced, and the highest-paid squash player in 2022 was a woman, who asserts that work still needs to be done to close pay gaps.

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The media is also making headway in representing all types of consumers and professional athletes in its advertising and promotions. Stock art company Pocstock just raised $500K in funding to enable marketers to utilize more people of color in their campaigns. Leaders MEET has a website that showcases diversity in sports.

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ESPN recently reported on how many sportscasters are women and people of color and notes that although significant progress has been made, the industry is overwhelmingly white and male,” according to a recent study done

by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES).

ONLY T HROUGH EDU CAT IO N (L IK E T HIS R EP O RT ) , AWA RENESS-BUILDIN G, DIL IGEN CE, AN D LO BBYING

BY PL AYERS AND ASS O CIAT IO N S WIL L T HE CO U RT S , G A ME S, AND PROMOT IO N AL O P P O RT U N IT IES R EAC H A L E VEL PLAYING FIE L D – O R CO U RT !

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Join us in welcoming everyone in Miami!

At RacquetX, we are also committed to working with the full spectrum of organizations to ensure equality for all!

Our planning team comes from a wide range of countries, backgrounds, and age ranges.

WHEN: March 24th to 26th WHERE: Miami Convention Center WHO: Industry leaders, brands, celebrities, and YOU. We’re calling it “a world-class festival of thought,” as tens of thousands of businesses and consumers from around the globe will convene to celebrate racquet sport and learn about the industry’s products, services, and trends.

Sponsorships, unique exhibit spaces, and opportunities for after-hours hospitality are available.

Register today to secure your spot! https://theracquetx.com/register

Follow us on social media for news, updates, and tips!

Content Strategist, Researcher and Writer: Nancy A Shenker, nunu ventures. © RacquetX 2024

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RecreationalHabits.com

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more-men-or-women-in-the-world/#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20men%20and,4 96%20are%20women%20(49.6%25)

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%20the%20past%2022%20years,2022%20were%20below%2015%20years

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-us-open-gender-equity-remains-elusive-tennis

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mpionships/

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0attracts%20ladies%20too,most%20popular%20sports%20among%20women

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ext=Female%20participation%20was%20at%2048,and%20receiving%20equal%20prize %20money

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t=Tennis%20Has%20Enjoyed%2016%20Years,Only%20At%20The%20Grand%20Slams& text=The%20ATP%20and%20WTA%20regular,%242.8%20million%20for%20the%20wo men

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oney.html

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https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-led-pocstock-raises-500k-164632994.ht ml?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce _referrer_sig=AQAAAKlCkY1T48lIjh3G3SHT9gnlJrRS1rn8l_J7-l9wwdqDacRTxlm BJF8HHuegLF8JEtW1-f8aO6dogQmy-nzdCeFmVnfAW5Hxy48j_Ybi8UDTkBFS S25XSUN6c7ZpRoQ0gBJXR_56deqq-PqCc3h4uG01ico6a2Cnh6q8ZB7oq4N4

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https://leadersinsport.com/sport-business/leaders-events/leaders-meet-divers ity/content/

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https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/32254145/sports-media-remains-over whelmingly-white-male-study-finds

64

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/20/opinion/gay-trans-lgbt-americans.html

65

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/

basketball/

18 https://hudlinentertainment.com/richard-hudlin-tennis-champion/ 19 https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2023/02/13/black-womens-tennis-pio

neers-paved-way-for-modern-superstars/11156436002/

20 https://www.yourata.org/timeline 21 https://www.padel.fyi/blog/padel-statistics 22 https://ussquash.org/2020/05/squash-leads-college-sports-in-equal-opportunity-acad

emic-qualifications-diversity-and-inclusion/

23 https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/sports/olympics/2012-olympics-us-table-tennis

-team-has-diverse-origins.html

24 https://www.ittf.com/2023/02/02/ittf-takes-steps-towards-gender-equality-table-ten

nis/

25 https://glaad.org/reference/terms/ 26 https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/08/28/tennis-gay-players-wimbledon-us-australi

an-french-open/

27 https://outonthefields.com/media/ 28 https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/31870/12519164/liam-broady-british-tennis-p

layer-explains-rainbow-laces-gesture-at-australian-open

29 https://glta.net/ 30 https://www.athleteally.org/overview/ 31 https://www.youcanplayproject.org/ 32 https://thepadelpaper.com/all-out-padel-rocks-lane-chiswick/ 33 https://www.usgsn.com/tennis 34 www.ageofmajority.com 35 https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/southerncalifornia/surge-in-tennis-part

icipation-led-by-growth-in-ethnic-diversity.html#tab=tournaments

36 https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/southerncalifornia/surge-in-tennis-part

icipation-led-by-growth-in-ethnic-diversity.html#tab=tournaments