Volleying.
By PTN Readers

Another National Championship

Platform tennis is a doubles game. 
Bob Brown

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@PaddleTennis I'm new to the sport and have only played singles. If you want the sport to grow, singles must be accepted.
Submitted by @Joey_PGA

Sponsors

I am sure this has been discussed numerous times so sorry if this is not original. I do think that paddle is too small of a group to attract and keep a National advertiser. I don't know if we have specific data on benefits to advertisers such as the amount of business attributed to their advertising dollars spent.
I used to work for a major national bank and they offered discounts to certain groups, organizations, etc. In the banking world for example, you might get a .25% discount on a home equity line, or $50 for opening a checking account. Other businesses may offer 10% off their services, etc. Do you think it would make sense to bring additional value to the apta membership by getting organizations to offer discounts to us as a group. These organization may in return pay for ad space or sponsor tourneys, etc. I also think it would be useful to somehow track the benefits to being an apta sponsor other than exposure to X amount of people.  
Kim Schild
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I think that it is especially difficult for platform tennis to garner national advertisers because the sport is played so much at private clubs.  At least in the Baltimore Area.  There is a “pocket” of private clubs with courts, if you are not a member of one of these 6 clubs, then there is no real opportunity to play or watch.  The nature of most of these private venues, is they are not going to allow a big sponsor in and offer clinics, demos etc to the general public to generate interest beyond the membership.  If you were interested, the cost of membership to these clubs is in many cases cost prohibitive, particularly for younger players. I live in the Baltimore metro area,  I did not grow up here and most of my family and friends have no concept of what the sport even is and have no opportunity to see or play it.   The fact that it is played in winter months only adds to the bewilderment.  
Siobhan O’Brien Budnitz
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When I was hired as Executive Director in the mid 80's paddle had indeed fallen off the sponsor wagon... I think it was a recoil from the good intentions of the sponsors through the late 70's, but I was asked to go out and find sponsors..  I came across time and time again the parallel to tennis' troubles with doubles..  teams of 2 do not excite sponsors because there is no mano a mano competition that brings in the fans.. I like McEnroe, you like Connors and we are going to take sides..  Too often in our sport (even though we love it)  the doubles team has no real personality that is comprehendible by the public.  I like one guy on the team, but don't care for the other, I am less likely to watch..

Also, the sponsor's main complaint when recoiling from the Seagram years was that to the untrained eye, our paddle points went on for so long that you saw everything paddle had to offer to the new viewer in the first game..  It’s too subtle for the masses who don't play all the time.. Temperature was a factor too with people watching for a set and leaving..  The stands rarely stayed full and sponsors saw this..  Filming the sport was difficult  the only great angle is top down..  To costly for most..  and private clubs didn't want sponsors in the door. 

The final problem I ran across was that the ugly player chasing the prize money became a contrast to the amateur player that loved paddle as a sport and not a profession.  It was a test to have prize money, but the game is too social and friendly when you factor in all the above mentioned difficulties.. The sponsorship needs to go to the party and entertainment and not into pockets of tennis pros. With all that said, I am still a great believer in singles with a vibrant pink ball being the new ultimate racquet sport and very saleable by someone who wants to take all these talented young racquets players and develop an extreme paddle tour that people would enjoy watching..  Any interest?

Jim McCready
USPTA Director of Racquet Sports
Spring Brook Country Club..
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This is regard to your question about national Advertisers.
I own an ad agency and we do plenty of sponsorships for a wide variety of events.
The two biggest questions we ask are
1) How many people are we going to reach?
2)What are the specific demographics and lifestyle choices of these people?

Since we are somewhat of a niche sport, the "How Many" number is small. However demographically we have a very attractive group.
Tim Mclaughlin

what do you think? let me know! info@platformtennisnews.com

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