May - June 1997: Volume 8, Number 3
After quietly reporting negative participation figures over the past four years, I am most pleased — in fact, excited — to share better news with you. According to its most recent poll, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association has confirmed a dramatic addition of one-half million racquetball players to our ranks in 1996. This 500,000 increase gives us a grand total of 6.8 million players in the U.S. alone.
We feel this marks the beginning of the end of a downturn that began in the early 1990s. We're also convinced that the many grassroots efforts initiated in 1994 on the part of the USRA, IHRSA, SGMA, AmPRO, the pro tours and virtually every facet of our industry have finally come together to unify and promote our sport to renewed heights.
At a time when all minor sports are under siege by competitors who want to lure participants away to the newest, coolest, most-extreme sport variations — we've managed to attract a substantial number of new (or returning) players to racquetball. In spite of millions of dollars spent in promotions by professional sports organizations to bring more players into football, soccer, hockey, baseball and beach volleyball, we've managed to make the most out some very limited resources to regain a foothold in the market.
How was it done? Using facts and figures we're all familiar with — racquetball players claim the highest retention rates in the private club system (3.7 years on average vs. 2.2 years for fitness members — without the need for new gimmicks and equipment upgrades each year). Racquetball players burn 800 calories per hour and have fun doing it. Enthusiasts begin early, stay with the sport through college, then play well into their golden years — often competing to age 85, and beyond. With good programming and management, each racquetball court in a facility can realize $90,000 per year, per court for savvy club owners.
But there's still plenty to do. Our efforts are only in the preliminary stages of development. We need to convince diehard, doom-and-gloom pessimists to get on the bandwagon and support important initiatives instead of sitting on the sidelines saying it can't be done. If we can achieve this, just think of all we can accomplish as our sport matures.
Spread the word. Well-managed racquetball is here to stay — growing up responsibly, intelligently, and politely — on the worldwide playground of sport.
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