Lahaina Tennis Ranch to Acquire PlaySight Technology

PlaySight at Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch. Courtesy photo.

The latest tennis game-changing technology sweeping across Europe and the American Mainland—PlaySight Tennis—is coming to the Royal Lahaina Resort and Tennis Ranch this month—the first installation in Hawai‘i.

PlaySight Interactive and Tennis Media Company are joining forces to evolve and accelerate the growth of tennis to compete more successfully with all other sports through technology and media, PlaySight Interactive CEO Chen Shachar and Tennis Media Company Managing Partner George Mackin announced last week.

PlaySight, which is revolutionizing the tennis world with its all-in-one video and analytics SmartCourt technology, has partnered with the Tennis Media Company to build awareness for PlaySight and increase the number of SmartCourts installed around the tennis world.

PlaySight is also adding several new strategic investors to their impressive group, which now includes Novak Djokovic, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Pete Sampras, Paul Annacone, Mark Ein, Gordon Uehling III, Bill Ackman and Dr. James Loehr, among other leaders in sports marketing, sponsorship, technology and media.

The collaborative launch into tennis includes targeted marketing to tennis players, coaches, fans, colleges, clubs, tournaments and academies by leveraging the Tennis Media Company assets—Tennis Magazine, Tennis.com and Tennis Tuesday—and building strong industry relationships—with the USTA, ITA, ITF and more.

Tennis Media Company has been the leader in chronicling and promoting tennis, as well as inspiring millions of tennis enthusiasts for 50 years. In partnering with PlaySight, it now also has the technology partner for deeper tennis coverage, data, player analytics for coaching and more effective training and increased engagement and socialization.

PlaySight and the Tennis Media Company are collectively focused on growing the sport of tennis, from grassroots participation, junior development and collegiate tennis, to the WTA and ATP Tours.

The centerpiece and common vision to this new PlaySight and Tennis Media Company partnership is threefold.

1. To shift kids from video games to tennis PlaySight is focused on helping juniors transition from screens to courts using their interactive technology to enhance engagement, socialize the sport, and improve performance and enjoyment. The PlaySight Arcade is a new and exciting way that the sport is being gamified—making it more fun and challenging to practice and play.
2. To enhance sportsmanship and fair play in tennis—particularly at the junior level—through the PlaySight PlayFair initiative. These tournaments offer a challenge system utilizing video replay review, as well as line calling, analytics, and live streaming capabilities. Several PlaySight partners are already starting to implement their own PlayFair tournaments.
3. To build a coalition of tennis associations, private investors and corporate sponsors to boost the profile of college tennis as well as to turn the Futures and Challengers tournaments from the “orphan tours” into the exciting young professional tournament series the young generation of tennis players deserve. With the Tennis Media Company assets and PlaySight technology, the next generation of tennis players and future stars will have the platform to raise their visibility, tell their story, and engage with their fans and set the example for juniors to follow.

Paul Annacone, the legendary coach for Pete Sampras, Tim Henman and Roger Federer, and current Tennis Channel commentator, has joined the PlaySight team as the Head of Coaching and Player Development.

Annacone said he is excited about the impact PlaySight will have on tennis.

“Finally a technology that works at all levels! It’s exciting to think of the positive impact that PlaySight will have for so many,” Annacone said. “I love that the distribution of information answers the ‘why’ behind the analytics. I’m thrilled to join the team at PlaySight and look forward to seeing the impact on the world of sports.”

PlaySight and the Tennis Media Company are excited about this partnership and working together to help grow the sport of tennis—at all levels.

Download PlaySight – 2015 Recap FINAL.

PlaySight has approximately 300 SmartCourts installed around the world, from Wimbledon to Roland Garros to the USTA to Harvard University to Tennis Canada. The company’s vision is to bring cutting edge analytics and video technology—at an affordable price point—to every club in the world, creating a globally connected network of tennis players—driving participation, increasing enjoyment on the court, and helping players of all skill levels to improve faster. PlaySight was a sponsor of the International Tennis Federation’s 2015 Worldwide Coaches Conference and is currently a partner of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, as well as a technology partner with the Tennis Industry Association. With real-time analytics, multi-angle video review, live streaming, content storage, social media sharing, remote coaching, and more incredible SmartCourt features, PlaySight Technology is changing how players play, coaches’ coach, and fans engage with the tennis.

From instruction to pro-game coverage and everything in between, The Tennis Media Company—including Tennis Magazine, Tennis.com and Tennis Tuesday—is the premier provider of tennis content. Tapping deep into an affluent and passionate market of 30 million tennis enthusiasts, including more than five million extremely active players, TMC delivers an unparalleled audience of achievers and influencers.

PlaySight at Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch. Courtesy photo.

PlaySight at Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch. Courtesy photo.

PlaySight at Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch. Courtesy photo.