Stunning LTA numbers confirm tennis participation is booming in Britain
New figures from the LTA have revealed there has been a 47 per cent increase in tennis attendance at clubs and parks across Britain over the past year.
The LTA, Britain’s tennis governing body, has announced attendance figures for 2022 – highlighting continued success in getting more people to play tennis, more often.
There has been growth across all demographics, regions and nations in Britain, particularly among those aged 16-34 and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
The number of adults reporting having played tennis during the year increased by 43% compared to the previous year, from 3.3 million to 4.7 million from January to December. This is the highest total since 2017 and continued the growth seen in 2018-19 that was halted during the pandemic.
Additionally, more than two million adults are playing each month, and this is the highest level recorded since the LTA began tracking this metric seven years ago.
This means that the LTA met the targets set in its 2018-23 five-year strategy for annual and monthly adult participation one year ahead of schedule.
Finally, children’s weekly tennis participation has seen positive growth over the past year with over three and a half million children playing tennis and an additional 328,000 children playing tennis in schools.
“We are delighted with these numbers and that more and more people are choosing tennis,” said LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd.
“At the LTA, our vision is to open up tennis, and we have worked hard to build a strong foundation to make tennis more accessible. We have a fantastic network of coaches, volunteers, clubs and courts of park – and we invest in all of this to make it as easy as possible for people to participate.
“We are also committed to making our sport more inclusive and appealing to a wider audience through purpose-built initiatives like LTA Youth, She Rallies, LTA SERVES and LTA Open Court.
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“We also have brilliant players at the top of the game who carry the flag of British tennis internationally and inspire fans and the next generation. I want to thank everyone involved in British tennis for playing their part in the growth of the game.”
The LTA suggests that the growth in participation is due to a concerted effort to make tennis more accessible and welcoming.
There have been LTA investments in court and coach booking systems that make it easier for people to find opportunities to play that are local to them.
Investment has also been made in supporting clubs to grow and retain membership, increase attendance and be financially viable, including encouraging them to open their doors to the local community to maximize court usage.
The LTA has provided £14.3million in grants and loans, invested in new facilities across Britain over the past five years – such as new courts, floodlights, air bubbles and inner centers.
For children, the national governing body in Britain has rolled out the LTA Youth program to clubs, venues and schools, changing the way the game is presented to young people.
The success of British players like Emma Raducanu, Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie has undoubtedly boosted the popularity of the sport in Britain and with the backing of the LTA it seems their impact is not being felt in the local courts. from the country.
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