One of the RIRG's primary functions is to provide our member manufacturers and participating partners with key industry indicators that allow them to keep a pulse on their businesses and the industry.

The RIRG tracks wholesale shipments of racquets, balls, and strings through our quarterly Census Reports. The data provided in these reports is collected confidentially by a third-party accounting firm and aggregated to provide total industry numbers, allowing manufacturers to calculate their market share of the wholesale tennis equipment industry.

In addition to the census reports, the RIRG produces a Specialty Store Retail Audit, a POS monitoring report of equipment sales at pro/specialty retail shops in the United States. Monthly racquet summary reports showing average price points, top selling models, etc. are also available to participating partners.

Each year, the RIRG surveys more than 30,000 individuals to create several consumer reports that highlight consumer buying habits, brand preferences, and brand awareness.

Learn more about the different research reports available to manufacturers below.

Manufacturer Reports

Brand Perception Reports

The Brand Perception Report is a 3-part report highlighting store trends and brand perception for racquets and footwear among specialty tennis retailers. For Part I, store trends, the report highlights sales trends, promotional strategies, store policies, in-store technology, current issues for retailers, along with 10 and Under Tennis trends among specialty tennis retailers. Part II of the report focuses on racquets, it includes brand distribution, dealer racquet sales predictions, gross margin, net promoter scores, ratings of the various brands in a variety of categories from pro specialty retailers, and more. Part III, footwear, includes brand summaries, brand distribution, trended sales predictions, net promoter scores, tennis footwear company ratings, a dealer confidence index, and dealer comments respective to the brands carried in the survey respondents retail store.

Census Reports

For each quarter of the year a third party accounting firm collects data from participating manufacturers and aggregates the data into the RIRG Census Reports on Balls, Racquets, Strings, Racquetball, and Squash. Each Census Report highlights current quarter wholesale unit & dollar shipments in the industry, year-to-date figures, as well as comparison to same period last year.

This report is only available to Participating Partners of the TIA who contribute company information for data aggregation. If you are a manufacturer and would like to contribute data and receive this report please contact the RIRG at 312-596-5281.

Specialty Store Retail Audit

The Pro Specialty Retail Audit is a POS monitor of retail sales through the Pro/Specialty Channel. Monthly data from 100+ retail outlets is collected and aggregated into the report. Quarterly summaries for racquets, shoes, and strings are generated and distributed to participating partners in their respective competitive areas. The reports includes brand/model dollar share, unit share, price point analysis, category analysis (head-size, weight etc). An online research “cube”, Pro Clarity, is available for access for Participating Partners to manipulate retail audit data and generate customized data views.

Monthly Racquet Summaries

For each month of the year, the RIRG collects data from a pro/specialty retail audit panel and aggregates the data from the retailers to form the RIRG Racket Audit Summaries. Each audit highlights unit share, dollar sales, dollar share, and average price for racquets being sold in the pro/specialty channel. Current quarter, year to date, quarter vs. quarter, and year over year data is conveyed in the specialty store retail audit. Additionally, combined model best sellers are also listed along with “hot new racquets.” Various other specifications in each category are also contained in each report.

Retail Audit Chart Decks

The specialty market audit chart decks are a product of the RIRG's monthly pro/specialty retail audit and highlight: best sellers in units and dollars, branded price point reports, total unit and dollar sales in a quarter vs. quarter comparison, brand share, and more.

State of the Industry

The State of the Racquet Industry/Industry Insider is published annually and is an analysis of the more than 70+ reports conducted each year by the Racquet Industry Research Group.

This 16-page document narrates the story of the tennis industry from the previous year by focusing on four key segments including the economy and tennis, tennis supply, tennis demand and media/pro events.  

4-page summaries of this report are also available.
Both reports are available to all members.

Click here to login and access the previews.

Click here to login and access the full reports.

Non-members can purchase the full report from the RIRG Store by clicking here.

Industry Insider Reports

The 2025 edition of the Tennis Industry Association Industry Insider Report outlines key research to tell the story of the U.S. tennis industry in 2024. The RIRG produces research reports every year to help tennis businesses of all types, and the Industry Insider summarizes these important insights to offer an overview of where the industry has been, where it is now, and where it may be going. 

RIRG members at ALL levels have access to this report.

Download it by clicking here.

USTA/RIRG Study

PAC Play Report

The Physical Activity Council (PAC) Sports, Fitness & Recreation Participation Overview Report is a research project in the U.S.A. tracking sports, fitness & recreation participation. This overview report covers the total participation numbers in 117 different sports during the previous calendar year (i.e. 2010 report is 2009 data). This report is produced by a partnership of seven major governing body and trade associations in US sports and leisure.

The overall aim of this report is to establish levels of activity and identify key trends in sports, fitness, and recreation participation in the United States.

Consumer RETAIL Reports

Consumer reports are only available to RIRG members at the Participating Partner level who contribute company information for data aggregation. If you are a manufacturer and would like to contribute data and receive this report please contact us at 312-596-5281 or info@tennisindustry.org.

Learn more about all the membership levels here.

Racquets

The Tennis Consumer Report for Rackets is conducted through a sample of frequent players (21+ play occasions/year) via an online survey in the United States. Over 3000 interviews are completed for this report. The report highlights brand strength (which brands consumers prefer), brands selected for most recent racket purchases, racket brand image, survey respondent demographics, tennis media preferences, and more. 

Tennis Balls

The Tennis Consumer Report for Balls is conducted through a sample of frequent players (21+ play occasions/year) via an online survey in the United States. Over 3000 interviews are completed for this report. The report highlights brand strength (which brand of tennis balls consumers prefer), brands selected for most recent ball purchases, perceived best ball brand, purchase quantity preferences, and more. 

Footwear

The Tennis Consumer Report for Shoes is conducted through a sample of frequent players (21+ play occasions/year) via an online survey in the United States. Over 3,000 interviews are completed for this report. The report highlights brand strength (which brand of tennis shoes consumers prefer), brands selected for most recent shoe purchases, shoe brand image, purchase location preferences, and more. 

Strings

The Tennis Consumer Report for Strings is conducted through a sample of frequent players (21+ play occasions/year) via an online survey in the United States. Over 3000 interviews are completed for this report. The report highlights brand consideration (which brand of strings consumers consider for purchase), brands selected for most recent string purchases, brand strength, purchase location preferences, and more. 

Retail Buying Habits

The new tennis consumer retail report for 2012 looks at consumers retail behavior and shopping preferences. Online vs. in-store preferences. 2012 is about racquets, 2013 will be about shoes, 2014 is about apparel. This study is not limited to only frequent players (21+ times/year) and also includes data submitted regular players.

Apparel

The Tennis Consumer Report for Apparel is conducted through a sample of frequent players (21+ play occasions/year) via an online survey in the United States. Over 3,000 interviews are completed for this report. The report highlights brand strength (which brands consumers prefer), brands selected for most recent apparel purchases and where frequent players are purchasing their apparel, such as online, in specialty stores, and at mass merchants.