USTA Florida Concludes 75th Anniversary Regional Celebrations in Tallahassee

USTA Florida recently wrapped up its 75th Anniversary regional celebration series with a dynamic and impactful event in Tallahassee, Florida, at the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. The day-long event emphasized the value of tennis as a tool for community engagement, economic growth, and personal development, while inspiring attendees to become advocates for the sport. Also, it featured a special HBCU Program Support Grant presentation for Florida A&M University. 

Above: Chuck Gill kicked off the day talking about advocacy.

The day kicked off with an Advocacy Presentation, which introduced attendees to the concept of advocacy and detailed USTA Florida’s ongoing efforts to grow tennis throughout the state. The presentation encouraged participants to see advocacy as a vital way to strengthen the game and increase access to tennis for all Floridians. 

Later in the morning, attendees were presented with findings from USTA Florida’s first-ever Economic Impact Report, conducted by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company. The report revealed groundbreaking insights into the state of tennis in Florida and its contributions to local economies, tourism, and overall community well-being. 

The report analyzed 1,134 sanctioned tennis tournaments and events across the state. Those events attracted 92,456 participants and 160,325 spectators, generating an impressive $81.8 million in direct spending. This spending translated into a total economic impact of $145.9 million, supporting 1,007 full-time and part-time jobs and contributing $11.4 million in state and local taxes.  

Above: Greg Pepitone talked about the Economic Impact Report.

Greg Pepitone, Associate Director at Tourism Economics, joined USTA Florida and explained how USTA Florida is helped generate revenue throughout the state. “For every dollar that was invested or spent by USTA Florida, there was nearly $13 in direct spending that was generated throughout the state. When we look at this in terms of income, every dollar that was invested by USTA Florida generated nearly $7 in total income,” Pepitone said. “And for every dollar invested by USTA Florida, there was $1.80 that was generated for state and local governments. There’s a clear significant impact that is being generated on an annual basis to the operations of these tournaments, but also those visitors that are coming into the local communities to participate in these events as well.” 

You can view the full Economic Impact Report by visiting, ustaflorida.com/EIP. 

The afternoon featured a special Q&A session with Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who shared his perspective on the importance of investing in sports, like tennis. “USTA Florida is more than just a champion for tennis; it’s a driving force for community improvement and economic vitality in our state. Through tennis tournaments, programs, and initiatives, USTA Florida fosters a love for the sport but also fuels Florida’s economy by attracting tourism, creating jobs, and inspiring growth in local businesses,” Patronis said. “Congratulations to the entire team at USTA Florida for 75 years of advancing the game of tennis in Florida!” 

Above: Florida CFO, Jimmy Patronis joined the celebration to further discuss the impact sports have on the state’s economy.

Patronis also presented USTA Florida with a proclamation, for the organization’s tireless work to make tennis accessible to all and making a huge economic impact on the state. 

Participants took part in an interactive Advocacy Workshop, where they explored strategies to champion tennis in their communities. The workshop encouraged attendees to collaborate, share ideas, and create actionable plans to grow tennis participation, secure funding, and support public tennis facilities across Florida. 

This workshop also marked the formal launch of USTA Florida’s Advocacy Program. The organization is working with local communities, receiving feedback and creating plans to better promote and develop tennis for everyone in Florida, regardless of age, skill, or ability. For more information, visit ustaflorida.com/advocacy. 

Lastly, the night concluded with USTA Florida awarding the second HBCU Program Support Grant to Florida A&M University. This grant, worth $100,000, will enable FAMU to support student-athlete engagement by applying the funds toward various needs, including court improvements, tennis equipment, scholarships for Florida students, and additional coach education. The grant can also enable the university to expand outreach to local youth, encouraging participation in tennis while building a stronger connection between FAMU and the surrounding community. 

Above: USTA Florida presented the FAMU Women’s Tennis Program with a $100,000 HBCU Program Support Grant.

FAMU, represented by Head Coach, Rochelle “Coach Nikki” Houston, Assistant Coach, Earl Wade, Athletic Director Angela Suggs, and a player, Genesis Whitelock, joined Play Tennis Gainesville Director of Tennis, George Henry for a panel discussion about the grant, the school’s history, and the future of HBCU tennis. 

“This grant is the largest grant ever. Thank you, for your forward thinking, for believing and giving us a chance,” Earl Wade, FAMU Assistant Tennis Coach said. “We want to keep these dialogues going and talk about our progress and how the FAMU program continues to grow.” 

Above: Members of the FAMU Tennis Program joined USTA Florida for a Q&A session.

USTA Florida’s regional anniversary events have brought together tennis enthusiasts, community leaders, and advocates throughout the state, providing inspiration and tools to make tennis more accessible and impactful. The Tallahassee celebration served as the grand finale, reinforcing the message that tennis is an investment worth making for Florida individuals, families, and communities. 

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Written by: Jaret Kappelman, Marketing & Communications Coordinator for USTA Florida. Be sure to check out USTA Florida, the governing body of amateur tennis in Florida, offering tennis programs for all ages and ability levels. Photos courtesy of USTA Florida.