3. Racquet Industry Research Group (formerly TIA)

The Racquet Industry Research Group (formerly the Tennis Industry Association – TIA)

The organization that was previously called the Tennis Industry Association, or TIA, changed its name to the Racquet Industry Research Group, or RIRG, in 2024.

The name change reflected the organization’s expansion beyond tennis into the broader racquet sports industry, including pickleball, padel, and other sports. It should not be confused with the separate Tennis Industry Association UK.

The organization was originally founded in 1974 as the American Tennis Industry Federation. It is a nonprofit trade association representing the business side of racquet sports.

Its members can include equipment manufacturers, retailers, court builders, facilities, software companies, associations, media organizations, and other businesses that earn revenue from racquet sports. Its mission is to promote participation and support the industry’s economic health.

One of the RIRG’s most important responsibilities is industry research. It collects and distributes information about participation, equipment sales, consumer behavior, retail activity, facilities, and broader business trends.

The organization reports producing more than 70 research reports annually. Manufacturers can use this information to make production and inventory decisions, while clubs can use participation data to evaluate programming, staffing, court construction, or expansion.

RSM students should understand the difference between a governing body and a trade association.

A governing body establishes rules, sanctions competition, and represents a sport. A trade association represents the businesses operating within an industry. The RIRG does not certify coaches or govern competitive tennis. Instead, it provides research, education, networking, and business intelligence.

Future directors and club managers should know how to locate and interpret this information rather than making important business decisions based only on personal experience.