Total & Percentage Population Change Paints a Clearer Picture

In looking at all of the information we have, one thing is consistently clear: Florida remains a driving force in tennis play in America and Globally.

Population growth, the ability to play year-round, and our many program offerings are strengths that we have compared to other states. At the same time, population growth is putting pressure on our existing infrastructure and we lack coaches. To serve our growing and diverse population, we will need to add courts, add coaches and add programs that meet the needs of specific communities. And we will need to do a better job of facilitating play in some areas, and advocating in others.

Demographic Trends

The Villages and Ocala are driving incredible increases in population across Lake, Sumter and Marion counties. That growth is largely among adults, and that’s also the case with Southwest Florida, from Manatee to Collier counties. When it comes to population growth among youth, the western panhandle, most of central Florida and Jacksonville area (Duval, Clay, Baker, Putnam) are leading the charge.

From central Florida south to Miami, you see a high percentage of Hispanic persons. Conversely, the Black population tends to be more predominant in Noth Florida (Tallahassee), as well as in Palm Beach, Broward and Hillsborough. In looking at the trends here, it’s important to note what is driving population growth in each area, and where there is a convergence of many different demographics in a single market.

The key takeaway here is that Florida markets vary greatly in terms of demographics.

Demand for Tennis

The USTA Tennis Participation Study Findings provide a very general view of tennis demand and demographics in Florida. The number of tennis players in Florida increased 4 percent year-over-year, to 1,721,000, marking at least 10 consecutive years of growth in the section. Since 2018, Florida has added at least half a million players to our count.

The diversity of tennis players continues to grow, with 41 percent of all players in Florida being non-white and 28 percent of which are Hispanic/Latino. While tennis in Florida skews towards older folks, we see an increase in 18-34 year olds playing tennis compared to 2022.

Florida continues to be made up of the highest concentration of core players in the US (10+ days a year), and these players average the most days played per year of any section. This is a long-standing trend that puts greater pressure on our tennis courts year-round.

Tennis infrastructure is our most pressing need.

Now is the time to double-down on our investment in courts & facilities

We know from our own USTA Florida programs, feedback from providers and assessments of various public facilities that there is a pressing need for more tennis courts and facilities in many areas of the State. We also know that we have lost some courts to development and conversion during the last several years, and there has not been a major investment in building or adding new courts in recent years.

A current analysis shows we have more than 11,000 courts in the state at roughly 1600 facilities. Palm Beach County leads the way by a large margin, with Miami-Dade and Broward claiming the next highest counts. Comparing the court data by county with the population growth, we can identify areas where pressure is likely high for court availability. Pasco, Lake, Manatee, Osceola and Polk Counties all fall into this high-pressure category, and it’s no surprise that development is high in all of these areas – making them prime locations for future investment.

Later this year, USTA Florida will be releasing a new economic impact study, showing how tennis programs and events bring economic benefits to cities, counties and the entire state. That report will include important guidance for cities and private investment on the financial and community impact related to facility size, court type, event types and a host of other parameters. This information will help us drive new facilities and expand existing ones. Check back in December for the full report.

We need more of them on tennis courts.

Coaching & Management

Thanks to our USTA FL Community Coach Program, which was launched in 2022, we do have insights into who may want to coach and how we can bring them in through half-day training sessions. In 2023, we trained 270 unique coaches to run community-based programs. Of that total, 144 were women and 126 were men, and few were already certified. Red/Orange/Green ball, Summer Camps, and Wheelchair programs were the most popular curriculums offered. In 2022 and 2023 combined, we trained more than 500 community coaches.

Florida remains a driving force in tennis play in America and Globally.

Population growth, the ability to play year-round, and our many program offerings are strengths that we have compared to other states. At the same time, population growth is putting pressure on our existing infrastructure and we lack coaches. To serve our growing and diverse population, we will need to add courts, add coaches and add programs that meet the needs of specific communities. And we will need to do a better job of facilitating play in some areas, and advocating in others.