U.S. Red Clay Tennis Initiative Gains Momentum in Detroit
Harbor Springs, MI (PRWEB) July 30, 2013 -- Since launching one year ago, The RedClay Club Initiative has added momentum in its effort to interject red clay tennis into the national tennis, health and sport scene. The RCC has reached initial terms with key partner sites and patrons, including The Fairlane Club in metro Detroit, according to RCUSA Founder and CEO Brian Osterberg.
New Fairlane Club owner Russ Ebeid and RCUSA are outlining the proposed phases for inclusion of new indoor and outdoor RedClay courts, the RedClayTV Broadcasting Facility and a flagship location for an official RC/USTA Training Center.
The United States Tennis Association has also expressed its enthusiasm and desire to participate with RCUSA LLC. USTA COO Gordon Smith wrote to RCUSA sharing his “excitement about your plans to develop red clay courts in the U.S.” Red clay is the preferred tennis surface - - outside of the U.S.
RCUSA Advisory Team Member Jimmy Arias, formerly World #5 and Italian Open champion says, “It’s a privilege to work with Brian to help forge The RedClay Club and bring traditional European red clay tennis into American culture and overall “new sport” mix for kids. RCTV will get RedClay tennis in front of the American youth and launch waves of new tennis players. Playing in the “red dirt” will definitely excite the kids, and get them asking for, and playing on the red clay courts.”
Serena Williams, 2013 French Open champion, quoted in Paris this year, “I love the (red)clay. I love to slide!”
The initiative plans to re-energize American tennis by moving towards more “equal-footing” when comparing the number of American hard courts (e.g. asphalt) to the vastly out-numbered red clay courts in the U.S., about 1,000 to 1. Initiative priorities include convincing clubs, cities and schools to install red clay courts; building America’s first-ever red clay (indoor and outdoor) Training Center, certified by the USTA; and the world’s first broadcast facility for constant live tennis via RCTV.
RCUSA launched the RedClay Club Initiative to professionally manage the business of orchestrating support and sponsors, including an international RCC membership drive beginning in September.
“RCC members will extend our message of red clay’s virtues as we take these first steps of introducing it to America. We’re very pleased the USTA supports our efforts,” says Osterberg. Red clay tennis is being promoted as the best new alternative to the more problematic contact sports typically found in schools. Additionally, teaching pros and former tour pros unanimously agree that red clay may necessarily be the superior court surface for learning and staying with tennis for a lifetime.
Ebeid plans to restore The Fairlane Club to its former state of elegance and community status. Ebeid states, “The importation of European RedClay tennis and its social culture to The Fairlane Club will add immensely to our goal of providing the best of all global cultural mores to our club. It should provide American tennis a centerpiece platform to further launch the RedClay Initiative geared towards the youth of America.”
RCUSA has signed a Letter of Intent with several types of interested parties, including a nationally recognized resort operator, private patrons and commercial partners. Facility design layouts have begun under USTA guidance. A title-sponsor search for the flagship stadium is being conducted. The stadium is described as a RC epi-center, RCC’s own “Yankee Stadium”, for daily entertainment in America, with weekly scheduled tournaments and high-profile events for RCTV broadcast. Restyling tennis on TV and the web is a goal for attracting national and global viewers.
More About RedClay:
Only about 10% of American tennis courts are clay, and it's estimated only 1% of those are of European red clay. Yet all of Europe and South America (and increasingly elsewhere like China, India, Japan) prefer the traditional red clay, a material and color chosen for performance as well as esthetics.
Red clay tennis is well established as part of European social clubs and is an inter-generational fixture in their culture, promoting a lifelong family activity.
Almost all professional clay tennis around the world is played on European style red clay, except in the U.S. In the U.S., charcoal/green colored clay courts became the norm 75 years ago due to entrepreneurs using the native stone/mix available. Most are still found only in private clubs. This happenstance of clay and color choice may epitomize the unspoken disconnect with American tennis and the rest of the world: The U.S. doesn't play much on clay, and when we do, it’s not red - - while the rest of the world still holds dear to the red clay tradition. RCUSA believes the U.S. should now be willing and able to play on the red.
RCUSA is pleased to lead this national conversation and conversion of adding “old-world” red clay as the newest 21st century U.S. sport. RedClay Clubs are poised to be the future cornerstones for learning tennis and providing good social/gender interaction for kids (it’s called mixed doubles in tennis!). Also, hard court tennis is known as the bane of the over-30 tennis player, being very tough on the body.
It’s a call-to-action and long-term plan for red clay courts to start showing up all around the U.S.
“We’re discussing the “studio/stage court” for The Fairlane Club as a small way of adding to the re-emergence of a healthy new Detroit,” states Osterberg, “Establishing not only a new international tennis destination, but a broadcasting industry as well. As former CEO of Guardian Glass, Russ clearly knows how to build successful operations.”
Several tennis clubs, resorts, private academies and schools are also in discussions with RCUSA to join the RedClay Club. By adding red clay courts, together with a bit of European culture, a new choice for members, guests and students is offered.
“We’re inviting everyone to join the our international RedClay Club (RCC) launching online in September,” states Osterberg. “This club will put a name and face to RedClay tennis in America, bringing all RedClay advocates together. We’ll organize red clay tennis growth - - informing U.S. health and sporting officials how, where and why it can work.”
RCUSA is still seeking major international sponsors and partners to help finance their RC Conversion Fund (for sites ready to join the RedClay Club), including sports broadcasting and consumer brand companies.
Tony Ritzman of Ritzman Tennis, a top U.S. court builder, is also a RCUSA advisor. Osterberg states, "Tony agrees that RedClay tennis could be the wave of the immediate future for American tennis. We’re ready to work with anyone choosing to add European red clay courts and the natural beauty and benefit of lifetime play they offer.”
“That’s our vision, and our vision may depend on kids watching live RedClay tennis on RCTV to become excited and motivated. Could RC tennis become serious competition to the NFL, NBA and MLB for attracting the youth of America? If we can resonate our message within the school boards and educational systems, we think so,” says Osterberg.
“We’d like RedClay in every club, public park and school yard. Right next to the football, baseball or soccer field”, says Osterberg, “and I’ll just keep repeating Serena’s ‘love to slide’ quote if she doesn’t mind.”
redclayclub.com launches September 2013.
Contact:
Brian Osterberg, CEO
RedClay USA LLC
Mail: PO Box 42
Petoskey, MI 49770
brianosterberg(at)redclayusa(dot)com
231 622 3692
Brian Osterberg, RedClay USA LLC, 231 622 3692, [email protected]
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