Tennis | Inside The Lines

INSIGHTS FROM THE FIELD

Real-world perspective on strategy, growth, competitive pressure, and leadership under constraint. No theory. No recycled frameworks. Just lessons from the work — and what actually holds up when decisions carry real consequences.

Inside The Lines — All Posts
Brand & Positioning
Racquet Sports
Case Studies
Growth Strategy
Padel Industry

Little Debbie-branded Smart Cars from the Share-a-thon Tour, with the campaign team posing beside one, under the header 'Game, Set, Cupcake.'

Why This Is Your Problem, Not a Cupcake Problem

A low-budget campaign beat a 90-year competitor by asking one sharper question. Here's what it means for every racquet sports club, brand, and manufacturer trying to win on more than product.

Jul 154 min read

Family collage from T Bar M tennis club in Dallas — Mike Knowles' mom courtside at the club, Mike as a junior player, and Mike with his dad, over a background of tennis courts.

The Family Membership Exists Everywhere. Household Economics Exist Nowhere.

That 365-day chart is the picture worth keeping. Look at it: flat line for nine months, then starting in April — nine spikes in ten weeks, each one an issue, and the peaks getting taller. 720 subscribers, 34,000 impressions, 4,000 article views, all of it built since spring. That is not a viral moment. That is a compounding asset. And here is the pattern inside the spikes worth noticing: Issues 08 and 09 are your two tallest peaks, back to back. The newsletter is not plateaui

Jul 97 min read

ARA 2025 Compensation Report — The first independent salary benchmark for racquet sports professionals, built on verified IRS 990 public filings.

The Racquet Sports Industry Finally Has Real Compensation Data

Racquet sports compensation data just got its first independent benchmark. Here's what the ARA's 2025 report reveals about director pay, club size, and where the gaps still exist.

May 202 min read

Three racquet sport paddles and a pickleball resting on a court surface — a tennis racquet, a padel racket, and a pickleball paddle representing the three fastest-growing racquet sports in the U.S.

The U.S. Racquet Sports Market Looks Different When You See the Global Data

The 2026 global racquet sports participation data is out. Here's what it actually means for tennis, padel, and pickleball operators, investors, and brands navigating the U.S. market right now.

Apr 277 min read

Racquet sports business owner working alone on laptop weighing a difficult decision

What 81,000 People Told Anthropic — And What It Means If You Run a Racquet Sports Business

Anthropic interviewed over 80,000 people across 159 countries about what they want from AI — and what they fear. HR leaders are citing it. Educators are citing it. Nobody in racquet sports has touched it. Here's what it means for the decisions you're making right now.

Apr 104 min read

RacquetX 2026 Fort Lauderdale March 13-15

RacquetX 2026 Is One Week Out. Here's What I'll Be Looking For.

The racquet sports industry is showing up in Fort Lauderdale with momentum. The harder question is whether it's showing up with structure.

Mar 53 min read

Defending Position and Purpose When Competitive Pressure Hits

Competitive threats rarely arrive out of nowhere. More often, they come from places you know well. That was the reality the Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA) faced in mid-2025 with the launch of USTA Coaching—a new initiative from the sport’s most powerful governing body, backed by significant resources and national visibility. For decades, the relationship between the USTA and the RSPA had been complementary.

Feb 43 min read