Future Partnerships Poised to support Student-Athletes and College Tennis Programs
Palo Alto, Calif. (November 18, 2024) – UTR Sports, creator of the world’s most accurate tennis rating system and innovative UTR Pro Tennis Tour, is excited to announce its entry into the groundbreaking name, image, likeness (NIL) space.
Since the NCAA rule change in 2021, allowing students to profit from their name, image and likeness, NIL has impacted collegiate athletics. In collegiate tennis, UTR Sports is primed to become a NIL pioneer and continue to elevate the sport. UTR Sports, with its history of innovating tennis globally, is investing to grow college tennis with NIL collectives that will expand opportunities for student-athletes and provide support to tennis programs during a potentially difficult time for non-revenue sports.
“This is a major milestone for UTR Sports,” said James McKie, Director of Player Relations for the PTT and former Division I college tennis coach. “We look forward to working with partners across the country and furthering opportunities for college tennis athletes.”
With this new effort, UTR Sports is leading the way in the NIL space with further innovation that will ensure student-athletes have as much financial support as possible. With its rich history of game-changing initiatives, UTR Sports has forever improved tennis in many ways. The UTR Rating changed global college tennis recruiting more than a decade ago. More recently, new college tennis championships, including the UTR Sports NIT Championship, have brought new postseason opportunities for college teams.
Along the way, UTR Sports has innovated its tournament software and introduced many offerings to help college coaches thrive. Over the past four years, with more than $30M invested, the UTR Pro Tennis Tour has broadened the pathway for aspiring athletes looking to reach the top level of the sport. These are just a few of the meaningful ways UTR Sports continues to focus on the needs of collegiate athletes and coaches.
In a similar way, UTR Sports is uniquely positioned to leverage this moment in time to further transform the sport and provide more opportunities for players. “As has always been the case, UTR Sports is prepared to serve the needs of our college tennis partners however best we can in this ever-changing NIL landscape,” said Chase Hodges, UTR Sports Vice President/GM.
About UTR Sports
The mission of UTR Sports is to connect and grow the sports of tennis and pickleball with accurate global ratings, innovative software and events, and a global community centered around level-based play. The UTR Sports Platform is anchored by our renowned ratings technology. UTR Sports provides the technology and solutions relevant and valuable to players, from recreational to professional, coaches, and organizers. UTR Sports is creating opportunities and pathways, including the UTR Pro Tennis Tour, for players from all over the world, in all stages of life, to find better matches and unlock a more fun, affordable, and flexible experience. To learn more, visit www.utrsports.net.
PARTNER CONTACT:
James McKie, UTR Sports
james.mckie@utrsports.com
PRESS CONTACT:
Ben Makarenko, UTR Sports
ben.makarenko@utrsports.com