USTA Announces Layoffs, Structural Changes

June 9, 2020 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced major organizational changes on Monday, including the elimination of 100 jobs as part of a “transformational plan” to restructure the governing body of tennis in the United States.

“We have an opportunity to reimagine the structure of the organization o better serve the tennis community in the United States,” said USTA chief executive officer Michael Dowse. “This new structure allows the USTA to be more agile and more cost effective.”

Dowse added in the statement:

“Unfortunately, today represents a challenging day for many of the USTA family who have been negatively affected by the downsizing of the organization.”

The job cuts will result in the closure of the USTA’s office in White Plains. Staff members, both in White Plains and the national campus in Orlando, were notified of the reorganization on Monday, according to ESPN.

The restructuring had been in the works since 2018, but was rapidly moved up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan was an 18-month process that resulted in the USTA settling on five strategic choices for its mission moving forward:

  • Attract, Engage and Retain a New Generation
  • Lead Industry-Wide Improvements to the Tennis Delivery System, Provider Education and Consumer Experiences
  • Build and Optimize Best in Class Digital Infrastructure and Platforms
  • Ensure Continued Financial Growth and Performance
  • Collaborate Within the USTA & Tennis Ecosystem for the Common Good of Tennis

“In 2018 and 2019, the USTA Board of Directors began a process to align with the USTA sections and broader tennis ecosystem with a long term strategic plan designed to bolster the organization’s mission and provide continuity of planning through 2026.”

The layoffs and changes come just two months before the US Open is supposed to begin. The USTA plans to make an announcement later this month on if, how and when it will run the event.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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