2010 LTO Application
By expressing interest in becoming the Local Tennis Organizer (LTO) for USTA Flex Leagues in
your community, you have demonstrated a desire to help with the USTA’s mission “to promote
and develop the growth of tennis”.
After your section has reviewed the information provided in this form and has determined your
selection as LTO for a specific area, you will be contacted by the USTA Flex Leagues National
Manager to arrange an introductory call to cover program description, administration,
promotion, training and support as well as the steps needed to launch a new market.
USTA Flex Leagues connect tennis players for matches “any place, any time”. Individuals sign
up online and receive a schedule of 5-8 weekly matches with players within their NTRP level to
be played within a two month season. The program can offer singles, doubles or mixed doubles
in adult, senior and super senior divisions.
Open to USTA members and non members, this program makes it easy to play matches when
and where it’s most convenient. Players will have several different reasons to try this league:
to meet more tennis players, play more matches, find potential teammates, work on their
game for leagues and tournaments, and play more singles (or doubles/mixed doubles if
applicable).
After receiving administrative training and marketing support via the National Manager, the
LTO chooses registration and season dates, and launches the first season.
This form includes contact and background information, desired skill sets, job description,
agenda for call with National Manager and launch market checklist.
Name:
Address:
City:
Business Phone:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
Email:
Geographic Area Desired to Offer USTA Flex Leagues:
Central Zip Code for area:
Desired Radius to Promote to Potential Players:
(in miles)
Background: Describe your experiences or skills that you make you a good LTO
candidate here:
LTO Desired Skill Sets / Characteristics:
Personal Attributes for Leadership – could be an individual or CTA
Proven Tennis Leader in Community – highly regarded and well connected to local tennis community
“Bright Light” – outgoing, welcoming, helpful, focused on “fun” aspects of USTA Flex Leagues
Consistent – offers good organization re: dates/deadlines/scheduling and communication with players
Sales oriented – wants everyone in town to play USTA Flex Leagues and is a walking billboard and
megaphone for tennis
Fair minded – resolves rare player issues/conflicts with care and seeks input from all involved
Enthusiastic – never tires of responsibility to offer USTA Flex Leagues to community and realizes
importance in doing so (if no one raises hand to be in charge, USTA Flex Leagues don’t exist there).
Problem Solver - able to solve multiple problems from scheduling to grievances on his/her own or with
little supervision
Team Player – able to delegate appropriate duties to others if needed and shares successes or lessons
learned with nationwide USTA Flex Leagues peers.
Desires Growth – never believes there is no “room for growth”. Will add seasons, divisions, levels,
facilities, expanded boundaries, etc to see program grow.
Cheerleader – Encourages players to wait until end of season to claim defaults to emphasize that
overall motive is to get matches played. Also encourages players who may have signed up for a level
higher than their actual skill level.
Creative – initiates a good idea or “borrows” a good idea from another league. Always thinking about
how to promote USTA Flex Leagues outside of existing tennis community.
PASSIONATE!!!! About tennis, USTA Flex Leagues, USTA, their section, their district/state (if
applicable), their CTA, US Open, the local pros, their players, their own game, their chance to interact
other LTOs, their growth, and their reason for contributing to the growth of tennis.
LTO Job Description
Training
Intro Call with National Manager, Online Tutorial, Website Demo, LTO Teamspace
League Setup
Metro Area, Divisions and Levels Offered, Registration and Season Dates
Promotion
Utilizing national, section, state/district support and initiating local marketing effort
Administration
When registration closes, examine each flight to determine:
# of registrations in each flight
Additional flights required due to more than 9 registrations
Publish schedule (players will receive automated email to begin scheduling matches)
Determine if any flights did not have enough registrations to publish
Offer refund or move to next season for flights with less than 4 registrations
During Season:
Respond to player inquiries not handled directly by Linkteam (“contact us” link on website)
Submit next season’s dates to National Manager if not established earlier
Submit best practices/lessons learned to National Manager for LTO Teamspace
Set up next season on website so players who missed current season can sign up for next one
When Season Ends:
Email last season’s players with invitation to play next season
Plan next season’s local promotion
Local Marketing Plan for New Markets:
National Support:
Starter Kit includes posters, flyers, promo cards, banner, hats, shirt
Coordinate email blasts to current and lapsed USTA members with section, national staff
Email capture for players who request email notice when league opens in their area
Web banners on national sites such as usta.com, active.com and other selected sites
Online media buys for tennis related searches
Templates for all collateral online for local personalization
Section Support:
Email blasts coordinated through USTA membership
Non member email lists available to section or district
Listing in section enewsletters, yearbook, other section assets
Local Support
Local swap outs/trades/cross promotions with tennis and non tennis partners
Press Releases/Editorials in local media outlets
Unique promotional opportunities in local metro area
LTO Introduction to USTA Flex Leagues
(Agenda for Call with National Manager)
THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE LTO TEAM AND USTA FAMILY!
USTA Mission Statement / Relevance and Role of USTA Flex Leagues
Recruit and Retain Players – members and non members
Positive Indicators in 2008 Launch and 1st quarter 2009:
% non members, first year members and # of prospects asking for email notice
Program Description
Organized play where players determine when and where matches are played
USTA Flex Leagues Organization/Roles
National – Section – District/State – Local (Individual/CTA)
LTO Desired Skill Sets/ Characteristics
Local Tennis Leader – well connected; cheerleader; fair-minded; consistent; enthusiastic
Creative, Passionate, Sales – oriented; team player
Launch Market Timeline
LTO intro, training, initial setup and promotional planning period
30 day registration period
5-7 day administration period to create flights
9 week season (average season: one extra week in overall schedule)
Season Wrap up and next season set up
LTO Job Description
Launch, Promote, Administer, Review
LTO Payment
$6-singles; $4 ea player dbls
Section Role and Revenue Share - $4 per registration
LTO Support
National Manager –
Day to day support via email/phone and scheduled conference calls
Offer collaboration for LTOs through conference calls, LTO Teamspace
Website Training, Support and Administration via Linkteam – Jerry Thorner, Joyce Englert
National/Section/District Marketing Staff and TSRs
Marketing Support
Starter Kit – 24 posters, 100 flyers, 100 promo cards, banner, hats, shirt
Local Marketing Plan: email blasts, advertising, editorial space, launch market grants
Rewards Program
4 National Drawings for all registered participants: April, July, Oct, Jan
$20,000 budget in 2009
Rules/FAQs
Emphasize desire to play matches vs taking defaults
NTRP levels but with some flexibility
Matches results are not calculated in NTRP ratings
LTO Launch Market Checklist
Before Registration Opens:
___Intro Call with National Manager
___Tutorial completed
___Website Demo/LTO login/Metro Area Setup/League Setup
___LTO Teamspace (written admin guide, discussions, LTO best practices, marketing aids)
___Promo Starter Kit Received (posters, flyers, promo cards, banner, shirt)
___Registration Open/Close, Season Begins/Ends dates emailed to National Manager
___Email blasts scheduled
___Local Marketing opportunities explored
During Registration:
___Promote in facilities, tennis shops, local enewsletters, local email blasts
___Monitor registration to see where flights need more players
Once Registration Closes:
___Determine each flight’s final number of participants
___Decide if flight will remain as one flight or needs additional flights
___Publish flights (players will receive email that schedule is now available).
___Determine if any refunds are needed or players moved to next season
During Season:
___Respond to player inquiries
___Submit next season’s dates if not made available earlier
___Submit any best practices/lessons learned to National Manager for LTO Teamspace
When Season Ends:
___Email last season’s players with invitation to play next season
___Plan next season’s promotion