CHICAGO — Robyn Duda, founder and creative director of Robyn Duda Creative LLCand Marco Giberti, founder and CEO of Vesuvius Venturesin partnership to create and launch RacquetXa show bringing together professionals and enthusiasts of tennis, pickleball and padel around the same show to test new products and technologies, and exchange ideas.
The idea behind RacquetX was born out of the boom in the racquet sports industry during and since the pandemic. According to the RacquetX team, tennis participation has exploded by 33% since 2020, padel is growing rapidly with over 25 million players worldwide, and pickleball is booming in popularity with player numbers up 59% in the last three years.
Given this surge in participation, founders Duda and Giberti identified an opportunity to bring the industry together to do business, learn about innovations in the sport, and connect with the broader racquet sports community.
The team analyzed existing events covering the sports field in general and racquet sports in particular. They examined data from events, brands, industry professionals and fans to identify what type of specific event activation would add value to all stakeholders.
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“As racquet sports fans and event enthusiasts, we were frustrated that there wasn’t a single event that brought all racquet sports together,” said Duda. “In talking with industry leaders and brands, we decided that a non-traditional approach to bringing together manufacturers and players would allow everyone to learn, share, grow, connect and celebrate the power of racquet sports as an industry and a lifestyle.”
RacquetX will feature programming focused on trends, 2050 and the industry, with speakers covering topics such as engagement, DEIB, technology, growth opportunities, player advocacy, foreign investment, sneaker culture and FOMO, among others.
“From concept to creation is always exciting, but bringing an industry together and facilitating connections that might never happen otherwise is pretty magical,” said Duda. “RacquetX leverages over a hundred years of event experience from the launch team and the backing of industry investors with deep expertise in the world of racquet sports. This combination of event and industry expertise is a great opportunity to create something new, fresh and different from any other event activation in the sports industry.”
RacquetX will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center March 24-26, 2024, during the Miami Open shoulder weekend. The location provides RacquetX with proximity to an established racquet sports fan base, and the show will offer joint ticket sales with the Miami Open in early November.
Contact Robyn Duda at robyn@theracquetx.com