European sports e-commerce and technology platform SIGNA Sports United (SSU) has agreed to acquire the US-based online tennis retailer Tennis Express.
The acquisition will expand SSU's reach in the tennis category, which already includes its own destination Tennis-Point as well as another US-based online tennis retailer — Midwest Sports — acquired by the company in April 2020. The Association of Tennis Professionals also recently named SSU's Tennis-Point as the Official Racket Sports Merchandiser of the ATP Tour through 2025. Both Tennis Express and Midwest Sports will continue to operate as separate businesses and leverage SSU's platform to marketing, dynamic pricing. CRM and logistics.
“We see significant opportunity to replicate our successful European tennis platform strategy in the US market, which is benefiting from increased participation but remains fragmented and underserved from an e-commerce and community engagement perspective,” said Stephan Zoll , CEO of SIGNA Sports United in the statement. “The addition of strong players like Tennis Express accelerates our US expansion and the opportunity to create value for SSU and the broader US tennis ecosystem.”
Interest in tennis increased 22% during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the United States Tennis Association (USTA), with 4 million new players in the US pick up a racket for the first time in 2020.
Tennis Express was founded by Brad Blume and his partner in 2000. The retailer started with a single brick-and-mortar store and has since grown nationally through its digital channels, which now represent 90% of the company's revenue. Tennis Express 15,000 square feet The Houston experiential superstore and warehouse includes a full-size indoor tennis court and has become a destination for tennis fans across the state. Blume will now join Tennis-Point's executive team as President of Tennis Express.
“We founded Tennis Express with a vision to inspire players and support the tennis communities we serve,” Blume said in a statement. “I couldn't be more excited to join the world-class SSU and Tennis-Point teams to help realize this vision.”
