News

June 17, 2022, NEWPORT, R.I. – The International Tennis Hall of Fame is embarking on the public phase of a $12 million capital campaign to enhance connection to the local and global communities served by the organization, and to support preservation of its historic property. The campaign, Tennis Forever, is a nod to the long-range and lasting impact that its initiatives will have on the non-profit organization and those it serves.

“The next decade will bring endless possibilities for advancing the mission of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Iconic champions will be inducted, exciting new museum technologies will present themselves, and the globalization of our game and our audience will only accelerate. The resources from this campaign will enable us to meet these challenges head on,” stated Mike Goss, International Tennis Hall of Fame Chairman and Tennis Forever Capital Campaign Committee Member.

During the campaign’s leadership phase, $9.3 million has been pledged. Select initiatives have already launched and are resulting in a positive impact. This includes the implementation and sustainability of TeamFAME, a community-based youth development program, the resurfacing of the 140-year-old grass courts, and advancements on digitizing museum collection assets for use in educational and inspirational content.

“The International Tennis Hall of Fame has been through a remarkable transformation in recent years. The organization is accomplishing meaningful work that embodies the mission of celebrating tennis history and its champions globally. There is great momentum for continued growth. The Tennis Forever Capital Campaign is crucial to creating a solid foundation to support this work, and is a necessary launch pad into an impactful, digital future,” stated John Arnhold, Tennis Forever Capital Campaign Co-Chair & International Tennis Hall of Fame Chairman Emeritus.

The Tennis Forever Capital Campaign initiatives focus on two categories: connection and conservation.

Connecting with Communities

An increased emphasis on engaging tennis fans globally with the sport’s history through digital content and exhibits, and programs to envelope the local community through community-based tennis and education programming.

The capital campaign is funding the following initiatives:

“Digitization of the museum collection is enabling the International Tennis Hall of Fame to connect with tens of millions of tennis fans across the globe at any time through innovative content,” commented Tennis Forever Capital Campaign Co-Chair David Goulden. “It is a crucial next step in the organization’s growth, and the Tennis Forever Capital Campaign will ensure that this impactful growth happens and in a manner that sets the organization up for a financially stable future.”

Conservation of an Historic and Thriving Property

Maintenance and stewardship of the 140-year-old National Historic Landmark property that houses the International Tennis Hall of Fame. This is vital to ensure long-term sustainability as a thriving venue for professional tennis, recreational tennis, and community gathering.

Campaign initiatives include:

“The Hall of Fame is one of the most beautiful, historic, and special tennis facilities in the world. Grass courts are a rarity because of the significant care that is required. To keep the facility competitive and appealing to professional tournaments and recreational players, the courts must be maintained at a very high level, and this campaign has made that possible. Word about the new and improved courts will continue to spread and more and more people of all levels will want to play in at the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” stated Hall of Famer Stan Smith, who is also an Honorary Co-Chair of Tennis Forever.

He continued, “Tennis Forever is so important for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s future and the future of our sport. The new content that is being produced through digitization and oral history provides the Hall of Fame with wonderful new ways to share the stories of the Hall of Famers. They are all exceptional people whose stories are motivating and inspiring. This capital campaign will directly impact the Hall of Fame’s ability to utilize tennis history to inspire future generations of tennis players.”

The Tennis Forever Capital Campaign is co-chaired by John Arnhold, David Goulden, and Nancy von Auersperg. Hall of Famers Charlie Pasarell, Monica Seles, Pam Shriver, and Stan Smith are Honorary Co-Chairs. The Campaign Committee is comprised of Russ Fradin, Marianne Gaige, Michael F. Goss, Steve Lewinstein, Andrea Lisher, E. Ramone Segree, Dana Tananbaum, and Todd Traina.

To learn more about the Tennis Forever Capital Campaign, please visit tennisfame.com/tennisforever.