John McEnroe Academy Adds NIKE As First Corporate Partner

June 21, 2010 - PRLog -- NEW YORK – Hall of Famer, native New Yorker and former world number one John McEnroe today announced that NIKE has agreed to become the first official corporate partner of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, which will open in mid-September at the new $19 Million SPORTIME at Randall’s Island in New York City.  NIKE will be the Official Athletic Apparel and Sneaker for the students and staff of the Academy.  The partnership is for a minimum of five years.  Financial terms were not disclosed.

“I am truly pleased that NIKE is our first key partner for the Academy,” said McEnroe, who added, “Phil Knight has been a visionary and a maverick in worlds of business and sports.  And he has been a good friend to me.  His belief in this project and his support means a lot.  Now we will start discussions with potential presenting partners and with other key category sponsors.  Our goal is to provide over $1 million of financial aid on an annual basis to many talented young people, some of whom could become that next new face of American tennis: New York faces."

"John McEnroe's relationship with NIKE has lasted for more than 30 years, and NIKE's commitment to John and to American tennis is reflected in their substantial underwriting commitment through 2014,” said Mike Nakajima, NIKE Director of Tennis Marketing. “NIKE's financial commitment, further supported by NIKE product for Academy coaches and students, will enable the Academy to expand its scholarship program and to attract the most deserving and promising students regardless of their financial resources.”

Rather than the tennis-only approach favored by residential academies, the McEnroe Academy concept will advocate life balance to the developing elite player.  Students who are selected to the program will almost always attend conventional school and will train at the Academy before and after school hours and on weekends.  The Academy will offer tennis and related fitness training, as well as academic support.  Most students will live full-time in the New York metro area.  Scholarship recipients may receive group and private lessons, fitness, performance and cross training, as well as equipment and apparel.  The Academy will also provide match play, tournament travel and coaching for its elite team.

McEnroe will personally supervise two tryouts in July open to boys and girls under 16 years old who are interested in attending the McEnroe Academy when it opens in September.  One boy and one girl will be selected by McEnroe to be awarded a full-year scholarship to the Academy. The tryouts will be held on July 14 for boys and on July 19 for girls, beginning at 8:30 am each day.  Those attending the tryouts and making the initial cut will also be invited to watch McEnroe’s New York Sportimes World TeamTennis team play that evening.  McEnroe will highlight the boys tryout day by doing battle that night against Andy Roddick and his Philadelphia Freedoms on July14th.  On the 19th, the day of the girls tryout, McEnroe will team with current US OPEN champion, Kim Clijsters, against former number one Martina Hingis and her New York Buzz   Details on the tryout can be found at http://www.johnmcenroetennisacademy.com.  Online registration is available at http://www.SportimeNY.com/JMTAScholarship.

Opened less than a year ago, SPORTIME at Randall’s Island is the flagship of SPORTIME’s 13 tennis fitness and sports clubs across New York State.  SPORTIME clubs serve over 25,000 tennis and fitness members, including over 10,000 junior players. SPORTIME’s at Randall’s Island features 20 indoor/outdoor Deco-Turf and Har-Tru courts, all enclosed during the indoor season and all lighted for evening play.  The facility also boasts a 20,000 square foot clubhouse, including separate adult and junior locker rooms, a study lounge, a state-of-the-art fitness and training center and much more.  The club also includes an intimate tennis stadium that can seat  up to 2,500, and which is home each July to SPORTIME’s World TeamTennis franchise, the NY Sportimes, of which McEnroe has been captain since 2000.  

The SPORTIME facility is part of the rebirth of Randall’s Island, located just off the East Side of Manhattan below the RFK Bridge.  The facilities on the island now include Ichan Stadium, a state-of-the-art track and field facility, nearly 70 baseball, soccer and softball fields, and a renovated Golf Center.  The Randall’s Island Sports Foundation manages the properties, and Sportime has a 20 year license agreement with the City of New York and the Randalls Island Sports Foundation.

For all the details on club, visit http://www.sportimeny.com/randallsisland.  For details on the academy, visit http://www.johnmcenroetennisacademy.com.

Tickets for the Sportimes are available by calling 888-WTT-NYC1 or by visiting http://www.nysportimes.com.