Tennis magazine-I'm getting VERY ANGRY

[@wright]

I just joined the USTA after not being a member for 3 or 4 years, and I got my mandatory TENNIS subscription and man, they really killed that magazine. It's about 1/3 the thickness that it used to be, with about 1/5 the content. I wish I could kick the publisher(yes, I know who it is) in the face. What a waste of money just to know which resorts, that I'll never go to, are nice, which new tweener and beginner racquets will elevate my game, and who are the most popular tour players. WTF TENNIS magazine? I counted about 5 pages I might actually read all the way through!!!! I hope I never meet the people who run this magazine, because I promised myself I'd never commit multiple homicides. I realize that this magazine is and should be geared to 3.0's and below, but the rest of us shouldn't be forced to subscribe through USTA. Maybe they should come out with two seperate magazines, one for 3.0's and below, and one for everyone else. OK, I feel better after that rant.

[jmckinney]

I TOTALLY agree. The racket guide sucked. The magazine has really decreased in content. It is terrible, because I have all the issues since 1988 and the difference from then to now is unbelieveable. There were hundred frames reviewed then and it seemed like about 20 now if that. I hate how they filled the rest with resorts. Who gives a shi_. And it seems they always have Venus or Serena or Andy or Andre on the cover. Back in the 80's and early 90's they had a variety of different players on the cover. The instruction is terrible compared to older issues. I guess they figure they do not have to put out a decent magazine anymore because most people get it free through the USTA and won't care what it is like. I would gladly pay 10-20 dollars to have Tennis magazine what it used to be. Or as you said make two seperate magazines for beginners and advanced players.

[@wright]

I am pissed that I lost the old one with Rios on the cover. I should have held onto that one.

[Sean Dugan]

Yes, Tennis Magazine went downhill a few years ago when it changed ownership. It used to be published out of Trumbull, CT where I went to high school. But, it was sold to another publishing house in NYC, and they really dumbed it down. Made it more like the tennis version of People Magazine. The former Editor (Doherty?) left, and they later brought in Evert as a big name "publisher." It became so lame that I let my subscription lapse. But, it is one of the few tennis related mags left. Better than nothing. I think Tennis Week went under last year. And wasn't there something called Tennis Player for awhile......also gone, I believe.

[Frodo Baggins]

I Guess You Can't Please Everybody. :roll:

[Kirko]

Its a shadow of what is was for sure. The late 70's & early 80's had a yr.end edition that had every frame made & all the stats. on the tournaments since inception I page thru it once in awhile nothing there.

[jayserinos99]

I remember when I used to borrow the old Tennis magazines from the local library when I was just starting out tennis. They were great and they were monthly too! Now Tennis magazine is bi-monthly to cut costs and also has advertisements every other page or so. I stopped my subscription because I can learn more here in these forums than in the magazine.

[Dreadeye]

Sean,

Tennis Week didn't go under..........check their web-site for subscription info.

[polakosaur]

thats what you get for 12 bucks i'd pay 20 even more for a quality in depth magazine

[matchpoints]

i have pretty much all the issues from the last 6 years. anyone interested? by the way, i don't even read them anymore, they just sit there on the table. I used to like mac's comment page, funny bastid!!!!

[david aames]

I personally worship DEUCE for not bringing on us the mandatory WTA coverage :)

[Brent Pederson]

Here in California there is a tabloid called Inside Tennis which basically puts Tennis Mag to shame. Much more info, longer, better interviews, a lot of funny bits about whats going on on the tour, who said what, etc. Not really into the instructional side, but, otherwise, has about 10 times more good stuff to read, and this is a local rag! If I was the publisher of Tennis, I'd be embarrassed, but then, we all know, Chrissy is above all that...

[T.J. Planas]

Over the past few years, TENNIS has really slipped in the content and quality departments. The racquet and equipment reviews used to be comprehensive--not anymore. What I really miss is the multi-page fold-out stroke analysis of a the pros' strokes. Remember when they used to show 2 or 3 pages of Agassi's backhand from beginning to end? Now, if they do show a stroke, they usually show a single still frame with blurbs about what each part of the player's body is doing in the swing. These snapshots really take the stroke mechanics out of context and are not as effective. I think some one earlier hit it on the the nose: TENNIS has become the tennis edition of PEOPLE magazine. I think I just migh make that my new quote!

[bsandy]

This month's cover was worth the cost wasn't it.

Is that an airbrush job, or was it cold ?

. . . Bud

[equinox]

Australian mag in the last couple of years has concentrated on local club news. Issues like water consumption and applying for council grants, coaching methods. Maybe the usa mags need to stop paying the big $$$ for pretty photos of serena, arod and focus on aimee ace.

[nyc]

Yes, Tennis Magazine went downhill a few years ago when it changed ownership. It used to be published out of Trumbull, CT where I went to high school. But, it was sold to another publishing house in NYC, and they really dumbed it down. Made it more like the tennis version of People Magazine. The former Editor (Doherty?) left, and they later brought in Evert as a big name "publisher." It became so lame that I let my subscription lapse. But, it is one of the few tennis related mags left. Better than nothing. I think Tennis Week went under last year. And wasn't there something called Tennis Player for awhile......also gone, I believe.

I think you're talking about TENNIS WEEK.

[nyc]

Whilst I agree that the quality has totally deteriorated, Tennis Magazine surely faces all the same issues as the rest of the publishing world these days.

With the crappy economy, there's less advertisers, which translates into reduced editorial staff and therefore less articles, especially less material that isn't geared towards the masses (aka the "3.0" crowd)

I'm sure they're trying their best to stay afloat at this point.

[Polaris]

Made it more like the tennis version of People Magazine.
Agree. This is a succinct and accurate description of what Tennis Magazine has become. Looking at Peter Bodo's work, one feels that this is exactly the direction he would have wanted it to take. The guy is great at the tabloidy he-said-she-said part of tennis and utterly pedestrian when it comes to writing purely about tennis technique. Who knows, perhaps he senses that there isn't a market for that kind of stuff.

BTW, @wright, you can come out of exile now. Fed has won at Roland Garros and has handed Rafa a bagel at Hamburg and Wimby. Welcome back to the world!!

[jrod]

Agree 100%. The magazine is a shell of it's former self. Secondly, both the contributing writers and editorial staff seem to be from the C-team. Finally, has anyone noticed how dated the material is as well? There is almost nothing current in the entire publication.

I'm afraid they are soon to be toast.

[heftylefty]

Tennis Magazine is a joke. I really miss Tennis World, but I am old.

[Enlightened Coelacanth]

Here in California there is a tabloid called Inside Tennis which basically puts Tennis Mag to shame. Much more info, longer, better interviews, a lot of funny bits about whats going on on the tour, who said what, etc. Not really into the instructional side, but, otherwise, has about 10 times more good stuff to read, and this is a local rag! If I was the publisher of Tennis, I'd be embarrassed, but then, we all know, Chrissy is above all that...I second that. Inside Tennis is great, but it is a regional publication.
But, heck yeah. Tennis Magazine absolutely sucks.

[Polaris]

Another plug for Inside Tennis. That is one good magazine.

[Eviscerator]

I Guess You Can't Please Everybody. :roll:

If something is good, then it slips, why not speak up about it :confused:

There are several things about Tennis that I am not crazy about, including some of the changes they have made over the years. Not that it was a perfect magazine for tennis players, but it certainly has slipped in some areas.

[John Galt]

Almost EVERY magazine and newspaper is getting smaller, reducing staff, losing advertising, and losing subscribers. TENNIS is no different. I agree that the content is lacking lately however most magazines are either downsizing severely, shutting down, or going internet only.

[Don S]

^^^ In general,I agree with this as well. But if we all remember, Tennis magazine sucked 5 years ago too. Crappy content, too much advertising, and too many pages devoted to fashion and playing tennis in places we'll never go have been the staple of TENNIS magazine long before the economy went to S**t.
I started reading TENNIS mag back in the late 70's and it's heartbreaking to see what it's become. Back in the early 80's, they put people like Gene Mayer, Andrea Temisvari and Carling Bassett on the cover. Now, there's absolutely nothing in TENNIS magazine that you can't find in about 5 minutes on the Internet.

Same thing happened to GUITAR WORLD. It used to be a pretty good mag (Not as good as Guitar for the Practicing Musician which is long gone now, but decent.) Now every cover is either Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai or Zack Wylde. 90% of the articles involves shredding in some way. It's in no way a realistic image of the guitar playing world. There's no soul left in it anymore. Just like TENNIS.

[taylor15]

^^^ In general,I agree with this as well. But if we all remember, Tennis magazine sucked 5 years ago too.

when this thread was started...

[Polaris]

^ Gosh, you're right! I didn't realize that this was one of the threads that got caught in the bizarre timequake orchestrated by equinox. The guy just went on resurrecting random threads from 2004.

[LafayetteHitter]

The sad thing this month was that the Tennis Magazine came and it's about the same size as my region's USTA magazine.

[Don S]

lol I didn't look at the thread date either. At least TENNIS has been consistantly crappy. But seriously, Threads need to go away after awhile. No reason for 5 year old threads. Time for someone to clean house.

[samster]

I stopped buying TENNIS magazine years ago. You can get more information here at TTW than that magazine.

[Frodo Baggins]

I Had To LOL @ Eviscerator.. Thats funny:lol: He replyed To a 2004 post of mine!!! Thats funny!!!

[Dedans Penthouse]

I Had To LOL @ Eviscerator.. Thats funny:lol: He replyed To a 2004 post of mine!!! Thats funny!!!
Take off your clothes ....... very good Frodo .................. Simon Sez, take off your clothes.

:razz: