APTA Newsletter merges with Paddle World magazine

This alliance between one of the country’s fastest growing sports and the newly owned and managed Paddle World magazine gave real promise of accelerating the game’s growth through high-quality communication. In early December, APTA president Bob Kingsbury and Paddle World editor Marilyn Nason announced the naming of the magazine as the APTA’s official publication.

Commenting on the step, APTA’s chief executive said, “We’re delighted with this move. We’ve been hoping for months to improve our communications program. This is going to assure us of being able to give better service to our members, as well as telling a lot more people about the game.” Through this alliance, the APTA would have regular access to the magazine’s 16,000 subscribers; would save a substantial sum annually on publishing their Paddle Talk; planned to have a free page in each issue for membership solicitation; and was able to offer a slick, exciting magazine to its members. Mrs. Nason, a veteran of 35 years in publishing, and members of her family took Paddle World over last spring. One of Paddle World’s planned new features was a section devoted to news from the regions. The magazine urged APTA members to contact them with story leads.

The APTA offered Paddle World as part of the benefits received through APTA membership starting with the February-March 1979 issue.

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 4 No. 2 (January)

NOTE: This arrangement did not work out and the APTA was obligated to start publishing a new newsletter Platform Tennis News in October 1979. The APTA BOD Meeting Minutes of March 27, 1979 covered the development:

“Mrs. Dillenbeck summarized recent developments with Paddle World: The Nasons cannot afford to produce April-May or June-July issues. They hope to be able to publish a September issue and continue with four rather than six issues next year. Mrs. Dillenbeck added that in the absence of a summer issue of Paddle World, the APTA ought to get out an inexpensive newsletter.

Mr. Dennison expressed grave concern as to whether we ought to continue our relationship with them and begin the membership year in June with such a tenuous promise of the magazine’s continued existence. He asked what would happen if they were to fail after we had committed a subscription as a part of the membership package. Mr. Carlisle suggested that we call it “the official publication of the game” when offering it to the members in the package.

Mr. Kingsbury stated that he will continue to pursue the possibility of another publishing house acquiring Paddle World.

Mr. Lombard offered to investigate the costs involved in a publication which we might produce ourselves. He- will report back to the Board.

It was decided that an interim newsletter should be sent out by us. Mr. Carlisle volunteered to write it with APTA office assistance