Giving Thanks for Sponsors and Readers

photo via unsplash.com

Every year I do one post explaining the history of ZooTennis.com and how I keep it viable financially.  This year's post is a bit later than usual, because for all the gratitude I have for my sponsors and readers, it's easy to put off when there's news to report and tournaments to cover.

On the day before Thanksgiving, it seems appropriate to start by acknowledging my direct sponsors: Own The Zone Sports, College Tennis Exposure Camps and IMG Academy. Clicking on their ads and learning more about their products could benefit all of us.  I also would be remiss if I didn't mention the Tennis Recruiting Network, which has been publishing my articles for nearly ten years now, giving me an outlet for freelance work that very few writers in my position are fortunate enough to have.

In addition to direct advertisers, I have ads delivered from a third party aggregator, which are usually those you see from the major racquet manufacturers.  Those ads are seasonal and appear primarily around the slams, but do generate income based on page views and click throughs.  Google ads, generally tailored to the individual reader, are also a source of advertising revenue, based on traffic numbers.

My affiliation with Tennis Warehouse is another longstanding partnership that generates income for the site. If you use the link at the upper left hand corner to purchase from them, I receive a small percentage of the profit.  The same goes for Amazon, so if you are going to do Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping there, please consider using the link on this site.

I also have set up a PayPal donation option (see link on the the sidebar at left). I receive contributions throughout the year this way, and I truly appreciate those who take time to acknowledge my efforts by sending actual money. Any amount is welcome, and if you are more comfortable sending a check instead of going through PayPal, my address can be found at the end of this document explaining the ZooTennis advertising rates.

If you follow me on twitter, which I know many of you do, please make a point to click through the links back to this site that I post there everyday. I enjoy communicating through twitter, but the financial reality is this: there is no income generated from that medium.  I need visitors to this site, and hey, there's always a pretty good photo to check out, even if you don't read the post.

I'm also thankful for comments and discussions on the site.  I ask for a name--anonymous comments aren't accepted--and for basic civility. I believe there's value in this exchange of ideas, which makes the occasional inappropriate comment worth tolerating.  I know it takes a little effort to go through the process of proving you are not a spambot, but I appreciate hearing from coaches, players, parents and fans.

I'll close as I always do, saying I love this work and look forward to keeping ZooTennis.com a free news source for those who share my enthusiasm for junior and college tennis.

Thank you, and have a wonderful holiday. My next post, on Friday, will come with a dateline of Bradenton, Florida.