USTA Ventures, the strategic investment initiative of the United States Tennis Association, has made an equity investment in Rec Technologies, a San Francisco-based company that provides an AI-driven platform for discovering, booking, and managing recreational activities across public and private facilities. The investment aims to enhance the play experience for the 27.3 million Americans who played tennis in 2025, nearly 40% of whom use public parks, by modernizing the infrastructure that connects players, coaches, and organizations with available courts and programs.
Rec Technologies' platform is already deployed in nearly 100 cities nationwide, offering simplified court bookings, lesson registrations, and connections between players and coaches. Additionally, USTA will explore potential integration with its USTA Coaching network to help public park players find certified instructors through the platform.
Image Credit: USTA Ventures x Rec Technologies
What's Driving This Trend
- AI Recreation Booking
- Intelligent scheduling platforms are reshaping access to courts, lessons, and community programs by reducing friction across fragmented public and private recreation systems.
- Public Park Digitization
- Municipal recreation assets are becoming connected marketplaces as cities modernize reservations, payments, and participation data for higher facility utilization.
- Coach Discovery Platforms
- Verified instructor networks paired with activity marketplaces create new ways for recreational athletes to find trusted coaching within everyday booking flows.
Who This Affects Most
- Sports Technology
- AI-enabled participation platforms are expanding the role of sports software from performance tracking to end-to-end discovery, booking, and community engagement.
- Parks and Recreation
- Digital infrastructure for public facilities introduces new models for managing demand, improving access, and connecting residents with local programs.
- Tennis and Racquet Sports
- Growing recreational participation is fueling demand for modern ecosystems that link players, facilities, coaches, and organizations through centralized platforms.
