SMASH Magazine Takes Juniors into Players' Lives Off the Court
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Doug Drotman
149-1 Veterans Memorial Hwy - A
Commack,
631-462-1198
doug@drotmanpr.com
03/07/06 - After a successful premier issue last summer, SMASH, the new tennis lifestyle magazine from Miller Publishing, the publishers of TENNIS Magazine and TENNIS.com, debuts as a quarterly with the release of the Spring 2006 issue on March 7. With its featured columnist Maria Sharapova on the cover, the magazine is packed with 84 pages of pictures and information appealing to the junior tennis player, ages 14-18.
SMASH’s tagline, “It’s a Tennis Revolution,” speaks to the quarterly’s fresh, irreverent approach. Fusing tennis and pop culture, the magazine’s design, regular features and photography are cutting edge, creating a voice similar to that of the popular action sports titles. The magazine’s accompanying official website, www.SMASHtennis.com, offers additional information and a forum for junior tennis players, including a blog by ATP star Vince Spadea, polls, message boards and much more.
“This magazine is less about Maria’s backhand and more about her life and interests off the court,” said Norb Garrett, Editorial Director of SMASH. “Young tennis players turn to TENNIS Magazine and TENNIS.com for news and instruction. SMASH is a place where they can learn about the lifestyle of a professional tennis player, their likes, dislikes and off-court interests.”
Stories in the March 2006 issue include:
o Maria’s Page – In every 2006 issue, Maria Sharapova will talk directly to the readers of SMASH about her life off court. In this issue she shares her personal photo collection from the past two years in a four-page photo diary. “Snapshots of a Teenage Tennis Queen” take readers with Maria from Thailand to Moscow to Paris and everywhere in between.
o Threads – Each issue highlights the on- and off-court fashion vibe of a different high-profile tennis locale. This issue, it’s Miami, home of the NASDAQ-100 Open in March.
o Photo Ops – Hot Shots from the world of professional tennis including: the Williams sisters at Fashion Week with Paris Hilton and Ashanti; Maria hanging out with Oscar nominee Uma Thurman; James Blake and model Jennifer Scholle sitting courtside at a Knicks game; a dapper Roger Federer with Lindsay Lohan at a party.
o Q&A with Bode Miller – The controversial Olympic skier was a New Hampshire state tennis champ in high school. As a kid his family told him, “If you want to be stubborn like your grandmother, be a ski racer; if you want to be smart, be a tennis player.” His favorite player is Federer and although Bode is much more quotable, he thinks he and Federer are similar. “It’s fun to see someone who has the same mentality towards sports as I do. He never gets too excited; he never gets bummed out.” Bode’s favorite player of all time: the very reserved Pete Sampras – “He was intelligent on the court and maximized his ability to kick ass. That’s something I respect.”
o Listen Up – Kim Clijsters shares the 10 CDs she can’t live without, including Tracy Chapman, Bryan Adams, Cher and Anouk. Her #1 CD: “Awake, The Best of Live.”
o Profiles – Feature profiles include Bob and Mike Bryan giving readers an inside look at their pad; Andy Murray, Marat Safin, plus Five Young Stars on the Rise – Ana Ivanovic, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, Jelena Janovic and Anna-Lena Groenfeld.
o News Junior Players Can Use: SMASH is also chock full of useful advice for junior tennis players including: what to eat before and during matches; playing the score; ranking the best colleges for tennis; and a guide to camps and clinics.
SMASH has a guaranteed circulation of 175,000, including more than 125,000 dues-paying “Junior” members of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). SMASH is also being distributed at The Sports Authority, newsstands, summer camps and other tennis-related events, including the SMASH Junior Cup at Daniel Island, SC, one of the premiere junior tennis events in the nation. The remaining issues in 2006 will be published in May, August and November.
“Advertisers are thrilled with SMASH because it puts them in touch with an affluent and very hard-to-reach segment of the teen market,” said MPG Group Publisher Jeff Williams. “This launch says something very exciting about the sport of tennis and also about TENNIS Magazine’s ability to deliver the total tennis audience, of all ages, to marketers.”
About Miller Publishing Group: MPG publishes TENNIS Magazine and SMASH. TENNIS is the world’s largest tennis title, with a circulation of more than 600,000. TENNIS publishes 10 times annually plus its popular “Year-In Pictures” issue. MPG also owns TENNIS.com, the world’s leading tennis website, as well as Peterbodostennisworld.com and SMASHtennis.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Doug Drotman
Drotman Communications
631-462-1198 (doug@drotmanpr.com
Links:
www.smashtennis.com
