All-Love Racquet Club turns a Harlem street into a tennis festival
This case from New York shows how a local collective can attract attention and sponsors without major infrastructure.
Founded in 2023, All-Love Racquet Club secured support from USTA Eastern, Wilson, On, and local foundations for a project that turned an ordinary Harlem street into a one-day tennis festival.
Organizers closed off West 120th Street and offered a mix of free clinics for kids and adults, wellness and yoga sessions, street food, music, and live performances. More than 800 people joined throughout the day — a turnout that underlines the appeal of the format. The atmosphere felt more like a cultural festival, with tennis at its center.
There are clear lessons here for clubs worldwide. First, tennis can step outside the court and work as a tool for engaging neighborhoods and cities. Second, an unconventional format helps attract partners who might not normally consider smaller organizations.
And finally, a “street takeover” gives a club greater visibility both in the community and with brands. The project is especially relevant for neighborhoods where tennis traditionally has little presence.
Organizers note that the format can grow further with support from partners and brands, making it adaptable both to major cities with underserved areas and to smaller markets where clubs want to test new ways of engaging people.
Interestingly, All-Love Racquet Club does not have its own facility — the group builds its identity around pop-up events in urban spaces. The Harlem takeover was its most ambitious step so far. As founder Erika Bond puts it: “We’re flipping the script on what tennis can look like. It doesn’t have to exist only inside clubs — it can live on every block.”
Cover photo: Harlem Tennis On The Block. Source: instagram.com/allloveracquetclub/