We, the League players of Northern California, demand an immediate revocation of the $25 “facility use fee” approved by USTA NorCal's Board of Directors on 12/11/2019.

This tax was approved by NorCal's Board of Directors without consulting League staff or the Adult League Committee. The tax will add $25 on top of every League registration and 100% of this revenue is to be distributed directly into the pockets of 'member organizations,' which are mostly private country clubs. That's over $1.4 million a year that League players are supposed to pay to private clubs.

The Board approved an outrageous abuse of the League program that goes against the core of USTA NorCal’s mission of “promoting and developing the growth of tennis as an inclusive and inviting lifetime activity.” USTA is a not-for-profit organization that does not serve to finance private clubs. 

This tax discriminates against lower income and minority communities. It abuses the second largest tennis program in the nation to enrich a select group of private clubs. And it uses League player's money to make up for the inability of private clubs to retain their members and adjust their membership model to the 2020s. 

A small group of private clubs used the past few years to appoint enough of their own people to the Board of Directors to get the majority they need to pass this tax. This group does not represent or act in the interest of the over 20,000 League players of Northern California.

We, the League players of NorCal, therefore demand that the Board of Directors immediately revoke this tax and stop the abuse of USTA NorCal’s League program for their own benefit.