Appeal to the Board of Governors of Middlesex University:

Purpose of the appeal:

We are appealing against the Executive’s decision to issue MURTC with 4 years notice to close the Real Tennis Court and Club.

Background:

The Real Tennis Court and building was gifted to the University in 2000 by the Luck-Hille Foundation.  It cost approximately £1.5 million and is regarded as being the best in the world.  As the initial 10-year agreement expired and the University Burroughs Club closed, Middlesex University Real Tennis Club was established with the University having a 50% share in the Company. Later on, by agreement, the area available to the Club was reduced and the extra space was used to create two dance studios.

It was anticipated that an extension to the current agreement would be re-negotiated but Covid intervened.  On 2nd September of this year, the Club was issued with a clear challenge to demonstrate that it contributed to the objectives of the University and that its future would depend on the outcome.  The Club answered that specific challenge in its proposal to the University.

Proposal from MURTC:

MURTC understands that its future depends on its contribution to the University’s core objectives as set out in its new 2031 strategy – and not just on its excellence as a world class sports facility for University students and club.

On 7th December we presented our proposals. We proposed to harness the commercial skills, experience and contacts of our members and of the wider real tennis community to support the University’s objectives.

Examples of the support we offer include:

• Enabling the University to bring a practitioner perspective to many of its undergraduate courses
• Greatly expanding the University’s ability to provide business case support to its Business School
• Expanding the University’s capacity to offer mentoring support
• Participating in large scale advice to students on employer expectations and how to sell themselves
• Unlocking doors so that Law students can take advantage of the City law firm social mobility pledge
• Getting more companies to participate in Gradstock, CareerConnect and similar initiatives
• Opening up real world employer projects and longer-term research collaboration
• Unlocking unique opportunities to promote the University (this has included an offer of a repeat lecture by Lady Hale – formerly President of the Supreme Court and collaborative projects with Chris Lintott - Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford, co-presenter of Sky at Night and Zooniverse leader)

We made it clear that we would be happy to explore further ways in which the skills and experience of our members could be used to give students a further edge in both their studies and future employability.

University response:

The response to our proposal was received on 10th December in the following terms:

“I am sorry to inform you that the University has made a decision to move ahead with the closure of the Real Tennis Club.   We have considered the case that you made on Tuesday carefully but we do not believe that the commitment to the long-term future of the club is in the best interests of the University and the student body.  You made a very strong case on Tuesday but I’m afraid the discussion served to clarify the limited scale of the impact that the club can have on the totality of our students.  Since the campus merger some years ago space is at a premium and it is no longer sustainable to devote to much space to Real Tennis.”

Grounds for appeal:

We consider that the value and scope of our proposals cannot have received serious consideration in the two days since we made the presentation.  There has been no joint exploration of how our proposals could be developed or applied.  We consider they have the potential to reach large numbers of students (1,000+ each year).  This is a larger number than some of the University’s departments and cannot reasonably be dismissed as ‘limited’.

We considered that we were set a reasonable challenge to demonstrate how we could contribute to Middlesex 2031.  We have secured the goodwill of our members and of the wider real tennis community to propose a substantial programme of support for these objectives.  It is not clear to us what further support the University could expect us to offer if its challenge was one that was reasonably capable of being met.  

The current environment is very uncertain for the University.   Student numbers are significantly down and successive Covid variants make it hard to determine the shape of future needs.  Against this background, you are proposing to give up years of free support that could benefit thousands of students so that you might, in five years’ time, have a re-purposed or rebuilt facility on this small part of your campus.  This would not seem the optimum time to make such a decision.

The Club and Court promotes physical and mental well-being and diverse interaction for many within the University.  Our student group is drawn from all parts of the university and is the largest and most diverse sports group at the current time.  We support students with lessons and court time at a cost of around £20,000 pa.  Over the years we have fostered outstandingly successful student teams which have played Oxford and Cambridge as well as Exeter, Newcastle, Durham, Bristol and other Universities and students also participate in our inter-club matches.  This inspires your students and contributes to their social development.  Our Club has also had successful partnerships with local schools and provided MDX students with careers as Professionals in Real Tennis in the UK and USA.  

In the event that the Executive’s decision is confirmed, we will work collaboratively to secure the interests of our many student members, our staff and other members during the notice period.   We are also grateful for your offer of support in ensuring fair treatment for our Pros.  However, it will be difficult to harness the potential benefits offered by our network of members and the wider real tennis community once a closure decision has been taken. 

We ask you to take account of all these wider benefits of having the Club operating on your campus, the benefits it brings to individual students from not only the sport itself, but also of the future wider involvement of the Real Tennis community in assisting the University.  

We ask that you set aside the decision to close the Court and instead commit to working with us from 2022 to realize the benefits that we are proposing and to explore other ways in which we can support Middlesex 2031.

Testimonials:

Will Burns, BA and MBA student at Middlesex University, Head Professional at MURTC

The Real Tennis court at Middlesex University changed my life forever. I first walked on the court in December 2003 as a third year fine art student. I was enthralled by the court, the game and the family atmosphere that welcomed me. I was amazed that my university had a world class facility that I could easily access! The game has given me my career and my living as a real tennis professional and this has all been thanks to the Real Tennis court at Middlesex University and the opportunities and pathways it has opened up. Now, as the Head Professional at MURTC I can see at first hand how the court and the game changes the lives of the students on a daily basis. I hope the university will reconsider its decision!

Jack Carter, 3rd Year BA Music Student, Middlesex University Real Tennis Captain 

I joined the Real Tennis Team at the start of my second year of study at Middlesex University. Since joining, my University experience has completely changed. Not only have both of the best of my Music Industry links come through being a part of the club, but my playing at the club has changed me as a person. At first, it gave me a sense of belonging when and helped me get fitter and enjoy more sport but it became much more than that. It became the reason I learnt what it meant to be a leader, to work hard, and to be responsible. I have improved my organisation, my work ethic, and my people skills. 

Although I am not the finished product yet, I have applied for the IIP (Investing In Professionals) scheme, which is a 15 month apprenticeship for those with the potential for a career in Real Tennis. And regardless as to whether I get that, my time being a part of the club has made me infinitely more employable than I would be, had I just studied for my degree and graduated. 

Through the best parts of my time so far at Middlesex and times of personal loss, it was the Real Tennis Club that kept me going, and ultimately shaped who I am now. I ask the University to reconsider their decision, as I believe the student experience is infinitely enhanced with the club here, and I do not want a single future student to miss out on that. 

Kenny Chiang, BEng Middlesex Alum and MURTC Student Vice-Captain

I first came into the game by pure chance on Fresher’s Fair and was immediately intrigued by the quirkiness and uniqueness of it all. Before I knew it, I became an integral member of the team and the sport became an integral part of my life. It became my hangout place, my place of comfort, and a second home. More importantly, it provided many key figures that acted as mentors, successful members of a wide array of fields who were generous enough with their time to act as a sounding board for my plans and provided insights gained through personal experience. My mentors provided me with hope, uplifting me by seeing potential in me and providing the right tools and knowledge to help me become a more successful person and simultaneously a better human being by helping me maneuver through the messy and complicated road that is paving a post-university future. 

The club and the sport have undoubtably been a central part of my student experience and it has helped me become who I am today, touching all different aspects of my life, from the social, to the employable, to other intangibles. I hope the sport is given the chance to continue to touch and positively impact more lives.

Leon Smart, former student and Racquets Professional at the Tuxedo Club, New York

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Leon Smart and I am currently the Racquets Professional at The Tuxedo Club located in Tuxedo Park, New York. Before my current place of employment, I was the Assistant Professional at the Tennis and Racquet Club in Boston, Massachusetts as well as the Assistant Professional at the Middlesex University Real Tennis Club. In addition to my club experience, I was the:

• Under 24 British Open Singles and Doubles Champion (MURTC)
• French Open Quarter Finalist (Paris)
• Australian Open Quarter Finalist (Melbourne)
• US National Open Semi-Finalist (Aiken, SC)
• Three Time US Below Zero Finalist (New York, NY)
• US Professional Satellite Winner (Newport, RI)
• US Professional Singles Semi-Finalist (Newport, RI)
• US Open Doubles Semi-Finalist (Philadelphia, PA)

Prior to my professional career within Real Tennis, I played Lawn Tennis for the University from 2010-2014. Naturally, Real Tennis piqued my interest and it is because of the facilities on campus. I first discovered the court while walking around campus on my first day and was given a free lesson by the student intern at the time. It was in that moment when I instantly fell in love with the game and its history. Throughout my first year, I played Real Tennis almost daily due to the affordable student rate that was offered to encourage more students to play.  In my second and third years I was offered the internship position which is where I trained to be a professional. Upon graduating I was offered the Assistant Professional Position at MURTC and that’s where my career started and truly changed my life. It is because of MURTC and my experience where I discovered and pursued my passion.

Aside from the opportunities this program has afforded myself and the current students who are participating, closing the Club will be a great historical and cultural loss for Middlesex University and all of its stakeholders. Real Tennis, also referred to as “The Sport of Kings”, is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of Lawn Tennis was derived and has been played since the 15th century. This makes Middlesex University one of three University systems in the world that offer this historical and elite sport, in addition to Cambridge University and Oxford University. This program has not only provided your student body with the opportunity to learn about and experience a sport that has been deeply ingrained in our country’s history, but it also sets the University apart from other University systems within the United Kingdom and the world. 

I kindly urge that you reconsider your decision in terminating the MURTC and instead, set the University apart from the rest by continuing to provide your students with the chance to discover and fall in love with this beautiful sport and its rich history, as I did. 

Please add your own testimonials of the club, and how it has shaped you below in the comments.