The corporate racket series · Launching summer 2027
Your company.
Five players.
One cup.
Up to 6 locations in 2027 · 1 cup in each
Tennis · Padel · Pickleball
The Business Cup is a racket series for company teams. It starts with tennis in 2027, with padel and pickleball to follow. Play the other businesses in your city for an afternoon, whatever your standard, and help put a racket in the hands of children who have never held one.
Register your interest now for the early-bird team rate and first pick of places when entries open.
2027 locations may include:
- Cambridge
- London
- Manchester
- Scotland
- Weybridge
- Portugal
Also in discussion: Malta, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Melbourne. Locations are confirmed as dates are agreed.
How it works
A proper afternoon of tennis, whatever your standard
Players in a team
Two doubles pairs and a substitute who work for your company or a business partner. Only two players? We may be able to match you with another company to make a team.
Standards welcome
We assess every team's level and set the draw so the matches are close and the afternoon is fun for everyone, from club regulars to occasional players.
Fixtures for every team
A round robin, followed by the finals. Every team plays at least three fixtures, so both your pairs get plenty of tennis.
Teams per city
A company can enter more than one team: an A team and a B team. Then prizegiving, drinks and time to meet the other businesses.
What your entry includes
An afternoon of tennis, and everything that goes with it
- An afternoon of tennis against the other businesses in your city.
- A team shirt with your company logo for each player.
- A water bottle for each player.
- The event programme with the draw and the order of play.
- A discount code for RACER, Mike's online tennis programme, for every player.
- Medals for the top two teams, prizes and the prizegiving.
- A Tennis Explosion kit donated overseas in your team's name.
Up to 16 teams per city.
Dates and host clubs to be announced. All details are subject to final confirmation, minimum team numbers apply and dates may change.
Optional extras
- Team coaching: an hour with the host club's coach before the event, so your five arrive ready to play.
- Mike's book, RACER for Sport, for every player.
- 12:30Registration, coffee and team photos
- 12:50Welcome, briefing and warm-up
- 13:15Round robin: at least three fixtures for every team
- 16:00Finals
- 16:45Prizegiving, then drinks at the club until 18:00
Timings are a guide and are confirmed with each host club.
Optional: sharpen up before the day
Get match-ready with RACER
If your team wants to prepare, RACER is the online tennis programme Mike Lipschitz developed at Mike's Tennis Academy. It breaks every point into five steps, so beginners and club players alike can improve. Every Business Cup player receives a discount code for it, and whether you use it is up to you.
Ready
Anticipate
Choose
Execute
Recover
Every host club receives free trial access to the RACER programme for its coaches: five online modules with video, drills, ebooks and a certificate. See the RACER course.
Tournament rules
The rules in brief
Teams
Five players aged 18 or over who work for the company or a business partner. Ideally each company enters its own team, and it can enter more than one. If you only have two players, we may be able to match you with another company to form a team.
On the day
Doubles throughout. The match format and scoring are confirmed at the briefing on the day, once we know the number of teams and courts.
Format
A round robin, followed by the finals. We set the draw by standard so every match is a good one.
There are no coaches on court: players call their own lines and the referee's decision is final. The full format, scoring and wet weather plan are explained at the briefing on the day.
Our impact
Every team sends tennis somewhere new
Talent is everywhere; courts and coaches are not. For every team that enters, we send a Tennis Explosion pack to a school or community overseas: rackets, a net and six games that let children play on any flat ground. The next star might be holding a racket for the first time because of your team.
Mike on Tennis Explosion
Ethiopia, South Africa, Nepal
The first destinations for Tennis Explosion packs, with a focus on women and girls in South Africa.
Finding talent
Tennis reaches places it has never been played. We follow the children who take to it and report back each year.
One kit for every team
Every team that enters donates a Tennis Explosion kit, so each new team means a new place where children can play.
Merchandise
Coming soon: Business Cup kit
Shirts, caps and water bottles in Business Cup colours, and a Tennis Explosion box for playing at home. Details to follow.
Sponsors
One title sponsor. A five-year journey.
We are looking for one national title sponsor to own The Business Cup from its first serve. The offer is reach into business communities across the UK, and an impact story with your name on it: tennis played in places it has never been played, and the chance to find a star.
Your name on the cup
"The Business Cup, presented by you" in every city: shirts, courts, trophies and every photo.
Your name on the impact
The Tennis Explosion programme carries your brand overseas, with numbers and stories for your community and ESG reporting.
A seat in every city
A team place and hospitality at each event, and a say in where the series goes next.
The plan, year by year
Launch in up to six locations, which may include Cambridge, London, Manchester, Scotland, Weybridge and Portugal. First Tennis Explosion packs sent overseas.
Four more UK cities. First national final for city winners. Padel edition.
Regional structure. Pickleball edition. Industry cups hosted by sponsors.
First international events, with Johannesburg, Cape Town and Melbourne in discussion. Finals weekend abroad.
City, region and country tiers in place. A second international market.
Ways to sponsor
Title sponsor
£50,000The whole series, in every city: "The Business Cup, presented by you", with first refusal on team places in the locations you choose.
City sponsor
£15,000 to £20,000The cup in your city named after you, with first refusal on team places, hospitality and local press.
Court sponsor
£2,000Your banner on court for the afternoon. Open to the teams taking part and to local businesses.
Programme advert
£100 per half pageAn advert in the event programme that every player and guest receives.
Full details are in the sponsorship booklet. Packages are subject to final confirmation.
Ask for the sponsorship booklet
Our sponsors
Tennis clubs
Host The Business Cup
Each host club welcomes up to 16 company teams for an afternoon. Before the event, teams can book an hour of coaching with the club's own coach, paid to the club. The club also receives free trial access to Mike's RACER coaching programme, copies of his book, the food and drink trade on the day and its logo on our event material. Members can enter a team from their own business or come and watch. We run and insure the event.
Host clubs 2027
Suppliers
Coffee carts, food trucks, barbecues and more
Every event needs good local food and drink. If you run a coffee cart, a food truck, a barbecue, a bar or an ice cream van near one of our locations, tell us what you do and where. We are also looking for equipment, kit, trophy and photography suppliers.
Who we are
Founded by a coach, delivered by an event team
Mike Lipschitz, founder
Mike founded Mike's Tennis Academy in Cambridge in 2000 and is still its head coach. He has trained thousands of students and more than 250 coaches. Raised in South Africa, he speaks five languages and holds qualifications in physical education, history, philosophy and sports psychology.
Mike created the RACER and SELF coaching systems and Tennis Explosion, and is the author of RACER for Sport: Five Steps to Sporting Success. He designed the Business Cup format.
12 Degrees Event Management
A Cambridge event agency founded by Jen Townsend in 2006, delivering corporate events, conferences and team events in the UK and abroad.
12 Degrees runs entries, sponsorship, suppliers and the event day.
Register interest
Tell us you're in
No payment is needed now. Register today for the early-bird rate and we will send dates, venues and entry details for your city as soon as they are confirmed.
Thank you. You're on the list.
We will be in touch with dates and details for your city.