I’m Pete Klein, Creator of ACTION TENNIS.

I’ve been a professional stuntman in movies & TV for nearly 20 years.  

here’s my IMDB link:  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2200019/

It’s been a childhood dream come true, and I’m so grateful for having gotten to live that dream!  

Here’s me about to tangle with JOHN WICK…

I missed. He missed. Then he threw me through a floor-to-ceiling window…And shot at me again…and he didn’t miss!

I’ve always been amazed by the caliber of athletes that exist in the stunt community – man or woman; short or tall; fit or…not so fit.  While working with the fight team on the 2014 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES reboot, I realized just how much more human athletes are capable of.

With that experience informing my perspective, the idea for ACTION TENNIS was first sparked back in 2015.  I saw an old, neglected tennis court and thought: What if we put obstacles on the court?  What if we had people hurling those objects at the players during point play?  What if we caged in the court & added playable backwalls?  These crazy thoughts became something of a thesis regarding the future of sport: Let’s put modern, hybrid athletes in an unconventional environment that challenges them in new ways & forces them to constantly tap into their athletic ability as they’re repeatedly bombarded with dynamic obstacles.  Essentially turning a sport into an unpredictable test of situational awareness – while still facing equally skilled opponents in a technically demanding sport like tennis!  

The plan is to take what I saw from this court… 

and with your help, transform it into THIS COURT …

THEN ADD IN STUFF LIKE THIS!

…Creating a gritty, hostile environment designed to challenge highly skilled, Pro-Level racquet sport athletes!

TENNIS IS NOW A CONTACT SPORT — MODERNIZED & INTENSIFIED

An influx of technology & investment has poured into the sports industry, but despite all the promises of “disruptive changes” & innovations, the sports themselves  are still very much the same old games athletes have been playing for the past 100 years.  

Athletes have evolved & it’s time the sports they play start to evolve with them!  

That’s where ACTION TENNIS comes in…

Sports fans have evolved too…and that’s where YOU come in!

We’re seeking $50,000 to build this court, reward the athletes for their performance & cover our production costs so that we can unleash this chaotic new era action sport. The build-out of the court will take up approximately 2/3’s of that $50k goal amount.  That court design, however, is a critical component to the ACTION TENNIS concept. The remaining amount will be directed towards other production costs, such as talent, crew & equipment.  I’ll personally be covering the other production expenses, such as location, legal & insurance services, and the other logistic & administrative stuff.
 

I’m working with a team of true professionals with a history of performing in & coordinating major film & TV productions; decades of LIVE Sports Broadcasting & Production experience; Major Consumer Goods Marketing expertise; and I’ve recruited tennis players with college & pro experience for this initial competition.  Just like the sport itself, this Action Tennis Pilot Tournament schedule will be aggressive & ambitious, with an intense 7-day timeframe. But that’s just what we do!  

This is a team of do-ers.  Each of us has set some pretty lofty goals in our lives – then we went out & did the work it takes to achieve them. I’m so confident that if you’re able to back us –at any level– we’ll deliver an amazing first-ever ACTION TENNIS SERIES production.  

 

The perks we’re offering include our first-run ATS merch and very exclusive ACTION TENNIS experiences. These are available at a reasonable range of price points, too.  You’ll be able to back us for as little as $10.  If you’re a Tennis player (or skilled at another racquet sport) you may choose to back us under the PLAY ACTION TENNIS category where you’ll get a chance to compete & win as part of our Elimination Challenger Open!  There’s even an option to contribute on a much higher level for anyone interested in investing in a sports industry startup that isn’t another piece of wearable tech, home fitness solution, eSport or gambling platform.  Yes, we think this is something really quite unique, so if finding points of differentiation is part of your investment strategy, I’d invite you to select this option & we can schedule a 1-on-1 conversation.

But even if you’re not a hot shot producer, a big time investor, or a highly skilled tennis player, you can still help us out just by sharing this campaign. Trying to create a new era action sport from the ground up hasn’t been easy (…never thought it would be, either!) and we know we’re going to need a ton of support to break through, so spreading the word about what this is, who we are & what we’re trying to do with THE ACTION TENNIS SERIES is a crucial element to our future success!
 

Prior to becoming a stuntman, I’d worked in Sports Television Production as part of the Live Broadcast teams for CBS Sports & USA Networks.  I’ve been a part of the broadcast coverage for The NFL, NCAA Football & Basketball, major Golf tournaments and of course Tennis, with The U.S. Open…which is where I began my TV career as a “runner” & developed my appreciation for tennis!

I’ve been a stuntman since 2002, and have gotten to work on some amazing shows & films.  

here’s my IMDB link:  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2200019/

In addition to everything listed there, I’ve been the Stunt Coordinator for The Tonight Show (and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) since 2010. 

Being a stunt man is usually a ton of fun! 

But sometimes, it hurts…

I broke my ankle while rehearsing a stunt in 2016.  It’s the only major injury I’ve ever had in my entire life…I’d made it through nearly 15 years of stunt work, college football, and just generally a lifetime of being an extremely active human.  It took about 44 years to feel what it’s like to be broken. 

As my stunt career’s been slowed by that injury, I’ve utilized that time to further develop the ACTION TENNIS concept.  With the help of friends and colleagues Like Stevland Wilson & Andy Stepan, I’ve been able to give real depth to the concept & add layers that shape how I want to see it presented.  Jaime Miller & Stephanie Kent were extraordinarily instrumental in executing the video work & the on-court action for our demo & testing shoots.  

Through my experiences as a stunt performer & sports production professional, I’ve created THE ACTION TENNIS SERIES with these 2 thoughts constantly present: What will challenge the athletes playing & what will thrill the audience watching!

I see this as the next phase in my professional career by combining my years of experience in Sports TV Production with my years of producing & performing Action for Film & TV.  I have a distribution outlet ready to include THE ACTION TENNIS SERIES on their digital television platform.  Without divulging names, I can safely share that this outlet has a serious “niche sports” presence in the U.S. and a massive international audience.  Producing these ACTION TENNIS SERIES Championship Matches would be an amazing way to launch this new sports phenomenon on that platform.  I believe it’s a great fit & that exposure will provide us with the foundation to grow this unique, truly innovative awesome new sport!

I’ve dedicated over 5 years on developing & planning HOW to do this. I’ve thought about every way to budget it.  The $50k goal allows us to put together an amazing “pilot” competition.  That I already have distribution lined up is a major motivator for me.  I want to produce the best sports-entertainment production I possibly can & I know the people I’ve partnered with will help me do that.  

 If I’m not able to raise the full goal amount, I’m confident I can still produce a very high quality, albeit scaled back, comprehensive version of the Pilot Tournament that showcases the concept & the incredible on-court athleticism this sport demands!

I’m also confident you’re gonna love to see it!