How do you attract new members with padel at a tennis club?

Padel is growing at lightning speed in the Netherlands, and tennis clubs are noticing it more and more. Where membership numbers at some clubs have been under pressure for years, clubs that add padel to their offering see a clear turnaround. Padel attracts a new group of sports players who would otherwise never join a tennis club. In this article you will read how to approach this smartly as a tennis club, from the right target groups to the most common mistakes.

Why does padel attract new members to a tennis club?

Padel attracts new members because it is an accessible, social and quick-to-learn sport that appeals to a different audience than tennis. Where tennis has a high entry barrier due to technique and the experience required, with padel you can enjoy yourself within a single session. That makes it attractive to people who have never held a racket before.

The combination of sport and social experience is a major draw. Padel is always played in pairs, in a small cage, close to your opponents. That gives a different dynamic from tennis: it is more fun, more sociable and lighter in tone. That fits the way many people exercise today, not for the competition, but for the connection.

What that means for a tennis club: you add a sport that appeals to a completely new group of people, without shrinking your tennis offering. That is a direct way to grow your membership without competing with yourself.

How many new members can a padel court bring a tennis club?

The number of new members a padel court brings differs per club and region, but the direction is clear: clubs that actively offer padel see their membership grow. Clubs that start with two padel courts and a good introductory programme regularly report dozens of new members within the first year.

This is not just about direct padel members. Some of the new padel players later also move on to tennis, or take a combined membership. That increases the total value of every new sign-up.

What determines growth is not just the presence of a court, but what you do with it. Clubs that organise clinics, offer beginners' lessons and keep the courts well booked attract structurally more members than clubs that put up the court and wait. The court is the starting point, not the end point.

Which target groups hold the most potential for padel at a tennis club?

The target groups with the most potential for padel at a tennis club are people between 25 and 50 years old, women who tend to drop out of tennis because of the technical barrier, and former athletes looking for an active way to exercise without too much time investment. These are groups that tennis rarely reaches, but padel does.

Young professionals and social sports players

People aged 25 to 40 who combine sport with social contact are a strong target group. They prefer to exercise in a group rather than alone, appreciate an accessible environment and do not want to have to practise for years before they enjoy themselves. Padel fits that profile perfectly.

Women and beginners

Padel has a significantly higher influx of female players than tennis. The technical barrier is lower, the court is smaller and the game is more forgiving. Many tennis clubs struggle to attract women on a structural basis. Padel offers a concrete opening.

Former members and inactive sports players

Former members who stopped playing tennis because of injury-proneness or lack of time sometimes return through padel. The sport is less demanding on the back and shoulders than tennis, and a match is shorter on average. That also makes it suitable for people who are somewhat older or who want to exercise less intensively.

How do you promote padel effectively as a tennis club?

You promote padel effectively as a tennis club by combining accessible introductory activities with visibility on the right channels. Think of free introductory lessons, an open day, collaboration with local businesses for team outings and active communication via social media and the club newsletter.

An open day or introductory afternoon is by far the most effective way to bring new people in. People who have tried padel once almost always want more. The game sells itself; all you need to do is remove the barrier.

Businesses in the area are also an interesting target group for member recruitment. Many organisations look for team activities, and padel lends itself to this extremely well. A well-organised corporate tournament not only generates revenue for the club, but also visibility among potential new members.

Do not forget your existing members either. Tennis members who discover padel often become enthusiastic ambassadors. Give them the chance to bring friends along and actively reward it. Word of mouth works particularly well with padel, because the game has such a strong social component.

What is the difference between an indoor and an outdoor padel court for member recruitment?

For member recruitment, a covered padel court has a clear advantage: you can play all year round, regardless of the weather. That increases the occupancy rate and makes the offering more reliable for members. An outdoor court is cheaper to build, but depends on the season and the weather conditions.

An indoor court also attracts a different type of member. People who want to exercise regularly, not just in the summer, prefer a club with a covered offering. That is relevant if you want to achieve structural membership growth, not just a summer peak.

Outdoor courts do have their own advantages. They are more visible to passers-by, create a lively atmosphere at the sports park and are considerably cheaper to build. An outdoor padel court from approximately €50,000, complete including foundation, is a realistic entry point for clubs with a more limited budget.

For larger clubs, a combination of outdoor and indoor is the most attractive: the outdoor courts attract new players in the summer, while the indoor courts provide continuity all year round. That gives you the best of both worlds.

When is a padel court a good investment for a tennis club?

A padel court is a good investment for a tennis club when enough space is available, the board has built support among the members and the expected occupancy has been estimated realistically. A well-booked padel court pays for itself through membership fees, court hire and activities.

The payback period depends on how you operate the court. Clubs that offer padel only as an extra for existing members earn less than clubs that actively recruit new members and offer court hire to non-members. So think about the revenue model in advance, not just about the construction.

Converting an existing tennis court into a padel court can save costs, because part of the substructure can sometimes be reused. That makes the investment more feasible for many tennis clubs than they expect in advance. It is wise to have this assessed for each site, because the soil conditions and the state of the existing foundation determine how much you can reuse.

Also take permits into account. An outdoor court almost always requires an environmental permit, and if the site is close to homes, an acoustic study is mandatory. That takes time, on average 8 to 12 weeks for the permit alone. Factor that into your planning.

What mistakes do tennis clubs make when introducing padel?

The most common mistakes when introducing padel are: putting up the court without an introductory programme, communicating too little to potential new members, and underestimating how much time the permit process takes. Anyone who avoids these three pitfalls has a big head start.

Not building a programme around the court

A padel court without activities is a missed opportunity. Many clubs invest in the court itself, but forget to develop an introductory programme. Beginners' lessons, open days and corporate tournaments are the engine behind membership growth. The court is merely the means.

Directing communication exclusively at existing members

Padel attracts new people who are currently not members of any sports club at all. If your communication is aimed only internally, you will not reach that group. Also invest in social media, local media and partnerships with businesses in the area.

Underestimating the permit process

Many boards want to start quickly and forget that permits take time. For an outdoor court, an environmental permit is almost always mandatory, and for a location close to homes an acoustic study is needed. Padel produces more noise than tennis; the sound power level is on average around 10 dB higher. That is a relevant difference that municipalities take seriously.

Paying no attention to the quality of the court

A padel court that does not look good or plays poorly damages the club's reputation. Choose certified materials and make sure the court meets the standards of Kiwa ISA Sport. This is mandatory for official matches and a sign of quality for members. Inexperienced buyers sometimes choose the cheapest provider and discover afterwards that the materials do not meet the required standards. That is an expensive mistake.

Would you like to get started with padel as a tennis club and find out what is possible at your site? At I-Padel, we are happy to think along with you, without obligation, about building padel courts, from the initial exploration to handover. Get in touch for an initial conversation without obligations.

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