My padel court in denver is free 10am to 4pm every weekday. There are other models out there already thriving in the US if you look beyond the big name brands
Love it Evan... exactly the kind of model we need more of!
Where in Denver is this? Would love to learn more about how the business model works with free weekday hours (feel like this would draw strong retention by getting new people in the door to become addicts - like myself - quickly). Are you membership-based, or without disclosing much, how do the economics work? Again, this is the kind of innovation I'm excited to see 🇺🇸💪
Great outlook on the current state of padel in the US market. It’s absolute amateur hour, which is to be expected. You and myself have played at literally some of the top clubs on earth and know how clubs should feel and function. Perfect example is Costa Rica in BA, occupied 99% 365 a year. I have heard some American padel guru idiots try to explain that a club being too occupied can actually hurt the club 😂😂😂😂 I guess that makes them feel better about the empty courts
Ciento por ciento che. There's a proven blueprint that already exists - Costa Rica Padel in Buenos Aires, clubs in Spain (Suma, Sportcity, Forus, etc.), Italy, etc. are occupied constantly because they prioritize accessibility and community over exclusivity. Everyone keeps saying "just give it time, padel will trickle down like it did in Europe and LatAm decades ago" - but that's BS. We have the advantage of seeing what worked everywhere else. People around the world are addicted to this sport. There's clear demand. We don't need to reinvent the wheel or wait for some natural evolution. What's the point of building (predominantly - again because not all courts are like this in the US, but the majority are from my observations) fancy courts and exclusive clubs that sit empty ~75% of the day? That's not how you build a sport lol
I generally agree with the point. This is why I am building a 19-court pickleball and padel club in Boston with all-inclusive model with Founding Memberships starting at $139/mo for Pickleball and $189/mo for Padel and Pickleball.
For us, it is not just make courts available and accessible. To create a vibrant community of players we included all organized events, like open plays, leagues and even tournaments in our memberships.
As for the luxury aspect of the padel in the US, I see its place. I don't condemn it. But I am building an affordable option for middle class.
I am building my club ground up. Literally. I bought a piece of land and designed a club from clean slate specifically for these two sports.
Now, the cost of building a club is much much much higher than the price of the courts. As a matter of fact, the price of the courts is probably the lowest line item in my construction budget.
Without understanding construction costs, it is easy to mis-calculate what it takes to build an actual club. Having gone through this, I now consult people who are just starting their journey.
Hey Yev! Really appreciate you sharing this. Tbh, this is exactly the kind of thinking the US padel market needs more of. A few thoughts:
1) Huge props for what you're building in Boston. $189/mo for unlimited padel + pickleball with organized events, leagues, and tournaments included is genuinely accessible relative to what I'm seeing elsewhere. The all-inclusive model is smart too imo - it removes friction and builds exactly the kind of vibrant community you're talking about (as a natural byproduct of getting beginners addicted early and constantly wanting to come back). Would love to hear more about how it goes once you're open.
2) Re the construction costs point - you're def right that I simplified this in the article. Courts are just one line item, and the full build-out (i.e., facility, amenities, HVAC, locker rooms, etc.) is where costs balloon. I probs should've been more explicit about that nuance, so thank you - this is the beauty of why I'm building a presence in this space: to learn from other padeleros like you. My main frustration is less about the actual economics (which are genuinely harder in the US, as you're experiencing firsthand) and more about the positioning + biz model choices that so many operators are making. Here's what I mean: even acknowledging higher construction costs, there's still a choice between:
a) Building 3 courts w seaplane access, $36K initiation fees, and members-only exclusivity
b) Building 19 courts w accessible memberships and focusing on throughput/community
You're clearly choosing the latter, which is why I'm bullish on what you're doing.
3) On luxury padel having its place - I def don't condemn it either. Premium options will always exist, just like they do in tennis or golf. My concern is that in the US, the *default* has become luxury/exclusivity rather than accessibility, which fundamentally limits how big the sport can get. Spain didn't become a padel powerhouse by making it exclusive... they did it via tons of infrastructure. We need way more operators like you building the accessible foundation, with luxury options as a niche on top of that base, not the other way around.
4) Would genuinely love to learn more about your construction journey and what you're learning as you consult others. The "scalable operating blueprint" problem I mention in the article is real, and operators like you who are figuring out how to make the economics work at accessible price points are going to be critical for the sport's growth here.
Thanks for engaging thoughtfully w the piece, and best of luck with the Boston club! 🙌🎾
My padel court in denver is free 10am to 4pm every weekday. There are other models out there already thriving in the US if you look beyond the big name brands
Love it Evan... exactly the kind of model we need more of!
Where in Denver is this? Would love to learn more about how the business model works with free weekday hours (feel like this would draw strong retention by getting new people in the door to become addicts - like myself - quickly). Are you membership-based, or without disclosing much, how do the economics work? Again, this is the kind of innovation I'm excited to see 🇺🇸💪
Great outlook on the current state of padel in the US market. It’s absolute amateur hour, which is to be expected. You and myself have played at literally some of the top clubs on earth and know how clubs should feel and function. Perfect example is Costa Rica in BA, occupied 99% 365 a year. I have heard some American padel guru idiots try to explain that a club being too occupied can actually hurt the club 😂😂😂😂 I guess that makes them feel better about the empty courts
Ciento por ciento che. There's a proven blueprint that already exists - Costa Rica Padel in Buenos Aires, clubs in Spain (Suma, Sportcity, Forus, etc.), Italy, etc. are occupied constantly because they prioritize accessibility and community over exclusivity. Everyone keeps saying "just give it time, padel will trickle down like it did in Europe and LatAm decades ago" - but that's BS. We have the advantage of seeing what worked everywhere else. People around the world are addicted to this sport. There's clear demand. We don't need to reinvent the wheel or wait for some natural evolution. What's the point of building (predominantly - again because not all courts are like this in the US, but the majority are from my observations) fancy courts and exclusive clubs that sit empty ~75% of the day? That's not how you build a sport lol
I generally agree with the point. This is why I am building a 19-court pickleball and padel club in Boston with all-inclusive model with Founding Memberships starting at $139/mo for Pickleball and $189/mo for Padel and Pickleball.
For us, it is not just make courts available and accessible. To create a vibrant community of players we included all organized events, like open plays, leagues and even tournaments in our memberships.
As for the luxury aspect of the padel in the US, I see its place. I don't condemn it. But I am building an affordable option for middle class.
I am building my club ground up. Literally. I bought a piece of land and designed a club from clean slate specifically for these two sports.
Now, the cost of building a club is much much much higher than the price of the courts. As a matter of fact, the price of the courts is probably the lowest line item in my construction budget.
Without understanding construction costs, it is easy to mis-calculate what it takes to build an actual club. Having gone through this, I now consult people who are just starting their journey.
Hey Yev! Really appreciate you sharing this. Tbh, this is exactly the kind of thinking the US padel market needs more of. A few thoughts:
1) Huge props for what you're building in Boston. $189/mo for unlimited padel + pickleball with organized events, leagues, and tournaments included is genuinely accessible relative to what I'm seeing elsewhere. The all-inclusive model is smart too imo - it removes friction and builds exactly the kind of vibrant community you're talking about (as a natural byproduct of getting beginners addicted early and constantly wanting to come back). Would love to hear more about how it goes once you're open.
2) Re the construction costs point - you're def right that I simplified this in the article. Courts are just one line item, and the full build-out (i.e., facility, amenities, HVAC, locker rooms, etc.) is where costs balloon. I probs should've been more explicit about that nuance, so thank you - this is the beauty of why I'm building a presence in this space: to learn from other padeleros like you. My main frustration is less about the actual economics (which are genuinely harder in the US, as you're experiencing firsthand) and more about the positioning + biz model choices that so many operators are making. Here's what I mean: even acknowledging higher construction costs, there's still a choice between:
a) Building 3 courts w seaplane access, $36K initiation fees, and members-only exclusivity
b) Building 19 courts w accessible memberships and focusing on throughput/community
You're clearly choosing the latter, which is why I'm bullish on what you're doing.
3) On luxury padel having its place - I def don't condemn it either. Premium options will always exist, just like they do in tennis or golf. My concern is that in the US, the *default* has become luxury/exclusivity rather than accessibility, which fundamentally limits how big the sport can get. Spain didn't become a padel powerhouse by making it exclusive... they did it via tons of infrastructure. We need way more operators like you building the accessible foundation, with luxury options as a niche on top of that base, not the other way around.
4) Would genuinely love to learn more about your construction journey and what you're learning as you consult others. The "scalable operating blueprint" problem I mention in the article is real, and operators like you who are figuring out how to make the economics work at accessible price points are going to be critical for the sport's growth here.
Thanks for engaging thoughtfully w the piece, and best of luck with the Boston club! 🙌🎾