In Part 1 of this series, we explored three critical strategies that tennis clubs must adopt to survive and grow: embracing high-tech management systems, pivoting to multi-sport models that include pickleball and padel, and building experience-driven membership communities.
Now we turn to what may be the most urgent threat of all, one that no amount of operational excellence can outrun on its own.
Let’s face it: the biggest threat to your favorite racquet club is not a lack of backhands. It is real estate.
You could have a thriving club, a waitlist out the door, and members practically begging to hand you their money. But if a real estate developer looks at your land and sees a goldmine, you are officially in the danger zone.
Across the United States and many major cities worldwide, tennis and racquet clubs increasingly sit on some of the most valuable land in their markets. As housing demand and urban density continue to rise, developers and municipalities are aggressively seeking opportunities to maximize land use.
When the value of the dirt under the courts completely outpaces the value of the sports business itself, even a packed house may not save you.
