Why Clubs Prefer Padel to Tennis

March 2, 2026 | digital smartpadel

In recent years, padel has seen explosive growth in sports facilities around the world, often becoming the preferred option for clubs over traditional tennis. But what's behind this choice? Often, it's not just a matter of fashion, but rather of concrete advantages for sports center managers.

✅ 1. More players = more bookings, more revenue

One of the main reasons why many clubs are focusing on padel is economic: padel is almost always played in doubles, that is, with 4 people on the court at the same time, while in tennis the game is more frequently played in singles (2 people).

This means that:

each booking involves multiple users
more people pay to use the same space
increase the sale of additional services (bar, merchandising, lessons)

A padel court therefore functions as a revenue multiplier compared to a tennis court of the same size.

🏟️ 2. Padel courts take up less space and cost less

Another key reason is the size and cost of construction/operation:

a padel court takes up about a third of the space of a tennis court
building a padel court costs significantly less than a traditional tennis court
in an area where there was previously only one tennis court, up to 2-3 padel courts can enter

This means that a club can better utilize its land, quickly increase the available playing spaces and therefore support more simultaneous bookings.

🤝 3. An inclusive and social structure

Padel is not only economically advantageous, but also socially:

It's easy to learn right away, even for those with no experience
it is always played in doubles, encouraging team play
It is less technical and physically demanding than tennis, making it accessible to a wider audience (families, groups of friends, beginners)

These characteristics make padel particularly suitable for creating an active and cohesive community within the club, with players who return regularly, meet and socialize even off the court.

📊 4. Higher utilization and turnover rates

Compared to tennis, padel courts tend to be booked more frequently:

smaller fields
faster turnover
increased demand for group play

This leads to a higher court utilization rate during all time slots, without the large peaks and dead moments typical of traditional tennis facilities.

Simply put: where once a tennis court might remain empty for hours, padel courts are rarely empty.

🧠 5. Padel attracts new audiences

Finally, padel helps clubs expand their user base:

It attracts those who have never played tennis
involves families and social groups
It can become an “entry point” for occasional athletes who then become regular members of the club

Many clubs report seeing an increase in memberships following the introduction of padel courts, sometimes even doubling the number of active members in just a few seasons.

📌 Conclusion

Clubs' preference for padel over tennis isn't an isolated or fleeting phenomenon: it's the result of a mix of economic, social, and practical factors. From a management perspective, padel allows for: