Opening a padel venue — 5 aspects to consider

Having spent the last decade within the racket sports community, we’ve come to learn a thing or two about the industry through continuous talks with venues, partners, contractors, and players across the globe. In this article, we thought we’d take the opportunity to share 5 aspects to consider if you’re planning to open a padel venue.

1. Location, location, location

First things first, you need a location - either an existing warehouse or a location to start building one from scratch. Whatever you choose, make sure to read up on the rules and regulations beforehand. Just like every other successful shopping center, you want your venue to be in close proximity to the population. All in order to make it easier for people to get to your venue.

2. Regulations and permits

Perhaps this one goes without saying, but make sure you have all your permits in order and that they are granted before you start anything. Otherwise, it will cost you both unnecessary time and money. In some cases, you may need planning permission and the regulations differ from country to country. In other words: Contact local offices to get a better understanding of the current regulations and permits you need to pursue your dream of owning your own padel venue.

3. From the rooftops

Bandeja, Vibora, or the lob - your venue needs to be able to manage them all. In the game of padel, the lob is probably the most frequently used one of them all, unlike tennis for example. In light of this, you want to make sure that your venue has the right ceiling height, something that players truly value when booking a court. Our recommendation is to have at least 7-9 meters, however, the higher the better is often the winning concept when it comes to ceiling height. The sky is truly the limit in padel. 

4. Let there be light

It might sound excessive, but trust us when we say that the lighting is one of the most important aspects to create good conditions for padel. If done poorly, your players might not be able to see the ball properly. If done right, you enable a better customer experience. The rule of thumb is however to use LED's at your venue if possible. Why's that? It will save you both time and money in the long term, with halogen lamps consuming approximately 62% more energy than their LED counterpart. With that being said, contact construction companies or LED manufacturers to discuss the best alternatives when it comes to lighting, ventilation, and courts.

5. Book it

Here’s our chance to talk a little bit about ourselves. Naturally, you want to ensure a frictionless, digital customer experience for your players when booking a court at your venue. Over the course of the last decade, we've been privileged enough to work with some of the largest padel venues in the world, enabling people to play more through user-friendly tech. Through the MATCHi platform, we offer a complete and fully digital ecosystem for your venue - making life easier for you and the players. The numbers are there to see: 1500+ venues, 15 countries, and more than 1 million players.

Planning to open your own venue? Reach out to MATCHi and we’ll help you along the way!