What Actually Makes a Padel Club Work?

‍What actually makes a club work long-term?

That’s where our recent Insider 22 session with Patricio Misitrano focused. And it’s a conversation that felt less like theory, and more like a reality check.

Patricio’s perspective comes from having built across multiple racket sports — tennis, platform tennis, pickleball, and padel — and from operating at a level where decisions aren’t conceptual. They’re commercial, operational, and tested over time. From founding one of the first indoor padel and pickleball clubs globally to now advising operators across the U.S. with Misitrano Consulting, his lens is grounded in what actually holds.

What came through clearly is that we’re entering a different phase of the sport.

The early stage — proving demand — is largely done.
The next stage is about whether operators can build something that sustains it.

And that’s a very different challenge.

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Three Things That Actually Matter

1. The model only works if the numbers do

One of the most honest parts of the conversation was around membership models.

Unlimited play sounds attractive on paper. It sells easily. But in environments where court supply is limited, it creates friction quickly — overbooking, court hoarding, and ultimately, member dissatisfaction.

The takeaway wasn’t that membership doesn’t work. It’s that it only works when it’s aligned with infrastructure, booking systems, and real usage patterns.

In other words: the experience people buy has to match what the club can actually deliver.

2. Courts don’t build retention. Programming does.

There’s still a tendency in padel + other emerging racquet sports to think of the court as the product.

But the operators who are seeing repeat behaviour — and real community — are building around what happens on top of it.

Structured programming.
Open play that’s actually organised properly.
Short-form competitive formats.
Social touchpoints that bring people back.

The clubs that work aren’t just giving people somewhere to play.
They’re giving them a reason to return.

3. Growth is closer than you think

One of the simplest, and most effective, insights shared wasn’t about marketing at all.

It was about proximity.

Instead of chasing new audiences, the smartest operators are tapping into existing ones — particularly within racket sports. Partnering with local tennis clubs, hosting open events, and creating easy entry points for players who already understand the rhythm of the game.

It’s not about awareness.
It’s about access.

But what really sits beyond those takeaways, is there was a broader thread running through the session. The most successful operators aren’t thinking in terms of “courts.” They’re thinking in terms of time, space, and experience.

How long people stay.
What they do when they’re not playing.
How the environment feels before and after a match.

That’s where things like food & beverage, partnerships, and programming stop being add-ons — and start becoming part of the core product - the ecosystem.

And it’s also where many clubs will either evolve… or stall.

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Why These Conversations Matter

This is the side of padel + emerging racquet sports that doesn’t always get shared publicly.

The parts that aren’t polished.
The trade-offs.
The things that don’t quite work — until they do.

It’s exactly why we run these sessions inside Insider 22.

Because more often than not, the most valuable insights aren’t in the headlines — they’re in the conversations between people actually building the world’s fastest growing sports in real time.

Watch the Full Conversation

We’ve linked the full session recording and recap below.

If you’re building, investing, or simply trying to understand where this next phase of padel + emerging racquet sports is heading, it’s worth the time.

And if you’re not already inside Insider 22 — this is very much the type of conversation happening regularly. Join Insider 22 with our 7-day free trial. 

Real conversations. Real operators. Real insight.

[Watch the full recap inside Insider 22]