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Platform Tennis in Secondary Markets

Why the sport fails 100% of the time & what to do about it.
  • ​Identifying key tennis market factors that are unique to "primary" platform tennis markets.
  • Copying formulas of primary markets won't yield proportionate results.
  • Achieving a tenable market position based on explicit desires of players is .
    • , unique attributes of the game & availability/cost of logical substitutes. 
  • Identifying 
Platform Tennis: A $10 game played on a $90,000 court
Why the world’s greatest racket sport struggles with viability in secondary cities.
 

Positioning 101:
 
PT is simply a “substitute” for tennis – more specifically, winter tennis.
 
The price/availability of winter tennis is the only proven factor in determining viability of platform tennis in a given market.
 
Considering current PT court & ball prices – Primetime winter tennis court time needs to be at least $60 per hour or PT will not achieve a viable market position – total players & revenue/perceived member value enough to sustain the game.
 
In cold-weather cities where land is at a premium & indoor tennis is scarce and/or expensive – platform tennis finds a viable market positionas a less expensive winter racket sport. 
 
In cities where either indoor 
 
The average cost of playing tennis in the winter – be it indoors or out – is the primary factor in determining the maximum value (to the participant) the sport can achieve in any geographic market. 
 
Assume 7:00pm weeknight tennis court rates are $80 and an average match is 1.5 hours or $120 for 4 players to play doubles – then indoor tennis is worth $30 per player per time. 
 
At 50% the value of primetime indoor tennis, that leaves $15 per time as an achievable value for PT in a market. At this rate, a large enough group will play (join clubs) & value the game enough to justify $90,000 courts and $6 balls. – NYC Metro & Chicago.
 
In cities where prime indoor tennis court time is $40, the cost for a 1.5 hour tennis doubles match is 
 
 
 
Actual cost vs. participant value summary:
 
Member value (with balls):
 
  • $20 per time - 4.3%
  • $15 per time - 31.3%
  • $10 per time - 52.2%
  • $5 per time - 12.2%
 
So, platform tennis courts are worth less than $10 per time per participant.
 
Assume 800 players locally (highest possible estimate) playing 30 times per year on average (again high) = 24,000 participation occurrences per year
 
So, $240,000 is the maximum value of the sport per year - to all members & players combined in Cincinnati.
 
Now,
 
Cincinnati has 37 courts at 14 facilities. With huts, land allocation, parking, decking and landscaping improvements - Cincinnati has a minimum of $9,000,000 worth of PT infrastructure. If financed over 30 years at 6%, this equals over $600,000/year.
 
Based on current staffing, maintenance & operating needs of the current clubs with courts  - another $450,000 (minimum) is spent to operate.
 
—--
 
Cincinnati clubs spend at least $1,050,000 per year to have & operate PT facilities. The return is about $240,000 in perceived member value. 
 
—--
 
Simply telling people how much things cost will have no effect on how much they “value” the game.
 
This opinion is mostly formed by comparing available substitutes:
  • 180,000 sq ft gym membership for $30/mo unlimited use & max flexibility
  • $5 per time indoor pickleball w/ reusable $1 ball
  • $1 tennis ball & free outdoor summer play
  • $7 racquetball add on memberships with $1 ball
 
That $10 per time value is fixed by external forces much greater than the sport will ever overcome on its own. 
 
This is the number all proposed growth efforts must accept & work with. Any “wishful” thinking solutions assuming an inflated value will result in net participation losses over time.
 
Also consider:
  • 86% of players prefer playing matches to drills
  • Competitive compatibility is far and away the most important feature in a league

  • Social, gathering and “team” aspects are by far the least important
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  • Home
  • News
  • Schedule
  • Standings
  • Videos
  • In or Out?
  • About PT League
  • Contact
  • Directions
  • Rules - Fall/Winter
  • Past Champions
  • Levels, Pairings & Ratings