If you want your tennis or pickleball club to succeed, you need to get strategic about increasing Revenue Per Player (RPP) – the metric that actually drives your bottom line.
Your club’s growth won’t happen by chance, and it certainly doesn’t happen by sticking to the same old playbook. Instead of solely relying on the usual tennis and pickleball club revenue strategies – like pushing memberships, filling courts, and hoping the numbers add up – RPP helps you focus on the right opportunities to increase revenue, enhance the player experience, and build a club that thrives long-term.
Oh, and in case you missed it: This is Part 2 of our three-part series on RPP:
- Part 1: What is RPP and why is it the key to tennis & pickleball club growth
- Part 2: How to increase Revenue Per Player: 6 strategies for smarter growth
- Part 3: How to measure RPP + real-world examples (coming soon!)
If you haven’t read Part 1, we recommend starting there to learn what RPP is, why it matters, and how it outperforms traditional metrics like court utilization. But if you’re all caught up, welcome back!
Now that you understand the power of RPP, it’s time to move from theory to action.
Increasing your RPP: Strategies for smarter growth
Part 2 dives into the practical strategies your club can implement to boost RPP and maximize player value.
Here’s what we’ll explore in Part 2:
How to increase RPP
1. Get your pricing right and consider tiered memberships
2. Leverage lessons and clinics
3. Host social events and tournaments
4. Expand retail offerings
5. Introduce food & beverage options
6. Use a club management system
Each section includes Pro tips to help you apply these strategies effectively and make the most of every opportunity.
Let’s dive into the next stage of your club’s growth journey.
How to increase Revenue Per Player
Once you’ve calculated your club’s Revenue Per Player using the formula from Part 1, it’s time to put that data to work.
Here are actionable strategies to help you take your RPP to the next level:
1. Get your pricing right and consider tiered memberships
Getting your pricing right is essential. Raising prices doesn’t always mean higher revenue – if members feel the cost outweighs the value, they may not return.
The key is finding the right balance between offering valuable services that justify the price while maintaining strong profit margins.
💡 Pro tip
To get your pricing right –
- Understand your market: Research similar clubs in your area to understand what players are willing to pay and how your offerings compare.
- Know your costs: Factor in operational costs to ensure pricing delivers a healthy margin for your club.
- Test your pricing: Experiment with small adjustments to gauge member responses and fine-tune your pricing model over time.
- Communicate value: Clearly articulate what members get for the price – whether it’s access, perks, or premium services – to ensure they see the worth of their investment.
Remember, a one-size-fits-all approach often misses the mark, as different players have different needs and spending habits.
That’s where tiered memberships typically excel.
By aligning value with price, this model ensures every member finds a plan that suits their budget and preferences. Higher tiers can include premium perks like priority booking or discounts, while entry-level options provide essential access at an affordable rate.
On top of that, tiered memberships boosts RPP, enhances satisfaction, and improves retention by delivering personalized choices that meet diverse member needs – making it a win-win for everyone!
2. Leverage lessons and clinics
Lessons and clinics are among the most profitable programs for tennis and pickleball clubs – appealing to beginners, intermediate, and advanced players.
Offering a mix of group classes, one-on-one coaching, and specialized clinics allows you to increase revenue from players of all skill levels. The key to success is to build these into your regular programming and price them appropriately.
💡 Pro tip
Consider offering the following:
- Competitive pricing: Set prices that reflect the quality of instruction while ensuring strong profit margins.
- Package deals: Offer bundles, such as multi-session packages, to encourage repeat participation.
- Exclusive member offerings: Create special programs like advanced workshops or small-group clinics available only to members, adding value to their membership.
As a bonus, integrating lessons and clinics into your core services is not only a great way to increase RPP – but also creates a stronger player experience, fostering loyalty and long-term growth.
3. Host social events and tournaments
For many players, pickleball and tennis are as much about camaraderie and community as they are about the sport itself.
That’s why hosting social events and tournaments is such a powerful strategy – they boost player engagement, create memorable experiences, and unlock valuable revenue opportunities.
So if you’re looking to increase Revenue Per Player, consider hosting club mixers, themed nights, tournaments, and more special events at your club!
💡 Pro tip
Maximize the revenue potential of your events by tapping into:
- Entry fees: Charge participants for exclusive access to tournaments, socials, or special events.
- Sponsorships: Partner with local businesses or brands to sponsor events, adding prestige and offsetting costs.
- Merchandise Sales: Offer event-specific apparel, gear, or branded items that players can purchase as keepsakes.
When done right, these events turn every interaction into a chance to increase customer loyalty and boost your bottom line.
4. Expand retail offerings
A well-stocked pro shop is more than a convenience or perk for players – it’s a powerful revenue stream. Offering essential gear such as paddles, balls, apparel, accessories, and more ensures members have easy access to what they need and encourages additional spending.
💡 Pro tip
Make your retail offerings stand out by:
- Partnering with brands: Collaborate with local or national brands to feature exclusive promotions or specialty items.
- Club-branded merchandise: Offer apparel, bags, water bottles, etc. with your club’s logo, giving players something functional and memorable to take home.
- Seasonal promotions: Highlight seasonal gear, such as holiday-themed items or summer essentials, to keep your inventory fresh and engaging.
Every purchase – whether it’s a paddle or club-branded shirt – contributes to a higher RPP. Thoughtfully expanding your retail offerings turns a pro shop into a meaningful extension of your club’s experience and a consistent contributor to your bottom line.
5. Introduce food & beverage options
A full-service restaurant and bar can be a fantastic addition to your club, but it often requires a significant investment that isn’t realistic for most facilities. With that being said, offering food and beverage options – at any scale – is still a worthwhile investment. Even smaller, more accessible options can enhance the player experience and provide a consistent boost to your revenue.
💡 Pro tip
Here are some alternative ways to incorporate food and beverage services to boost RPP:
- Grab-and-go stations: Stock vending machines or coolers with snacks and drinks to offer quick and convenient options for players.
- PourMyBev integration: Add self-pour beverage stations where members scan and serve themselves. It’s fast, easy, and fully integrated with CourtReserve for automatic billing and inventory tracking.
- Small café: Serve light meals, coffee, and smoothies to provide players with a place to refuel and relax.
- Food trucks: Partner with local food trucks to bring variety to your club’s dining options. Charge a rental or vendor fee, or set up a revenue-sharing agreement to ensure your club benefits financially.
Simple additions – such as coffee, protein shakes, energy bars, and so on – can still make a noticeable difference to both total revenue and customer experience. Offering food and beverage options tailored to your club’s resources ensures players leave satisfied and helps increase RPP with every visit.
6. Use a club management system
Expanding your offerings using all of the above-mentioned strategies is key to increasing Revenue Per Player. But these strategies only succeed if players actively participate and spend. That’s where a club management system becomes essential.
With a club management system like CourtReserve, you can increase participation and therefore RPP by:
- Making it easy for players to book courts, register for events, and pay for services – reducing friction and encouraging consistent participation.
- Using communication tools to promote offerings, share updates, announce events, and deliver discounts directly to players.
- Viewing comprehensive financial reports – allowing you to calculate RPP and identify opportunities to optimize your revenue strategies with clear, actionable data.
💡 Pro tip
Choose a club management system that supports your growth goals:
- Ease of use: Look for a platform that’s simple for both staff and players to navigate, ensuring smooth bookings, payments, and communication.
- Customizable features: Prioritize systems with flexible tools like tailored membership options, automated messaging, and branded apps to meet your club’s unique needs.
- Scalability: Ensure the platform can grow with your club, supporting new programs, services, or locations as you expand.
Check out our Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for tips on finding the ideal system for your club.
Unlike other systems, CourtReserve goes beyond basic club management to empower clubs at every stage of growth. Built with the club growth flywheel in mind, it’s a solution that scales with your club – helping you increase RPP, streamline operations, and deliver an exceptional experience for your members.
Turning data into dollars with RPP & CourtReserve
With RPP, your business decisions turn into an opportunity to create greater value for your players and your club. Growth becomes intentional, guided by data-driven insights that help your club evolve into a hub for community, loyalty, and profitability.
And with the right tools, tracking and optimizing RPP becomes second nature – which is where CourtReserve comes in. Our platform helps you streamline operations, automate bookings, and access to real-time performance insights – giving you the tools you need to increase RPP. So, you can build a more profitable, player-focused club.
Coming up next: In Part 3 of our series, we’ll show you how to measure RPP in CourtReserve and provide real-world examples. Stay tuned!
