How many in cold states would join a indoor court if price and availability was right

[Mick3391]

It's just a idea I'm thinking of. We have a handful of indoor courts here in WA State, yet it's $30.00 per hour, and you have to get on a waiting list to play. 3 hours a week doesn't cut it for me, so we play outside when possible.

I'm wondering if you had an option to join, like a fitness membership, something like $50.00 a month to join a indoor tennis center, open 24/7?

It just seems like an opportunity, I'm know there are tons of players hibernating for the winter, which is sad, you can't play unless you are rich or die hard willing to go out into the cold and wetness.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by Mick3391

It's just a idea I'm thinking of. We have a handful of indoor courts here in WA State, yet it's $30.00 per hour, and you have to get on a waiting list to play. 3 hours a week doesn't cut it for me, so we play outside when possible.

I'm wondering if you had an option to join, like a fitness membership, something like $50.00 a month to join a indoor tennis center, open 24/7?

It just seems like an opportunity, I'm know there are tons of players hibernating for the winter, which is sad, you can't play unless you are rich or die hard willing to go out into the cold and wetness.

I've never run the math, but $50/month sounds too cheap for indoor courts.

[librarysteg]

I'm in central, IL. We have an indoor club here, but it's too rich for my blood. There's a $300+ annual fee that just gets you in the door. Then you have to pay $40+ an hour for courts. Our tennis options aren't great during the outdoor months either because the courts in town are in horrible condition. We have a ton of them, but they haven't been properly maintained.

[dman72]

Between membership fees, league fees, and other hitting sessions, I spend about $1300-1400 a year on tennis. It's a big expense but it's something I love. It is not a cheap pursuit here on LI. I'm not rich..my combined income with my wife puts me in the upper middle class in most of the country, but just middle class on LI.

Even with those high fees, I know the club struggles to turn a profit, which explains why the courts aren't well maintained. If somebody spills gatorade on them it takes forever to get cleaned up. The courts are quite worn and thus slick and fast.

Utility costs and property taxes are probably their biggest expenses. Most facilities around this area cost pretty much the same.

[1980]

It would probably cost quite a bit to build enough courts to facilitate the amount of people that would want to join at such a low rate. Even if you did just eight or ten courts, you are looking at something like $25,000 to $60,000 dollars per court plus the building. If you got bubble domes you would have to take them down for severe weather a couple of times a year and they are pretty expensive to re-inflate. So I would say you would be looking at around a million or more to open something like this and then you've got the overhead of lights, ball machines, staff, etc... You would have to sell a serious number of memberships at $50 dollars a month to pull it off. If you went much smaller scale maybe you could do it. Two courts perhaps, but then not enough courts for members might become an issue and you have members wondering if the $50 a month is actually worth it if they have a hard time getting court availability. Its an interesting idea though. It seems like you would have to put some serious thought into the profit and loss side of things though.

[OHBH]

Well of course I would do it if the price is right. The phrase "price is right" pretty implies that you would at that price. But unfortunately for me the price is not right so I just bundle up and play outside with all of the other die hards.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by 1980

It would probably cost quite a bit to build enough courts to facilitate the amount of people that would want to join at such a low rate. Even if you did just eight or ten courts, you are looking at something like $25,000 to $60,000 dollars per court plus the building. If you got bubble domes you would have to take them down for severe weather a couple of times a year and they are pretty expensive to re-inflate. So I would say you would be looking at around a million or more to open something like this and then you've got the overhead of lights, ball machines, staff, etc... You would have to sell a serious number of memberships at $50 dollars a month to pull it off. If you went much smaller scale maybe you could do it. Two courts perhaps, but then not enough courts for members might become an issue and you have members wondering if the $50 a month is actually worth it if they have a hard time getting court availability. Its an interesting idea though. It seems like you would have to put some serious thought into the profit and loss side of things though.

Thanks. Yea it wouldn't be that much per court, I have friend who can do it for a fraction of that, but I do get your point. It would have to be a ton of memberships. I'd lease the building, but anyways looking to see IF OTHERS WOULD JOIN.

I know the problem, I'm going through it, for those up and down, I know the issue and current expense, the question is "Would you join if there were indoor courts, say 3 hour max per day, play anytime of the day or night, WOULD YOU JOIN.

I'd JUMP on that opportunity, but I can't use myself as an example.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by Mick3391

Thanks. Yea it wouldn't be that much per court, I have friend who can do it for a fraction of that, but I do get your point. It would have to be a ton of memberships. I'd lease the building, but anyways looking to see IF OTHERS WOULD JOIN.

I know the problem, I'm going through it, for those up and down, I know the issue and current expense, the question is "Would you join if there were indoor courts, say 3 hour max per day, play anytime of the day or night, WOULD YOU JOIN.

I'd JUMP on that opportunity, but I can't use myself as an example.

But who plays at what hours? Once people can't get on the courts unless it 2Am, no more memberships.

[luvforty]

there are some abandoned factories around the area... makes you wonder if numbers make sense to turn them into indoor courts....

indoor tennis is not a very profitable model.... takes too much space.. lately been visiting this indoor rock climbing place... it's about the size of 1 tennis court, but you can have 2 dozen people climbing at the same time... family of 4, between entry fees, equipment rental, runs about $60 for 2 hours, so you are talking about a 'profit density' at least 6 times higher than a tennis court... start up cost is pretty high though... 250k ish.

tennis outdoors aint bad above 20F.. at 30F on a sunny day with no wind you end up playing in T shirts.... usually a thick layer plus a hat is enough... worst case some gloves.... it's just a matter of getting used to it.

people who go dormant are sissies... the same kind of people who never go to the beach after 9/1 or before 5/30 ... something about the official summer... no idea who gets to decide when a season is official lol.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by luvforty

there are some abandoned factories around the area... makes you wonder if numbers make sense to turn them into indoor courts....

indoor tennis is not a very profitable model.... takes too much space.. lately been visiting this indoor rock climbing place... it's about the size of 1 tennis court, but you can have 2 dozen people climbing at the same time... family of 4, between entry fees, equipment rental, runs about $60 for 2 hours, so you are talking about a 'profit density' at least 6 times higher than a tennis court... start up cost is pretty high though... 250k ish.

tennis outdoors aint bad above 20F.. at 30F on a sunny day with no wind you end up playing in T shirts.... usually a thick layer plus a hat is enough... worst case some gloves.... it's just a matter of getting used to it.

people who go dormant are sissies... the same kind of people who never go to the beach after 9/1 or before 5/30 ... something about the official summer... no idea who gets to decide when a season is official lol.

What I was thinking, get a bargain on a huge abandoned warehouse, get my contractor friends to install them for a song, but yea of course the math has to make sense.

I agree those who don't play outside in the cold are sissies, but heh it's 2013 and most are. That being said, you should see Summer, courts are filled to the brim, high schools and Junior highs have 25+ kids trying out for the team, I would think they would want to practice throughout the year.

"Water Tennis", how I call it, is not too cool, the balls get wet and slow way down.

I just look at these health clubs, they sign up tons of people. And I would play at 2am, are you kidding, we'd wait and play all night.

[luvforty]

water tennis - good for volleys...

2am tennis - been there done that... actually in an indoor bubble where a friend gets access for free after 10pm.... feels like a zombie the next day though lol.

i think the cheepo indoor courts may have a market as big as those who go play for $25 on a muni golf course.... you will probably get customers in retired folks, students, and mid/low income people.

paying $40/hour for a couple of hours is not cheap, but ain't too outrageous if you consider that being a pretty normal green fee for 18 holes.

[Govnor]

Indoor tennis is a tough sell. It's just too expensive. The only indoor tennis I can afford is a group clinic.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by luvforty

there are some abandoned factories around the area... makes you wonder if numbers make sense to turn them into indoor courts....

indoor tennis is not a very profitable model.... takes too much space.. lately been visiting this indoor rock climbing place... it's about the size of 1 tennis court, but you can have 2 dozen people climbing at the same time... family of 4, between entry fees, equipment rental, runs about $60 for 2 hours, so you are talking about a 'profit density' at least 6 times higher than a tennis court... start up cost is pretty high though... 250k ish.

tennis outdoors aint bad above 20F.. at 30F on a sunny day with no wind you end up playing in T shirts.... usually a thick layer plus a hat is enough... worst case some gloves.... it's just a matter of getting used to it.

people who go dormant are sissies... the same kind of people who never go to the beach after 9/1 or before 5/30 ... something about the official summer... no idea who gets to decide when a season is official lol.

20F? Not my idea of fun. Of course, when it's 30F here in NY it's usually accompanied by a 10MPH wind, which starts to make the whole experience rather unpleasant.

Over 40F and no wind I'll consider playing outside. Other than that, I'm glad to play indoors.

[IA-SteveB]

Our club is $300/yr for membership and then $7 an hour per person for court time (six courts.) I can't imagine any club being able to be able to charge $50/mo for members. It takes a lot of money to heat those places.

I end up with a monthly bill of around $34 just to play in league and I paid another $90 to contract a court for Saturday and Sunday mornings (two hours each day) with a group for six months. That was a great deal.

[luvforty]

300 + 7 is cheap!!

20F, yeah, it's cold just THINKING about it.... but once you go try it... it's not bad.... of course, this is recommended for people who can sustain rallies and keep intensity high.

10 mph is not wind.

[Pacific lefty]

Here in the south of Ireland, if its not freezing, its windy, if it isn't windy, its raining, and if its sunny, you are on holiday in another country! I would join any indoor tennis club within 35 miles of where I live straight away...Somebody build one please!

[bhupaes]

I've heard about the existence of a gigantic, free club where one can play tennis year round. I believe it's called California...

[luvforty]

FL, GA, TX a lot cheaper though.

[goober]

Originally Posted by Mick3391

How many in cold states would join a indoor court if price and availability was right

I think pretty much every tennis player would join if the price and availability was right. Tennis is not a huge moneymaker compared to say setting up a spa at a resort. So there is not a lot of financial incentive to build an expensive indoor tennis facility and club. If one is built it probably is going to be on the high end side with revenues being made in additional areas besides tennis.

[MarinaHighTennis]

I would love an indoor tennis court even though i live in california haha