Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in America. And, no wonder. It’s easy to learn, great for all ages, and it’s easier on knees, elbows and shoulders than tennis. Communities across the country and in Canada, Europe, India, China and elsewhere are experiencing greater demand for pickleball courts and facilities. There are a growing number of leagues and competitions, all increasing awareness and interest in the sport, and putting pressure on places to play. Public and private athletic facilities and clubs are scrambling to provide pickleball court space to an ever increasing base of organized and casual players. One solution they have found, with mixed results, is to double up on court space.
Can Pickleball and Tennis Share Court Space?
Lots of pickleball and tennis players are encountering a strange situation at their favorite courts. They’re finding the original tennis courts painted over to accommodate both tennis and pickleball. This quick fix saves space, time and money for court managers who need to satisfy both parties. Of course, there are downsides to this “compromise” solution. First, many players claim an element of confusion, if not vertigo, seeing all the extra lines on their court, some of which don’t pertain to the game they are playing. A few tennis players even claim that their ball actually slips when it hits the pickleball lines, ruining a shot, or vice versa for pickleball players who are stymied by tennis lines.
And of course, this doubling up only creates more demand for the same space, creating a backup of court reservations, or frustrated players who can’t find a court to play on. During high demand times, many players are having to drive long distances to find court space, not a long term solution for a sport that wants to grow and gain more loyal fans. During the hot and cold seasons of the year, available courts and playing time are even more restrictive. Hot days mean more demand for evening matches on already busy courts. Rain and snow may shut down courts for days or weeks at a time. With demand growing at a rapid pace, pickleball needs a solution to providing more dedicated courts to eager players.
Indoor Tennis and Pickleball Courts
Add Year Round Capacity Where Tennis and Pickleball Courts Vie for Space
A solution to the shortage of court space that is being adopted by country clubs, resort and retirement communities, athletic clubs and other organizations is to provide year round access with the addition of indoor tennis and pickleball courts. Adding indoor courts increases the number of courts available to both tennis and pickleball enthusiasts, for greater total play space, even in the heat of summer or the snows of winter. Indoor facilities provide a comfortable, climatized space for play and training year-round, without interruption due to weather. This extra space helps local leagues and competitive players train, and provides open court space for more casual players who may in turn become regular enthusiasts.
For club managers, being able to offer more court availability pays off. More courts open year round mean more members, and more customers paying for court time. Lack of play space may result in lost revenue in the form of fewer athletic and country club memberships sold. When demand is clearly outstripping space available, what athletic and other private clubs need to optimize revenue streams are quick solutions. Especially with the skyrocketing popularity of pickleball, it’s a good time to look at adding extra court space to meet growing demand.
Fabric Sports Structures Make Extra Court Space Achievable
For indoor sports play, tension fabric sports structures are the fastest and most efficient way to add court capacity. This popular alternative to traditional building construction is growing in popularity as an indoor sports facility option that provides a spacious, bright and comfortable venue for just about any sport that is played indoors (gymnastics, badminton), on a field (field hockey, soccer) or on a court (tennis, pickleball), any time of year. Fully climatizable, they are perfect cover for an indoor swimming pool or hockey rink. Whether used for recreational play, training, matches or other public events, these versatile structures can fill a variety of needs.
Tension fabric sports structures are modular, and come in a variety of widths and custom lengths. Featuring an extremely strong, rust-resistant aluminum alloy frame and heavy-duty, UV resistant PVC fabric cover, the structure’s tensioned frame handles winds, rain and snow as well as a traditional building. The structure can be outfitted with ventilation, a choice of doors, lighting for day and night use, HVAC for year round use, and power for other uses such as sound systems and equipment. Built to last for decades, but constructed in less than a week after delivery, the building can quickly ready for use, whether short or long-term.
If new building space is a problem, tension fabric structures can ease those concerns because they don’t require a foundation and can be installed on virtually any site. They may be used to cover existing courts, or placed on an empty parking lot, on unpaved ground, or on an unused building site. And, if needs change, they can be quickly resized by adding or removing panels to adjust the length of the building. As the club facility needs change, the structure can be relocated, repurposed for other indoor sports use, or removed.
Tennis and Pickleball Clubs Choose Convenient Tension Fabric Sports Structures
Allsite tension fabric sports structures provide a convenient, quality indoor solution for pickleball and tennis courts. Now, with the enormous growth in interest in pickleball, sports facilities have another option to increase capacity to satisfy consumer demand. Allsite has helped a number of athletic facilities quickly and easily add court space when and where it was needed, allowing them to expand their services to the public and increase revenue more quickly than if they had to take time to acquire or build traditional space.
If you would like more information on Allsite’s tension fabric structure for your pickleball, tennis or other sports facility needs, contact Allsite for a free consultation today.
