Will Tomorrow’s Padel Club Be a Place to Spend the Day?

More courts, more clubs—and a question for operators: how can a club stand out as padel grows? The answer may lie as much in what surrounds the match as in the court itself. Some venues already bring together several sports, dining areas and wellness activities. The question is whether this model can create a better experience—and a sustainable business.

What if a padel club’s main competitor soon isn’t the club next door, but the sports complex able to offer the best overall experience? It’s a strategic possibility, not an inevitable shift.

A growing market, but local realities vary

According to PwC’s press release presenting the Global Padel Report 2026 by Playtomic and Strategy&, there are more than 58,300 padel courts worldwide, up 16% year over year. The report estimates the number of players at nearly 19.4 million. PwC also reports more than 5,000 club openings in 2025: these are announced openings, not a net figure after closures.

In France, the FFT recorded 850,000 padel players in 2025, including 272,000 licensed players. The latter figure does not refer exclusively to padel-only licences. These figures point to growth in participation, but they do not show that any local area is saturated or that margins are falling. Those questions require local and financial data.

For a club, differentiation therefore cannot come down to a one-size-fits-all formula. Court quality and availability remain central. But depending on its location and audience, a broader offer may extend visits and give people more reasons to return.

From court to multisport complex

In France, Le Set, near Nantes, offers padel, football, badminton, basketball and squash, along with a restaurant and activities such as yoga, Pilates and dance. In Aix-en-Provence, setclub brings together tennis, padel, golf, fitness, swimming pools, a spa and business spaces, among other facilities. These examples show that offers combining sport and services exist. They do not prove how much they are used or whether they are profitable.

In Veigy, David Lloyd advertises padel and tennis courts, as well as badminton, squash, fitness, a swimming pool, a spa and a Clubroom. The club also offers tournaments and social events. In Spain, La Manga’s Racquets Club advertises ten floodlit padel courts and a dining area with a terrace beside the courts.

These formats invite us to think of a club as a destination where people can play, accompany someone, eat or take part in another activity. Pickleball, birthday parties and sports broadcasts could also be explored, but the examples documented here do not establish them as market trends.

More time on site does not automatically mean higher margins

The business logic is appealing: a visitor who stays after a match might buy a meal, book another activity or attend an event. Lessons, competitions and corporate offers may also help bring a site to life. La Manga illustrates a straightforward combination of courts and dining; the clubs mentioned also document social activities or corporate offers.

But three indicators must be kept distinct: visit frequency, additional spending and contribution margin. Additional revenue does not guarantee higher profit. A restaurant, spa or ancillary activity involves investment, staffing, maintenance and coordination. An event might fill a quiet time slot—or replace a booking that could have been sold. The outcome will depend, among other things, on costs, available space and local demand.

Diversification can therefore be gradual: test an activity, measure its use and cost, then decide whether to keep it. It does not necessarily mean building a large complex. For some clubs, occasional events or a local partnership may be a more suitable first step.

The social experience is about more than facilities

A club becomes a place to spend time together less through its list of facilities than through the opportunities it creates to meet. Tournaments, in-house championships and social events are already part of the offer advertised by David Lloyd Veigy. setclub, meanwhile, distinguishes between offers for individuals and businesses. These are examples of activities on offer, not proof that they increase loyalty or profitability.

Clinics, academies, recovery spaces and events linked to sports occasions could be considered, depending on a club’s capabilities and what its players want. Their commercial value remains to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, a membership that gives access to several activities may broaden the experience, but its terms need to be understood: at David Lloyd, membership options and access rights vary, and some services cost extra.

Management tools that match the offer

As activities multiply, operations become more complex. Courts, lessons, tournaments, spaces, staff and time slots all need to be coordinated. Multi-activity bookings, memberships, event management and tailored communications can become important needs. Customer insights can help clubs understand how people use their services, provided applicable rules on data and marketing are respected.

France’s CNIL reminds businesses that electronic marketing to individuals generally requires prior consent. The exception for certain existing customers depends on specific conditions, including an offer of similar services and the opportunity to object; simply creating an account is not enough.

For clubs exploring this shift, the question is not just which facilities to add. It is also how to coordinate the offer and measure whether it meets a real need. If clubs become sports and social platforms, their digital tools will need to support that organisation beyond simply booking a court. This is also the kind of challenge NextSet is interested in as the needs of racket-sports clubs evolve.