Advertisement
We speak to operators in the know about the game, the process, the costs, and the maintenance required to base your padel venture on informed decisions.
WORLD’S MOST BURGEONING BALLGAME
Padel tennis is a fast-paced racquet sport that combines the best elements of tennis and squash, according to the folk at Africa Padel (AP) – pioneers in the establishment of facilities to accommodate this popular activity on a continental scale. The smaller court and walls make it perfect for beginners, but challenging enough for seasoned players. It’s generally regarded as the world’s fastest- growing sport played in 90+ countries by more than 18 million people, and AP was the first to bring this new ballgame to Africa. On the continent’s southern tip, Action Padel SA and Padel South Africa were among those doing groundbreaking work to promote the sport nationally.
SOUTH CAPE-BASED NET VETERAN
Jonathan Hills, owner of Telesto Clay Court Tennis Centre in George, says padel is so popular because it’s easy: ‘Anyone can play, even if you’ve hardly ever touched a racquet. People of any size or age can have lots of fun – and use muscles not used doing other activities.’ His centre, which also boasts some of SA’s only clay tennis courts, has seen a steady rise in traffic since opening a year ago. ‘The sport may have taken off, but it still requires lots of creativity to make the most of padel courts.
‘You have to offer tournaments, fun days and socials, cater for business leagues, kids and parents alike. Padel courts countrywide are now getting clever with exhibition matches that attract more interest in the sport.’ Hills says, when looking at padel equipment companies, Bullpadel is the largest retailer worldwide. When considering sales in SA, a dramatic quarterly increase of up to 400% is clear indication of the sport’s meteoric rise.
‘Our biggest brand is Africa Padel, having built SA’s first courts in Camps Bay. There are various business models, the most popular being renting space from a tennis club,’ he says, adding that private clubs work when there’s an excellent location. ‘But, like any business model, it’s based on money. Padel’s popularity wouldn’t have spiked if developers hadn’t expected to make good returns on their investment.’
BUILDING FROM SCRATCH VS. CONVERTING
Padel Build is currently installing courts at estates and clubs in all provinces. According to business development expert Ania Utton, several factors should be considered when building a padel court from scratch. ‘Earthworks are completely dependent on the land, which needs to be surveyed along with a geotech report to test soil conditions. This is the most variable but important initial step, as it will determine the construction. Next, we install a concrete slab with a ring beam (at R198,000), which provides the perfect surface. Courts are imported from PadelGalis – the Spanish manufacturer that supplies the World Padel Tour (WPT) courts. ‘Our most popular double court is the Mundial (R408,000), followed by the Wilson Elite (R428,000). Both courts work indoors or outdoors, and are certified to handle wind loads of 90km/h and 160km/h respectively.’ Shipping, customs clearance and delivery to the client’s location cost R90,000, and PadelGalis-accredited installation (including electrical connection of floodlights) is R61,900. This makes the cost of building a padel court from scratch (incl. Mundial, excl. earthworks) R757,900.
‘Before installing a padel court on a tennis court, we test the existing surface and may grind it down or pour a new concrete slab, and then install our padel court,’ she explains. If the surface is acceptable, a PadelGalis portable kit (at R90,000) can be fitted on top of the existing court before the padel court is installed. Importantly, this step is subject to a site visit, existing land surveys and geotech reports. So the cost of building a padel court on an existing tennis court (dependent on surface condition, excluding the ring beam but with additional costs similar to the above) totals R559,900.
Advertisement
Hills concurs that converting existing tennis courts to padel should save around 30%, when compared to building from scratch on raw ground. He says another factor that should inform your decision is the fact that gym giants such as Virgin Active have stepped into the game, with five existing clubs and another eight launching soon. Not surprisingly, rival brand Planet Fitness is also on point – and especially exciting news for Hills is that its first club partnership is currently being brokered with his Telesto Centre in George. But where does this leave estates who want to get a piece of the action?
FIRST-HAND ESTATE EXPERIENCE
Ryan Kalk, MD of Balwin Sport, says they currently offer padel at Thaba Eco Estate (Joburg South), The Reid (Sandton), The Huntsman (Somerset West), Fynbos (Cape Town) and Ballito Hills (Ballito), with plans to establish more courts at estates in Gauteng and KZN. ‘It adds value for the residents living in the developments, to interact with one another and invite friends to play, thereby providing an excellent marketing opportunity to potential clients.
‘We have a passion for sport, offering a variety of disciplines in these developments, and padel provides us with the opportunity to bring people from various walks of life and skill levels together – more so than any other sport. Residents are charged a much- reduced fee where courts are within the estate. Courts at our external lifestyle centres such as Thaba Eco Estate are open to the public, and residents of adjoining developments are also members of these centres, benefiting from reduced rates.’
REGULATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
At Balwin estates, padel courts are open at the same time as the lifestyle centres and therefore noise levels are monitored by an on-site concierge so as not to disturb other residents. ‘Also, placement of courts is considered in the design of the complex, allowing players to enjoy their sport while limiting any disturbances to other residents,’ explains Kalk. ‘The lifespan of courts is in excess of 10 years and maintenance is relatively affordable, with the regular cleaning of glass walls and court surfaces the most frequent of tasks. The body corporate maintains the courts by way of levies, and these are included in the development’s maintenance planning. Where the sports facilities are external to the estate, Balwin Lifestyle takes over this responsibility from the body corporate and so removes the burden from residents,’ Kalk concludes.
DON’T GIVE IT AWAY NOW!
A final cautionary word comes from Paarl-based veteran tennis coach Johnny Zulch, who has been consistently monitoring the growth of padel in his ’hood. Consider that advertised prices countrywide hover around R300 for 60min, R450 for 90min, and R600 for 120min (letsplaypadel.co.za).
‘Non-residents may not find a slot at estates’ padel courts, because residents play for free and would book up several sessions. But if something comes up, they don’t feel that no-show in their pockets. This results in deserted courts on many occasions when padel operators would have been able to welcome paying players. So estates should charge residents a reduced fee and so avoid play-for-free losses. Remember that golf estate residents don’t play their home course for free, either.’
What will be an adequate distance from the padel courts to the residential boundaries?
How far should Paddel courts be from residential houses?