A year ago we handed over an empty warehouse to a court builder. Twelve months and about eleven thousand bookings later, here is what we would tell anyone doing the same thing.
Airflow beats air conditioning
Our first summer taught us that moving air matters more than cold air. Adding high-volume low-speed fans above each court dropped perceived temperature more than dropping the thermostat two degrees ever did.
Lighting is a playing surface
Glare off the back glass ruined the 19:00 slot on two courts until we re-aimed every fixture and added baffles. Players never said "the lighting is wrong" — they just stopped booking those courts.
People come for the club, not the court
Our busiest product is not court hire. It is Friday social night, where we mix in players who arrived alone. Build the social layer first and the court utilisation follows.
