Tennis Centers: Explicit Time, Explicit Space

Modern tennis originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century and the official game is today played internationally by anyone who can hold a tennis raquet, including players in wheelchairs. A competitive tennis match is scored as "best-of" 5 sets of 6 games for Men's tennis and "best-of" 3 sets of 6 games for Women's tennis although the match can proceed to tie-breakers where a game is extended or added to break the dead-lock in points.

This Olympic sport is played on a rectangular flat surface (clay, grass, hard court) 78 feet long and 27 feet wide for Singles matches with two opposing players and 36 feet wide for Doubles matches with two opposing pairs of players. The court is divided across the middle by a net suspended by a cord or metal cable which is attached to two net posts on both ends at a height of 3.5 feet.

One reason for the explicit space aspect of tennis courts is because official tennis court dimensions are fixed and regulated by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) which represents 202 national tennis associations worldwide. Hence all tennis courts should follow the standard size and shape.

Tennis courts are rarely converted to other uses because the court markings (white lines) are usually permanent. However, a tennis court may be adapted for kids who play Mini-Tennis. This kid's version of tennis has smaller courts and raquets as well as sponge balls for slower playing speeds.

Tennis centers have multiple courts which are divided by buffer space between the courts. The courts are usually sectioned off by fences which may simply be a 12 feet hight fence to prevent the tennis balls from 'flying' over to the next section or outside the tennis center. Each section may have up to four courts side-by-side. Some tennis centers have fencing around a single court which can be used for tournaments with spectator seating or for exclusive bookings.

While there are official rules regulating a tennis match (sets and games), there is no official limit to a tennis match duration (duration uncertainty). This uncertainty is due to the pacing of the match where players spend time picking up balls between games or rest between sets. However, many recreational tennis players do not play full matches and they may simply practise their strokes; play continuously until the ball is out of court and no points are counted.

Therefore, many tennis centers structure their court rentals by the hour. For this time structure, a rental period starts and end on the hour, so it is good tennis etiquette to stop playing a few minutes before the hour mark to gather the tennis balls and leave the court so that the next party may start on time.

Since most tennis players are familiar with the common standard of courts rented by the hour, it is uncommon to find charges using other duration metrics (eg. by the minute); they may think it's unfair to be penalized if for instance, they have to spend time retrieving a tennis ball outside the court.

But some tennis centers have instituted penalties for reserving the court but not utlizing it. If the court cannot be sold, since no one will pay for the full hour but receive less than the hour of play, the full hour is billed to the player who booked it but did not show up. This measure reduces arrival uncertainty. Parkside Tennis Center (see below) has implemented this "no-show"penalty.

Anxilliary services have been introduced to tennis centers to diversify its products. For instance, more tennis centers have all-weather indoor courts for year-round tennis. Others are air-conditioned to block off the sun and heat during play. Tennis centers also provide personal and group coaching, court leasing for tournaments, tennis ball launchers for individual practise, food and beverage as well as shower facilities.

Parkside Tennis Club in Windsor, Ontario, is a good example of a tennis center that practices revenue management. Firstly, it's fee and rental structure fences using membership. Members pay their dues but they have cheaper rentals while the public can play at a higher price if accompanied by a member.

The club has different court fees for peak (Mon-Fri, 3.30pm to 10.30pm & Sat-Sun, 8.30am to 4.30pm) and off-peak periods (Mon-Fri, 8.30am to 3.30pm & Sat-Sun, 3.30pm to 8.30pm). For all bookings, only members "in good standing" can book a court with no more than 4 days notice; this practice may deter better forecasting but the rule promotes fair chance of booking for all members.

Booking cancellations made less than 24 hours before play are penalized with full billing if the court is not re-booked; loss revenue for club. Since Canada is seasonal, the club has different Summer prices for indoor courts and outdoor courts (hard/clay). Due to the extensive demand for court time, Parkside has introduced new hours to maximize usage with priority for members.

The club drives ancilliary revenues through summer camps which has its own revenue maximizing pricing structure; different packages (whole summer vs. half summer, family discounts). It also charges its members who join its tennis leagues and clinics a participation fee.

Cornell University's Reis Tennis Center also prices its court rentals by season. It fences according to individual status (student, faculty, alumni, public/guest) and priority is given to the varsity tennis tennis teams for training and matches. While revenue managing tennis centers may bring much-needed financial returns for the University, some students have balked at the prices charged during the peak periods and seasons. Reis Tennis Center also supports the Cornell Physical Education program by providing classes (indoor/outdoor) for students at University-subsidized prices.

While not much can be done to modify the explicit dimensions of a tennis court, many tennis clubs and tennis centers are adding value to their spaces through partnerships with tennis professionals to create specialized programs. One such company in Singapore is Savitar which provides instructional training, seminars, kid's programs and more through former tennis champions and professionals. Savitar's selling point is its clear variety of programs offered (eg. airline crew specials or pre-office workout) and its affiliation to Republic's top tennis clubs. Savitar also provides Professional Tennis Registry Certification for players who are eyeing credibility in the coaching circuit.

To get a glimpse of how far tennis centers have come (it's no longer just court rentals!), take a look at Peachtree City Tennis Center in Atlanta, Georgia USA. This United States Tennis Association-recognized facility has 24 courts (hard/soft/indoor), a tennis academy for a wide spectrum of youth ages, a school-linked program for students, a Wilson tennis pro-shop and a restaurant. Its fee structure is segmented between members and non-members, walk-on or reservation, hard court or soft court, round-robin matches vs. per hour rentals, special programs (fast feed, cardio), lessons (2 vs. 3 vs. 4 vs. 5 vs 6 persons per hour per lesson), league tennis and ball machine rentals.

Testing the tennis court surface