Membership Models

Our Co-founder and CRO, Ben Borton, wrote an exemplary article on the value of choosing a Membership model that fits your Club. You can read the article here. To accompany the article, here are the Membership model equations:

1. All-You-Can-Eat (“Free Play”) Memberships

One monthly/annual fee for unlimited play. Simple value proposition that appeals to high-frequency players. It requires guardrails (like a cap on the number of Open Plays or Reservations per member) to prevent hoarding and congestion during peak hours. The sweet spot is somewhere between 40 - 80 Members per court.

Base Capacity Formula:

Operating hours per day × Days per month × Players per court

= Playable player-hours per court per month

Member Capacity Formula:

Playable player-hours per month ÷ Hours per member = Members per court

Base Capacity and Member Capacity Examples:

• 12 hrs x 30 days x 4 players per court = 1,440 playable player-hours per month

  • Perk: 18 hours per member per month

    • 1,440 ÷ 18 = 80 members per court
• 14 hrs x 30 days x 4 players per court = 1,680 playable member-hours per month

  • Perk: 24 hours per member per month

    • 1,680 ÷ 24 = 70 members per court
• 16 hrs x 30 days x 4 players per court = 1,920 playable member-hours per month

  • Perk: 30 hours per member per month

    • 1,920 ÷ 30 = 64 members per court`

Please note: there is a presumption within these equations. The presumption is that your Members will want to play evenly across your operating hours, and that they always invite other Members. The reality is that most of your Members will compete to book peak time operating hours, and that Non-members will book courts during peak time operating hours, too. Keep this in mind.

The All-You-Can-Eat model requires the Hybrid Charging Strategy, which is where Members book a court and must invite others to the Reservation, who then pay for their respective spot. With this model, the front desk must engage with all Customers walking in the Club to ensure everyone is on a Reservation before stepping on the court. Clubs with a relaxed front desk may not have the bandwidth to engage with all Customers. If the All-You-Can-Eat model is your preferred model, beefing up your front desk staff is strongly suggested.

2. Metered Memberships (Play Pass Models)

Members receive a fixed monthly allotment of free Open Play sessions (e.g., 10 open play passes). Provides clear value while giving the club predictable usage limits and control over when sessions occur. The Club can fill off-peak capacity while maintaining flexibility for non-members. The number of Members per court can be higher because Open Play, by their function, allow for more Customers per court.

Capacity Formula:

(Open play hours per day ÷ Session length) × Players per court × Days per month

= Open play slots per month per court

Capacity Formula Examples:

• (8 hours of Open Play per day ÷ 2 hour length of each Open Play) x 6 players per court x 30 days per month = 720 Open Play slots per month per court

  • Perk: 10 Open Play Passes per Member

    • 720 ÷ 10 = 72 Members per court
• (10 hours of Open Play per day ÷ 2 hour length of each Open Play) x 6 players per court x 30 days per month = 900 Open Play slots per month per court

  • Perk: 10 Open Play Passes per Member

    • 900 ÷ 10 = 90 Members per court
• (14 hours of Open Play per day ÷ 2 hour length of each Open Play) x 6 players per court x 30 days per month = 1,260 Open Play slots per month per court

  • Perk: 15 Open Play Passes per Member

    • 1,260 ÷ 15 = 84 Members per court

The Metered model is the easiest model for Customers to understand and, at a glance, conceptualize their perceived value-gain.

Value Perception:

Perceived value = Sessions included × Regular drop-in price

Member savings = Perceived value - Membership cost

The Metered model can leverage the Court+ Charging Strategy, in which any Customer (Member or Non-member) books a court and is on the hook for the full court rate. This, too, is the easiest pricing model for Customers to understand and adhere to when booking Reservations. The front desk can engage with Customers walking in and are always confident any Reservation booked will have a full court rate paid.

3. Discounted-Play Memberships

No free play—Members get reduced rates on all court Reservations (e.g., 25% off) and programming (Open Play, Clinics, Leagues, Tournaments). Most scalable model with easy-to-understand value, minimal hoarding behavior, and no need for sales caps. Attracts "casual core" players who want community membership without heavy commitment.

Break-Even Formula:

Membership cost ÷ (Regular rate × Discount %)

= Break-even hours

In an example:

• $49 Membership
• ÷ ($40 / court × 25% discount on the court)
• = 5 hours / month for a Member to break even

The Discounted-Play model can leverage Court+ Charging Strategy with Non-member Day Pass fees, or the Hybrid Charging Strategy.