Racket Sports Industry Lunch 2026
Tickets are now available for our annual Xmas lunch at The Queen’s Club on Wednesday December 2nd. Distinguished broadcaster and former British Number one tennis player Andrew Castle is this year’s guest to be ‘interrogated’ by our renowned Master of Ceremonies, Marcus Buckland.
The event is held in the prestigious President’s Room at The Queen’s Club and promises to be another great festive end of year gathering with superb refreshment and excellent company.
Many industry colleagues have attended year on year. As places are limited you are advised to reserve your ticket as soon as possible via phil@tiauk.org.uk who can advise on ticket pricing for this year’s event.
A raffle will also be held on behalf of the TIA’s official charity, the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust. We are seeking a number of raffle prizes to complete the fundraising and so if you are able to contribute something to this worthwhile cause, please contact either Phil or gilly@danmaskelltennistrust.org.uk
England losing tennis courts as number of padel facilities rises exponentially
England has lost 200 tennis courts in three years, but they still outnumber padel facilities by a factor of 11 to one. England has lost almost 200 tennis courts in three years as padel facilities have grown nearly sixfold. Analysis of Sport England data by The Guardian found that the country has lost 183 tennis courts since 2023 – the first such decline since at least 2000. The data includes local authority and community-owned courts, privately run health facilities, schools and sports clubs.
The number of padel courts, meanwhile, has risen exponentially. There are now more than 2,200, up from 382 in 2023. Research from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) found that a million people were playing padel as of May this year, up from 860,000 at the end of 2025.
The figures show there has been some direct replacement of tennis with padel. A net 77 tennis courts have closed at venues that have opened padel facilities since 2023. But the decline in tennis facilities doesn’t mean game, set and match. The loss in tennis courts makes up less than 1% of the total, bringing numbers back to 2018 levels.
Padel’s popularity is undeniably increasing, but the number of tennis courts still exceeds padel courts by a factor of 11 to one. A spokesperson for the LTA, the official governing body of tennis and padel, said participation in the former had hit record levels in recent years. They attributed this to a scheme that had refurbished more than 3,000 park tennis courts and the work of the LTA’s youth programme.
They said: “The change since the start of 2024 in Sport England’s data on tennis courts in England amounts to 0.7% of all tennis courts, and of courts which have been replaced by padel courts – only 0.3%.
“Our data and insight shows the majority of courts displaced were either underutilised or in poor or unplayable condition, and introducing padel courts has helped diversify venue offerings and engage new players from local communities, helping to sustain both tennis and padel court provision at these venues for the future.
“In order to help bring padel courts into even more diverse communities, as well as ensuring more year-round usage of community tennis courts, the LTA is working with the UK government to secure investment into community tennis, padel and multi-sport hubs.”
The Sport England figures show the recent padel boom has been strongest in the north. Thirty-nine courts have been built in Sheffield since 2023, 38 in North Yorkshire and 36 in Leeds and in Cheshire East.
Curtesy: The Guardian
LTA appoints Two Circles to lead social media strategy
The LTA has appointed Two Circles as its social media partner through to the end of 2028 as the governing body looks to grow its digital audiences and generate greater commercial value from its content.
Under the multi-year agreement, Two Circles will work alongside the LTA’s in-house teams across social and content strategy, creative production, channel management, audience insights and reporting, paid media and social media monetisation.
The agency will support year-round activity around British tennis, including the HSBC Championships, Lexus Nottingham Open and Lexus Eastbourne Open, as well as British players competing on the ATP and WTA Tours, at Grand Slams and in the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup.
The remit will also include developing new creative features, increasing graphic and video output and identifying commercial content opportunities designed to generate value for the LTA and its partners.
Two Circles has already worked with the governing body on the second series of Lexus Road Trip, featuring comedian and presenter Josh Berry. The LTA said the series delivered a 108% increase in viewership and a 257% rise in average YouTube watch time.
SAPCA Leadership course
Following the success of the first SAPCA Leadership Course earlier this year, the second edition of the programme is being launched in January 2027.
The course is fully funded by SAPCA and is aimed at those taking their first steps into leadership positions. The move from a technical expert to managing people is often the hardest step into leadership, particularly for first-line managers taking on responsibility for a team for the first time. The course aims to facilitate this transition and will incorporate classroom learning, one-to-one coaching and action learning group sessions.
Each delegate will use diagnostic tools to assess their personality type before the course. Module one will begin to understand their own behaviour and impact and recognise behaviours around them.
The dates of the course are:
- First module (in person): 20th and 21st of January 2027
- Second module (in person): 9th and 10th February 2027
- Online session: 15th March 2027
- Final session: 15th April.
SAPCA is now inviting those wanting to be part of the second cohort to register their interest. The in-person educational and training sessions will take place at The Oxfordshire Golf and Spa Hotel, OX9 2PU.
Contact richard@sapca.org.uk for further details.
On 11–12 November, SALTEX celebrates its 80th edition, bringing together the people, ideas and innovation shaping the industry, past, present and future.
There’s plenty waiting for you at the NEC Birmingham:
- New machinery, technology and product launches from across the industry
- 30 hours of free Learning LIVE education and expert insight
- Hands-on learning and practical advice in The Workshop
- The Archive, celebrating the history and evolution of SALTEX
- Opportunities to meet, reconnect and share knowledge with the wider industry
- Free parking at the NEC
To book your free ticket go to:
Sunbaba launches PrivaScreen 90
PrivaScreen 90 is a cost-effective alternative to premium systems like Austronet, delivering strong visual coverage without the added weight or density. Designed to balance privacy, airflow and durability, it’s the smart choice for projects where performance and budget need to align.
Manufactured from high-density knitted polyethylene, it provides approximately 90% opacity, reducing unwanted sightlines while with a screen that’s easy to handle, quick to install, and built for reliable outdoor use.
Ideal as fence privacy screening, construction screening or site hoarding mesh, PrivaScreen 90 enhances both the function and appearance of perimeter spaces.
Whether you’re securing a building site, screening a sports facility or improving a commercial boundary, it creates a cleaner, more controlled and professional finish.
With screen printing available in up to four colours, it also offers a simple, effective way to introduce branding, turning necessary screening into a visible asset.
Padel and Pickleball News
Glasgow
Plans to build a new indoor and outdoor padel tennis complex on Glasgow’s waterfront have been thrown out by council planners amid concerns over safety.Gancho Padel Riverside Ltd had sought permission to develop a site at the Barclay Curle Complex on South Street, creating a new padel venue with indoor and outdoor courts and associated clubhouse facilities.
The proposal would have transformed a storage site within the South Street Economic Development Area into a leisure destination, complete with playing courts and social spaces. However, Glasgow City Council has refused the application, concluding that the development conflicted with both local and national planning policies.
Planners said the scheme would have a “negative impact” on the vitality of the South Street Economic Development Area by removing land that could be used for business and industrial purposes.
Council officials also raised concerns about the design of the development, saying it would introduce three blank gables that would harm the appearance of the surrounding area. Another key issue was access to the site. Planners found the proposal failed to provide a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists travelling from South Street to the proposed padel centre.
The application was also criticised for failing to submit a flood risk screening assessment, despite planning policies requiring information on potential flooding and water management. In addition, planners said the proposal had not demonstrated any biodiversity net gain, a requirement under National Planning Framework 4. The council further noted that no effective long-term management or maintenance plan had been provided for the sports facility, including details on future funding arrangements and responsibility for its upkeep.