INDUSTRY NEWS

REX Roundtables Launches Roundtables for Racquet Sports as Pickleball, Padel, and Tennis Reshape the Club Industry

REX Roundtables, the peer advisory organization that has served club and fitness industry executives for 37 years, announced the formation of Roundtables for Racquet Sports, peer group built specifically for the leaders of tennis, padel, pickleball, and multi-sport racquet facilities. The inaugural in-person roundtable is scheduled for mid-December in Orlando, and applications are now open. REX Roundtables’ peer model has more than 350 members and a retention rate above 90%. Member clubs that have added new segments to their offerings are already reporting 72% EBITDA growth and 217% dues growth. 

Pongbot Lands Australian Open Partnership in Global Push for AI Tennis Training

Chinese sports technology company Pongbot has signed a multi-year partnership with the Australian Open, becoming the Grand Slam tournament’s Official Ball Machine and the Official Ball Machine Supplier of Tennis Australia’s National Tennis Academy. The agreement gives the AI-powered training equipment company a high-profile platform at the 2027 Australian Open while embedding its technology within Australia’s player-development system. Founded in 2019, Pongbot develops intelligent robotics and AI-based training equipment for both performance and recreational athletes. 

Volleybird Partners With Love Serving Autism to Expand Racquet Sports Access

Racquet sports discovery company Volleybird is partnering with nonprofit Love Serving Autism on a long-term initiative aimed at expanding therapeutic racquet sports programming for neurodivergent children and adults. The partnership combines direct financial support with a broader fundraising and growth strategy. Volleybird will develop co-branded merchandise that Love Serving Autism can use to generate revenue, support the nonprofit’s fundraising efforts and Match Point Gala, and leverage industry relationships to help extend programming into new markets. Through Volleybird’s relationship with Blue Chip Sports Management, the organizations are also targeting expansion into the Mid-Atlantic.

JTCC and Delray Beach Open Pair High-Performance Training With VIP Tournament Access

JTCC is partnering with the Delray Beach Open on an invitation-only experience that combines private tennis instruction with premium access to the ATP Tour event. Scheduled for February 18–20, 2027, at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, the program pairs clinics led by JTCC and local professional coaches with box seating and hospitality at the tournament. JTCC-Delray flyer. Founded in 1999, the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) is a College Park, Maryland-based nonprofit that combines elite player development with a broader mission of expanding access to tennis. Its programs span high-performance junior training, adult and recreational tennis, community outreach for underserved youth, and adaptive programming for veterans and players with disabilities. 

PEOPLE

AstroTurf Names Luke Burden National Director of Racquet Sports as Laykold Targets Growth

AstroTurf Corporation has named racquet sports industry veteran Luke Burden as National Director of Racquet Sports, putting him in charge of the continued growth of its Laykold court-surfacing business. The appointment is part of AstroTurf’s strategy to offer schools, municipalities, clubs and sports organizations a broader facility solution spanning Laykold courts, AstroTurf synthetic fields and Rekortan track systems. Burden brings more than 20 years of experience across tennis operations, events, player development and sports business. 

CLUBS

St. Pete Athletic Takes Top Spot in CourtSource’s 2026 Pickleball Club Ranking

St. Pete Athletic – Paddle & Social has been named the No. 1 pickleball club in the U.S. in CourtSource’s 2026 Top 100 ranking, putting the St. Petersburg, Florida, venue at the forefront of a broader shift toward hospitality-driven racquet sports clubs. The ranking was developed using CourtSource’s database of more than 18,300 U.S. venues, combining facility data with an editorial review of factors including coaching, leagues, amenities, food and beverage, social spaces and the overall player experience. CourtSource said sponsorship did not factor into the results.

The approximately 50,000-square-foot St. Pete Athletic facility offers 14 indoor pickleball courts and two padel courts alongside dining and bar service, fitness and recovery amenities, coworking areas and social spaces. Located in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District, the club was designed around a model that extends the customer experience beyond court time, allowing members and visitors to play, work, dine and socialize under one roof.