At PadelFront, we believe the most interesting stories in padel aren't just on the court — they're behind it. The club owners who are building this sport from the ground up in the US have incredible stories to tell: about the risks they took, the communities they're building, and what they've learned along the way.
We're launching an interview seriesstarting with padel clubs in the Los Angeles area, and we want to share our approach. Below are the 20 questions we ask every club owner, organized by theme. Whether you're a journalist, a blogger, or just a curious player who wants to learn more about your local club, these questions will get you great answers.
🌱 The Origin Story
Every club starts with a moment — someone plays padel for the first time, sees an opportunity, or decides to take a massive leap of faith. These questions uncover that story.
How did you first discover padel, and what made you decide to open a club?
The hook. This always produces the most personal, compelling answer.
What was the biggest surprise in the process of opening your doors?
Gets past the polished pitch and into real, relatable challenges.
If you could go back to day one with what you know now, what would you do differently?
Gold for aspiring club owners reading the interview.
💼 The Business Side
Readers want to understand the economics. These questions respect the owner's privacy while still extracting useful business insights.
How many courts do you have, and what's your typical utilization rate?
Concrete numbers that help readers gauge demand in the market.
What does your revenue mix look like — court rentals, coaching, memberships, events, other?
Reveals the business model without asking for exact dollar amounts.
What's your pricing strategy, and how does it compare to tennis or pickleball in your area?
Useful for players comparing options and for competitors benchmarking.
What's been your most effective marketing channel for acquiring new players?
Tactical insight that every club owner (and aspiring one) wants to hear.
Are you profitable? How long did it take to reach that point?
Direct but fair. Most owners are willing to share the timeline even if not exact figures.
👥 The Community
Padel's magic is the community it creates. These questions showcase what makes each club special and give readers reasons to visit.
What does your typical member look like — age, background, experience level?
Helps potential players see themselves in the community before visiting.
How do you handle the beginner experience? What happens when someone walks in for the first time?
This is what potential new players really want to know — will I feel welcome?
What's the most memorable moment you've had at the club?
Color, emotion, a story that makes the interview come alive.
Do you run leagues, tournaments, or social events? What's the most popular?
Showcases the club's programming and gives readers a reason to sign up.
🎾 On Padel Itself
These questions zoom out from the individual club to the bigger picture — where the sport is headed and what it means for their business.
What do you think padel in the US looks like in 5 years?
Everyone has a different vision. These predictions are always fascinating.
How do you see padel coexisting with pickleball and tennis in your market?
The nuanced answer is always more interesting than "padel is better."
What's the biggest challenge facing padel growth in the US right now?
Honest answers about real obstacles — awareness, court availability, cost, competition.
What would help padel grow faster — more courts, more media coverage, a star American player, something else?
Reveals what insiders think is the real bottleneck.
⚡ Rapid Fire
Quick, fun questions that reveal personality and create shareable moments. These are great for social media clips if you're filming.
Favorite padel player to watch and why?
Always sparks debate. Reveals whether they follow the pro scene.
Round, teardrop, or diamond — and why?
Quick personality reveal. Diamond = aggressive, round = cerebral, teardrop = diplomatic.
One piece of advice for someone thinking about opening a padel club?
The distilled wisdom. Often the most quotable line of the whole interview.
Where can people find you, and what's the best way to book a court or try padel at your club?
The soft sell. Gives them a chance to promote themselves — they've earned it.
🎯 Tips for Conducting Great Padel Interviews
Do your homework first
Visit the club before the interview. Play there. Check their website and social media. When you reference specific things about their business ("I noticed you run a Tuesday night league"), owners open up more because they feel respected.
Record everything, but be present
Use a voice recorder (with permission) so you can focus on the conversation instead of scribbling notes. The best follow-up questions come from actually listening, not from a script. Film with a phone if they're comfortable — video clips perform 5–10x better on social media.
Let them go off-script
The 20 questions above are a framework, not a rigid checklist. If an answer leads somewhere interesting, follow it. The best interview moments are always unplanned. If they start telling a story, put the questions down and listen.
Share the draft before publishing
Always send the finished article to the interviewee for review before it goes live. This builds trust, catches any factual errors, and often leads to them enthusiastically sharing the article with their community — free promotion for both of you.
📖 What Readers Want to Know
Based on our community surveys and comment analysis, here's what padel players most want to learn about their local clubs:
- • Beginner-friendliness — "Can I show up with zero experience?"
- • Cost transparency — "What does it actually cost per month to play regularly?"
- • Community vibe — "Is it competitive or social? Will I fit in?"
- • Coaching quality — "Who are the coaches and what are their backgrounds?"
- • Court availability — "Can I actually get a booking, or is it always full?"
- • The owner's story — "Who are these people and why did they build this?"
- • Future plans — "Are they expanding? More courts? Better facilities?"
Own a Padel Club in LA?
We'd love to feature you in our interview series. We'll come to your club, play a few games, and tell your story to the growing padel community.