Helping local authorities operate their park sites - Model One
• 4 MINUTE READ
Local Authority owns and operates all activities, including court booking and coaching programme.
Some local authorities may have a workforce with capacity to deliver both the on court tennis coaching opportunities and administer the operation of season tickets and Pay & Play court bookings.
This model ensures that the Local Authority has complete control over the services provided to local residents, and also receives all income made through the park. There can be great advantages to a Local Authority offering an integrated offer across all of the sports its provides, from offering discounts or reduced fees to those who may benefit from them the most, to cross sport marketing.
By running all operations in-house, a Local Authority is committing to the greatest input in workforce, marketing and other resources, but in return may offer the greatest flexibility and return on investment.
Model in practice
Local Authorities either employ or contract a coach or team of coaches to run sessions across the park stock. Depending on the terms of the contract, the Local Authority would be responsible for all usual employment costs such as National Insurance, Pension, etc.
The Local Authority would be responsible for advertising and marketing the court
booking opportunities and coaching sessions, and then pay an agreed salary or hourly rate to the coach or coaching team. In return the Local Authority receives all income generated at the park, for all activities.
Results
- Local Authorities often generate higher income from Pay & Play Court Bookings and Season Tickets, but may not perform as well in offering a coaching programme, due to a lack of, or a less experienced workforce.
- The LTA are able to ensure that the offer is exactly what they wish it be for their local players, often meaning that residents are satisfied with the opportunities to play.
Benefits of this model
- The Local Authority has the ability to ensure that all elements of their tennis offer are designed on a bespoke basis and cater for their target audiences.
- The Local Authority uses existing administration skills and resources to generate income from court bookings, and a coaching programme, using suitable LTA products such as LTA Youth, Tennis Xpress or Cardio Tennis.
- Local Authorities will benefit from attracting more players in to the game via
the coaching programme, not only from coaching income but also increased
court bookings and season ticket sales.
Potential drawbacks of this model
- Requires attracting / retaining a trained workforce.
- The most resource expensive model.
- The coaching programme may not always cover its costs - especially when first starting.
- Workforce will need to be employed or contracted - increased demands on HR teams.
Top tips
- This model can work well for any size venue, or across any number of venues if the Local Authority can attract the workforce to deliver.
- The Local Authority could employ /contract a Head Park Coach who is responsible for the delivery across multiple sites, or manages other junior coaches at all sites.
- Coaches could be contracted to a base rate of pay with a profit share to incentivize programme growth.
- The Local Authority has full control over the court booking and the coaching programme, and the following should be considered:
- Offering coaching for all levels and abilities of player - especially targeted at attracting new player to the game
- Ensuring that any court booking opportunities are correctly priced, and that any season tickets offers are an attractive way of getting player to play more regularly
- Disability / accessible tennis provision
- School holiday time activity
- Forming links with schools or other community groups
- Hosting community engagement days/sport festivals to engage new and different audiences
- Consider offering competitive tennis to keep players engaged in the sport for longer - Local Tennis Leagues are a great way to provide this for adults.
Useful resources
To access a downloadable PDF version of the model, click the below button:
