The GGS Blog
Field notes from the racquet sports world.
Operator playbooks, product updates, and partner stories from the team building software for pickleball, padel, and beyond.
club growth
The Community Flywheel: How Programming Volume Compounds at Pickleball Clubs
Why running more leagues and events at your pickleball club is a flywheel, not a burden. How structured programming compounds into utilization, revenue, and retention.
More from the blog
32 posts
tournament management
When to Split a Tournament Into Divisions (and When Not To)
A decision framework for pickleball tournament directors: when dividing your field into divisions sharpens play, and when it just thins out your brackets.
tournament formats
The Compass Format: How to Guarantee Every Player Four Games
The Compass format guarantees every team four games and keeps them playing after a loss. Here is how it compares to double elimination and pool play.
league operations
Why Players Quit Pickleball Leagues Midseason (and How to Keep Them Playing)
Players quit leagues midseason for four fixable reasons. What drives midseason churn and how to keep your pickleball players enrolled through week eight.
league operations
Weekly Opt-Ins: How to Run a Pickleball League Around Players' Real Availability
Weekly opt-in tracking lets players mark whether they are playing each week, so a missed night never turns into a dropped season. Here is how to run it.
club growth
Turning Open-Play Regulars Into League Players
Your open-play regulars are your easiest league recruits. Here's how to convert casual drop-ins into committed league players without scaring them off.
industry trends
Padel's Growth in North America: What Operators Need to Know
Padel is the fastest-growing racquet sport in North America. Here are the numbers, the court economics, and what operators should do about it now.
industry trends
The Rise of Pickleball Leagues: What the Data Shows
Pickleball leagues are growing fast because recurring play builds community open play cannot. Here is what the trend means for club operators.
player experience
What Players Actually Want from Tournament Software
Players judge your event by the app in their hand. Here is what they want from tournament software, and how to give it to them.
club growth
How to Attract New Members Through Better Event Programming
Your best acquisition channel isn't ads, it's your events. Here's how public tournaments, guest registration, and DUPR-rated leagues pull new players into your club.
club growth
How Pickleball Events Drive Member Retention
Open play fills time slots but doesn't build loyalty. Here's how leagues, ladders, and tournaments turn casual drop-ins into members who stay.
club growth
From 10 to 100 Players: Scaling Your Club's Events
The systems that run a 10-player event break at 100. Here is how to scale your pickleball club's events with divisions, open registration, and auto-rebuilding brackets.
tournament management
Managing Player Complaints: A Tournament Director's Guide
Most player complaints at tournaments are preventable. Here's how to head off the common ones and handle the rest calmly on event day.
league operations
Weekly vs. Biweekly Leagues: What Works Better for Retention
Weekly leagues build habit and retain players better, but biweekly leagues fill faster. How to pick the right cadence for your club.
player experience
The Check-In Experience: Small Details That Make a Big Difference
How to run a smooth pickleball tournament check-in: phone self check-in, one filtered roster view, a posted cutoff, and a live screen at the door.
tournament formats
Pool Play Into Brackets: The Best of Both Worlds for Pickleball Tournaments
How pool play into brackets gives every player guaranteed games and still crowns a real champion, plus when to run single elim, double elim, or compass.
partners
DUPR Partners with Good Game Sports to Power Club Play
DUPR and Good Game Sports have partnered so club leagues, tournaments, and events count toward official DUPR ratings.
club growth
Pricing Your Pickleball Events: What to Charge and Why
A cost-plus framework for pricing pickleball leagues and tournaments, plus how to set base and division fees, early-bird tiers, and track revenue per court hour.
industry trends
Why Clubs Are Ditching Spreadsheets for Pickleball Event Software
Spreadsheets break the moment a real event gets messy. Here is what clubs gain when software handles registration, standings, and check-in instead.
player experience
Why Real-Time Notifications Keep Your Pickleball Players Engaged
Players who always know their court, opponent, and start time stay happier and come back. Here's how real-time notifications cut the chaos at your events.
tournament formats
How to Choose the Right Tournament Format Based on Player Count and Time
A practical guide for pickleball directors: pick a format that fits your player count and available court time, with example scenarios and math you can copy.
league operations
Handling Subs in League Play Without Disrupting Standings
A practical guide for league directors: when to sub, when to forfeit, and how to keep standings fair when a player misses a week.
league operations
How to Use DUPR Ratings for Fair League Seeding
A practical guide for pickleball clubs on seeding leagues with DUPR ratings, building balanced divisions, and keeping competitive players coming back.
partners
Good Game Sports Is a 2026 Pickleball Innovators Summit Sponsor
We're proud to sponsor the Pickleball Innovators Summit in Tucson, AZ on October 12-14, 2026. Come find us in the desert.
tournament management
Pre-Event Communication: What to Send Players Before Tournament Day
A pre-event communication plan that keeps players informed, cuts day-of questions, and stops you from drowning in texts the night before a tournament.
club growth
5 Ways to Keep Your Pickleball Programming Fresh
Five practical ways to keep your pickleball club's leagues, ladders, and tournaments from feeling like reruns. Real formats, real scheduling moves.
league operations
Setting Up Your First Pickleball League: A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical playbook for running your first pickleball league at your club. Format, schedule, registration, subs, and standings, in the order you actually need them.
tournament formats
Round Robin vs. Double Elimination: Choosing the Right Tournament Format
A practical guide for pickleball clubs and tournament directors on when to run round robin, when to run double elimination, and how to pick between them.
tournament management
How to Reduce Wait Time Between Matches at Your Next Tournament
A practical playbook for cutting downtime between matches. Court math, format choice, the match queue, check-in flow, and player visibility.
tournament management
Setting Up Your First Pickleball Tournament: A Complete Checklist
A practical, step by step checklist for clubs running their first pickleball tournament. Format, divisions, registration, courts, check-in, and event day.
tournament formats
What Is MLP Format and Should Your Club Try It?
MLP format brings team rosters, captains, and lineup strategy to pickleball events. Here is how it works and how to know if your club is ready to run one.
tournament management
How to Handle Last-Minute Dropouts Without Losing Your Mind
A practical playbook for pickleball tournament directors who keep getting hit with day-of dropouts. Waitlists, formats, check-in, and bracket rebuilds.