The local authorities must respond to a growing demand : adapt their sports infrastructure to the new expectations of administered. If racket sports matter 8 million practitioners In France, a large majority of them favor occasional practices and without membership in a club. These habits contrast with the traditional models, where access to infrastructure often relies on an annual membership.
Anybuddy returns to this phenomenon.
A changing sporting practice
“At 10 years old, 70% of French people practicing a racket sport are licensed in a club. But at the age of 20, this figure drops to 20%. In addition, 65% of licensees say they also play outside their club (source: The Kollectif). These data reveal a growing interest in free and flexible practices, without formal commitment. Residents are looking for simple solutions to reserve courts by the hour, adapted to their schedule.
However, access to available land remains difficult. In many municipalities, it is necessary to be a member of a club to access the facilities, a condition that no longer meets the expectations of a majority of players. This gap creates unsatisfied demand and a lack of visibility on the actual use of infrastructure.”

Underutilized infrastructure
“Communities often see a low fill rate of their sports infrastructure. This problem, combined with a time-consuming management reservations, generates financial losses and harms the efficiency of public services. These issues raise a key question: how can we optimize the use of equipment while meeting the needs of citizens?
Solutions to modernize sports management
“Digital platforms are emerging to support communities in this transition. They make it possible to simplify infrastructure management sports facilities by offering online booking services, automated access control tools and solutions adapted to flexible practices. These devices offer municipalities an opportunity to optimize the use of their land, while generating additional income.”
“For example, some cities have chosen to list their infrastructure on platforms offering booking on time, this is the case of Anybuddy. This type of service allows to meet the needs of casual gamers while integrating with municipal management systems. These platforms are often designed as all-in-one solutions, handling booking, payment and even customer support, without fixed costs or upfront investment for communities. Anybuddy also makes it possible to offer a specific pricing particularly for communities: for example, a preferential rate reserved for their administrators, with management included proof of address. "

The Vanves experience
“The municipality of Vanves, in Hauts-de-Seine, has opted for an hourly rental solution via the Anybuddy digital platform. Free slots on municipal tennis courts are accessible at reservation 48 hours before the effective time, guaranteeing priority to local club members. This initiative has enabled to increase the use of facilities while simplifying management for the municipality.”
“We were able to meet the expectations of our constituents in terms of flexibility, while ensuring smooth management for our teams”, highlighted Ms. Anne-Caroline CAHEN, Deputy Mayor of the city of Vanves (Hauts-de-Seine), responsible for sport.
A model for communities to follow
“With the rise of these solutions, municipal sports infrastructure can now become sources of revenue, rather than just representing an expense line. Communities that adopt these systems are recording significant annual gains thanks to the increase in the occupancy rate of their land. On average, a partner community generates 50 000 € net per year with bookings generated by Anybuddy.
This modernization also contributes to energize the territories by making sport more accessible. The slots usually not very busy, such as weekday mornings or afternoons, can thus be promoted, attracting both residents and a wider audience, such as tourists or local businesses.
The Olympics 2024 recalled the importance of promote sports practice. By facilitating access to infrastructure, communities are responding to a major public health issue while promoting their facilities. These approaches show that it is possible to reconcile modernization, accessibility and profitability, for the benefit of all.”

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.