Best door entry systems for pickleball facilities

Pickleball is a worldwide phenomenon—it’s the fastest-growing sport in the United States and quickly gaining popularity in other places, including Canada, Australia, and Europe. Indoor and outdoor pickleball courts are popping up everywhere, from small towns to big cities. While the game is the primary focus of these facilities, they also have to consider other factors, particularly security, efficiency, and the member experience.

Door entry systems are central to all those concerns. An effective system means players can pick up their paddles and hit the court at any time, whether they want to fit in an early-morning game before work or have a late-night get together with friends. At the same time, it helps ensure your facility is secure and operating smoothly even if no one is around to monitor the premises.

In this article, you’ll learn how a door entry system functions, why it’s a worthwhile investment, and how it connects with other technologies in your pickleball facility.

What is a pickleball door entry system? #

A pickleball door entry system lets you manage who can come into your facility, including employees, members, and other guests. It controls access to the building or certain courts and areas within it, allowing you to prevent unwanted entries and unpaying members without creating an inconvenience for authorized individuals.

How it operates #

Although some of them use advanced technologies, door entry systems are relatively straightforward, especially from the user’s perspective. You connect the electric locks of the doors you want to manage to an access controller. Most businesses also connect an access reader, scanner, or keypad at the door, but thanks to mobile access, that is no longer a necessity. When someone uses their mobile app or other credentials, it triggers a response in the attached controller, which verifies that individual’s authorization and unlocks the door.

Owners of pickleball facilities can choose from a variety of credential types, such as:

• Smartphones and smartwatches, including digital wallets and mobile apps
• Key fobs or key cards
• Passcodes
• QR codes
• Links

The kind of credential you use depends on what’s the best fit for your organization and members. For many pickleball facilities, the simplest option is to use a mobile app that does not require a mobile reader. With this technology, members can enter the building using only their devices, so they don’t have to keep up with a special card or remember a passcode.

Types of pickleball door entry systems #

Pickleball door entry systems are available in several different forms, with varying costs and levels of complexity. These are the most common kinds:

• Mobile access: These modern systems use smartphones and other mobile devices with wireless communication (like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) to authenticate users and unlock doors. These systems eliminate the need for traditional keys, cards, or codes, allowing players to access courts through a mobile app linked to their digital credentials.
• Proximity readers: A proximity reader can detect user credentials at long or short distances. Users only have to hold their fobs, cards, smartphones, or other devices within range of the reader for it to trigger the system, making it hands-free and user-friendly.
• Keypads: With this type of system, users enter a pre-set code into the keypad to unlock the door. While easy to use and affordable, this method is generally less secure than other solutions because members can easily share the passcode with others or gain entry during prime times that might not be part of their membership.

When selecting a door entry system type, it’s important to consider your facility’s specific needs, budget, and vulnerabilities. For example, if you have a large member and employee population, mobile access may be easier to implement than proximity readers, which require you to install a door reader in front of every door you’d want to control.

Potential uses for door entry systems in pickleball facilities #

Just like a lock and key, you can install an entry system on any entry point in your facility. However, there are a few specific locations that will give you the greatest benefits.

Primary and court entrances #

The first and most important place to install a door entry system is your main facility entrance. This is the location that controls overall access to your facility, and using technology to manage entries makes it easier to prevent security incidents and offer 24/7 services.

Using a modern door entry system at the facility and at the court entrance not only makes operations more streamlined, but it also helps prevent tailgating and non-member entries. When people manage to sneak into and make use of your facility without purchasing a membership, it costs you money and is unfair to paying members.

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Employee spaces #

While the front door is top priority, don’t limit your system to that one place—it can also separate spaces inside the building to create a safer, more appealing atmosphere for employees and members. For example, you can use a door entry system to restrict access to employee areas, such as breakrooms, storage rooms, and offices.

Creating a divide between employee and member spaces prevents unauthorized access to confidential information you store on company computers and tablets. It also helps prevent people from stealing or damaging your business assets.

Special member areas #

A door entry system is ideal if you want to offer tiered memberships or VIP spaces. With a solution like Kisi, you can issue authorizations to members based on their specific plan.

For instance, a basic membership might only include access through the primary entrance and the court. With a higher level membership, people can take advantage of premium amenities, such as showers, snack bars, and lounges.

Advantages of door entry systems for pickleball centers #

Pickleball centers with door entry systems have a leg up on their competitors in terms of operations, public perception, and automation. In addition to giving your facility a modern edge, this technology has a number of benefits for your business, employees, and members.

24-hour monetization #

Limiting your operating hours can alienate potential members with busy schedules or unusual work shifts. A door entry system allows you to stay open all day and night without having to invest in extra security personnel or customer support staff.

As long as your members have their access credentials, they can unlock the door and enjoy their pickleball game at the time that works best for them. This means you can attract a broader customer base and make money on a round-the-clock basis rather than during an 8 or 10-hour segment of the day.

Security #

A door entry system is also useful from a safety standpoint. While pickleball paddles aren’t likely to attract thieves, other equipment and member belongings within your facility can. A door entry system prevents unauthorized individuals from entering and accessing these items.

This kind of technology can also stop banned individuals from entering the premises. If a member causes problems, threatens others, or vandalizes your property, you can instantly revoke their access authorization using a digital dashboard. Along with protecting the people and items in the facility, this also assures other members and employees that you prioritize their safety and preventing additional security incidents.

Autonomous spaces #

When pickleball players arrive at your facility, they want to get on the court and have fun as quickly as possible. Waiting for employees to unlock doors and check them in is a frustrating delay that damages the member experience.

A door entry system helps make your facility autonomous by eliminating the need for these interactions and giving members full control of their entry into the building. You can also issue temporary access to guests through QR codes and links if you offer a free trial session before purchasing a membership.

Making your facility more autonomous is also good for employees. They don’t have to dedicate their time and energy to entry management and instead can focus on other tasks, such as member questions, sales, and premium services.

Integrating door entry systems with other solutions #

A door entry system is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to automation, security, and management in your pickleball facility. Using separate systems for all these tasks can get out of hand quickly, creating problems instead of addressing them. However, integrating these solutions into one comprehensive suite of software and hardware makes your operations seamless.

Connecting your door entry system with video surveillance is a natural choice. You can pair up-to-date tracking information for every access event with video footage inside your facility. With this combination, you can follow up on security incidents or attempted unauthorized entries.

For pickleball facilities, integrations with court scheduling and facility management software are also essential. Linking these solutions to your door entry system lets you automate your operations and gives you better insights into who is using your facility, when members are entering and exiting, and how often they’re taking advantage of VIP areas.

For example, PodPlay's club management and court reservation software makes it easy for pickleball facilities to manage every aspect of their businesses and increase court utilization. It also integrates with Kisi, allowing you to bring together two essential systems and operate more efficiently.

Protect your pickleball facility with Kisi #

The surge in pickleball popularity will inevitably lead to more facilities opening around the world, making the industry as competitive as the sport. Business owners who want to set themselves apart from the rest can take a big step by installing a reliable door entry system. From automating entries to enhancing the member experience, this type of system is a significant upgrade.

Whether you want to secure a single door or control access to multiple areas in your pickleball facility, Kisi has you covered. Our future-proof access control system is easy to use and simple to scale, so you can adapt no matter how many courts you open or members you take on in the future.

Reach out to the Kisi team to request a free demo and see how the right door entry system can put your pickleball facility on the map.