What does an empty court-hour really cost?

An empty court is perishable inventory. Once the hour passes, the club cannot sell it tomorrow.

Start with the simplest formula

Number of courts × empty hours per court per week × average hourly price × 4.33. That is the gross monthly value of expiring capacity.

Then estimate what is actually recoverable

Some weak hours are structural. Others can respond to better match formation, cancellation recovery, player reactivation or targeted incentives. Validate the recoverable share with data rather than choosing a flattering assumption.

Protect price before promoting

Test targeting, timing, matching, priority, future credit or low-cost perks before broad discounts. Occupancy that destroys margin is not the same as better economics.

Measure incremental revenue

A booking that would have happened anyway is not recovered revenue. Define the at-risk slot, intervention, baseline and net result after discounts and displaced demand.