Guide
Collecting entry fees for a padel league
In short
Set the fee before sign up opens, say exactly how to pay it (a bank transfer, a payment link or at reception), and give a pay by date before the draw. For a club, take the money the way the club already takes money, so it lands in the club’s own account. Keep one list of who has paid, and decide in advance whether unpaid members are left out of the draw.
Decide what the fee covers
Say what the money is for before anyone signs up: prizes, balls, a finals night, court hire or a contribution to the club. People pay more readily for something named. Many leagues charge one fee for the whole season rather than per match, which is also how Playtomic’s own leagues work: one payment up front, nothing per match.
The ways to take the money
| Method | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Friends leagues and small clubs; free | Ask for a reference (the player’s name and the league), or you will be matching payments by guesswork |
| Payment link | Taking cards, shared in a message | The provider takes a small percentage of each payment; check current rates |
| At reception or on the night | Venues with a desk, and players who prefer to pay in person | Someone has to record it the same day |
| Through the booking system | Clubs whose booking system sells events | Joining the league and paying become two separate steps |
Pick one method per league if you can. Two methods means two places to check.
Keep one list of who has paid
The job that goes wrong is not taking the money, it is knowing who has paid. Keep one list, next to the list of players, and update it as payments arrive. Let players say when they have paid, then check it against the bank or the till.
Set a pay by date, and decide what it means
A date before the fixtures are drawn works best. Decide at the start whether an unpaid player is left out of the draw, given a few more days, or drawn anyway. Say which in the sign up message so nobody is surprised.
Refunds
Write the rule down before you take any money: for example, a full refund before the draw and none after, unless the league is cancelled.
How Padeliga does it
Padeliga never takes payments and never touches the money: entry fees are paid straight to the club. Staff set an entry fee and how to pay it: the club’s own payment link (it opens in the browser), bank details, or a note such as “pay at reception”, with an optional pay by date. Members see the fee on the club board, when they join and at the top of the league until they tap I’ve paid and confirm it.
In the club console staff see who has not paid across every league, mark people paid or unpaid when the money arrives, and can send the unpaid a reminder. An optional switch leaves unpaid members out of the draw and says who was left out. A single organiser gets the same list in the league’s Admin tab.
Questions
Can Padeliga take entry fees for the club?
No. Padeliga never takes payments. The club says how to pay, the money goes straight to the club, and the app keeps the list of who has paid.
Should a club charge per match or per season?
One fee per season is simpler to track than a payment every match, and it is how Playtomic’s own leagues work: one payment up front.
How much should a padel league entry fee be?
Enough to cover what the club promises, such as balls, prizes or a finals night. There is no standard figure, so name what it pays for.
What if a member has not paid by the draw?
Decide in advance and say so at sign up: leave them out of the draw, give them a few more days, or draw them anyway and chase it.
Run your club’s leagues in Padeliga
Members join from a code or the QR poster, agree times in the app and confirm each other’s scores, and the table updates itself. Staff see every league on one screen. Clubs get a free 90-day trial, members never pay, and leagues of 16 or fewer are free.