Buy in-house vs. free via the programme
In short: A classic club machine costs €1,500–2,500 from the club's budget, plus maintenance and paper-slip administration. Through the Tenniix club programme you instead get an AI tennis robot for free as a loan, with digital booking and a 40% revenue share – without investment and without risk.
The difference is fundamental. A general classification of the device types is in the tennis ball machine guide. With an in-house purchase the club bears the price, maintenance, insurance and administration – and the full risk if the device is barely used. With the programme the device remains our property; the club earns alongside without investing. Which route fits depends on your membership numbers and your willingness to administer.
What an in-house purchase really costs
The purchase price is only the start. A decent club machine costs €1,500–2,500. On top come ongoing costs that are easily forgotten: maintenance and repair, insurance, spare parts and above all the administrative effort. Who lends out the device? Who collects payment? Who checks the condition? In practice, utilisation often fails at exactly this friction – the machine is there, but no one organises the lending.
How the Tenniix club programme works
In short: Your members book the device by the hour online via a QR code; you keep 40% of net booking revenue, paid out automatically each month. The device remains our property, insurance and maintenance are on us.
Device free (loan)
You get an AI tennis robot as a free loan. No purchase, no tied-up capital, no depreciation risk. The device remains our property.
Digital booking (QR code)
Members scan a QR code, book and pay online. No key-handover chaos, no cash box. The handover takes under five minutes and runs via a checklist in the app.
40% revenue share
You keep 40% of net booking revenue, paid out automatically each month via Stripe. At a guide value of €10–15 per hour, this creates a reliable small income stream without anyone having to bill.
Insurance and service included
Insurance, maintenance and the replacement of faulty devices are on us. The club only provides dry storage with a charging option and a device manager for the handover.
Income example calculation
Three scenarios for orientation (guide value €10–15/hr, 40% club share):
| Scenario | Sessions/month | Club share/month |
|---|---|---|
| weak | approx. 6 | no loss (investment = €0) |
| base | approx. 12 | approx. €70–75 per device |
| strong | considerably more | correspondingly higher |
The decisive point: even in the weak scenario you incur no loss, because you invested nothing. There is room upward – the more active your members, the more remains.
Member retention and youth support
The monetary value is only half the story. A modern machine makes you an attractive club – especially for youth, the strongest growth group in tennis. Every session is at the same time a small product demo and one more reason to stay a member. How children benefit is in the spoke Ball machine for kids; what the AI actually delivers, in the spoke AI vs. classic ball machine.
Legal and tax matters
For the treasurer: income from lending must be classified for tax purposes depending on the club's structure (commercial business operation vs. special-purpose operation) – best clarified with your tax adviser. With camera devices, signage is part of the setup for transparency. We keep the contractual and data-protection details documented and discuss them during onboarding.
How we assess this
We run the club programme in Germany ourselves (as of June 2026); the conditions mentioned (40% share, loan, included insurance/maintenance, guide value €10–15/hr) are our real programme parameters. The example calculation is orientation, not a guarantee – the actual income depends on usage by your members.
Frequently asked questions
Should our club buy a ball machine itself or rent one?
Both are expensive or laborious. A classic club machine costs €1,500–2,500 from the club's budget, plus maintenance and paper-slip administration. Through the Tenniix club programme you instead get an AI tennis robot for free as a loan, with digital booking and a 40% revenue share – without investment and without risk.
How does our club earn from a ball machine?
Your members book the device by the hour (guide value €10–15/hr) online via a QR code; you keep 40% of net booking revenue, paid out automatically each month. In the base scenario (around 12 sessions/month) the club keeps about €70–75 per device per month – without you investing or billing.
What does the club programme cost the club?
Nothing in terms of purchase. The device remains our property (loan); insurance, maintenance and the replacement of faulty devices are on us. The club only provides dry storage with a charging option and a device manager for the handover (under 5 minutes, via a checklist in the app).
How much effort is the administration for the board?
Little. Booking, payment and billing run digitally via the club dashboard; payout happens automatically via Stripe. Every flow is built so that even the groundskeeper can operate it without training – at most three taps per action, German language, phone support. Onboarding to a bookable device: around 14 days.
Is it worthwhile for small clubs too?
Yes, because the risk is zero. Even in the weak scenario (around 6 sessions/month) you incur no loss – you invest nothing. On top comes the marketing effect: every session is a product demo, the device strengthens member retention and makes you the "most modern club in town", especially among the youth.