Tennis club governance: an international comparison of Southern European clubs

Tennis is one of the world's most practiced racket sports, with clubs serving as the main venues for participation, training, and community engagement. Despite their central role, research on the governance of tennis clubs remains scarce. This study aims to provide an international comparison of governance practices in tennis clubs across Southern Europe.

The analysis covered 30 tennis clubs from Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Malta. A validated governance assessment model was applied, grounded in three key principles: democracy and participation, ethics and integrity, and accountability and transparency. Key governance indicators included board diversity, stakeholder involvement, president turnover, document transparency, and decision-making structures. Clubs were clustered into four governance types using k-means analysis.

The results revealed marked differences among clubs. Some exhibited balanced and participatory governance, while others demonstrated restricted and opaque practices. Clubs with more independent board members tended to experience greater leadership turnover, and those with higher financial transparency were more likely to disclose governance documents. Conversely, gender equality metrics showed minimal correlation with other governance indicators.

The study highlights the need for enhanced inclusivity, structured oversight, and transparency in tennis club governance. The findings offer valuable insights for club managers, federations, and policymakers seeking to professionalize governance in sports organizations. Future research should explore governance variations across club types, regions, and socio-economic contexts, and develop longitudinal strategies for inclusive and sustainable governance practices in tennis.