University Sports Club Jena

What University Sports Club Jena does

University Sports Club Jena (USV Jena - Abteilung Tennis) is a community-based, non-profit tennis department (eingetragener Verein) located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany, operating one of the oldest tennis facilities in Germany with documented tennis activity dating to 1893-1894. The club offers access to a 13-court facility comprising 5 sand courts (with automated irrigation, April-October), 6 floodlit all-weather courts (year-round, added/modernized through 2025's Ganzjahresplätze expansion), 2 artificial turf courts, 3 Pickleball fields, 2 practice walls, and a historic 1903 clubhouse. Membership stands at approximately 500, with 23 competitive teams registered for the 2026 summer season across adult, senior (Damen/Herren 40/50/75), and youth categories, plus around 160 children and adolescents training at the in-house Tennisschule Schilke.

The club operates a hybrid community-and-amenity model. Core revenue is generated through differentiated annual membership fees (students, youth, adults, seniors), usage-based court rental to guests at EUR 24 per hour via the Forumedia-powered online booking system (usv-buchung.de), three-tiered sponsorship packages (Vereinspartner EUR 200-499, Businesspartner EUR 500-999, Premiumpartner EUR 1,000+) with named local partners including Stadtwerke Jena and zollsoft, tournament hosting (JenOpen DTB A7, Landesmeisterschaften, club championships), summer tennis camps at EUR 245-290 per child-week, equipment sales (tennis balls, teamwear via Domsport teamshop, racket stringing), and corporate event rentals. Technology infrastructure includes the Active Court booking platform, live webcams for sand and all-weather courts, and the Wingfield video analysis system on court 6 for automated match recording.

Distribution is heavily geo-anchored to Jena and the broader Thuringia region. The club is embedded within the Universitätssportverein Jena e.V. parent organization — one of nearly 30 departments — and co-locates with Hochschulsport Jena inside the university sports center, providing a structural student pipeline. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: tournaments, youth development, Hochschulsport courses, Schnuppertraining trial sessions, word-of-mouth, and a Domsport-powered merchandise channel. The organization is member-governed under a board (Abteilungsleiter, Schatzmeister, Sportwart, Jugendwartin, Technischer Leiter, Öffentlichkeitsarbeit), recently transitioned after 27 years of leadership under former Abteilungsleiter Wolfgang Theml.

Name

University Sports Club Jena

Legal name

Universitätssportverein Jena e.V.

Website

https://usv-tennis.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tennis Club & Sports Facility Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKABAF

Tennis & Racquet Sports Clubs (Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Squash)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Professional Sports Teams & Clubs

SECONDARYMPAKAAAJ

Tennis Leagues & Team Competitions

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Professional Sports Leagues (Domestic & International)

SECONDARYMPAKAEAE

Tennis & Racquet Sports Facilities

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Venues & Facilities (Stadiums, Arenas, Tracks, Complexes)

SECONDARYMPAKACAF

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

Keywords

• Tennis club services
• Sports facility management
• Youth tennis training
• Competitive tennis leagues
• Tennis tournament hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Jena

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees paid by approximately 500 members. Fee structure is differentiated by age categories (students, youth, adults, seniors) as defined in the Mitglieds-, Beitrags- und Gebührenordnung.
2. Court Rental / Guest Fees: Non-members can book courts at 24 Euro per court-hour via the online booking system. Revenue from guest court usage.
3. Sponsorship Revenue: Three-tiered sponsorship program: Vereinspartner (200-499 EUR/year), Businesspartner (500-999 EUR/year), and Premiumpartner (1,000+ EUR/year). Includes website banner rotation, logo placement, backlink, and court usage cards.
4. Tennis Equipment Sales: Sale of tennis balls (Dunlop Fort Tournament 4-pack at 13 EUR; Wilson US Open 4-pack at 7 EUR), teamwear via Domsport teamshop, and racket stringing services through the tennis school.
5. Tournament Entry Fees: Revenue generated from entry fees for hosted tournaments including the JenOpen, Landesmeisterschaften, and club championships. Also includes prize money and sponsorship of tournament events.
6. Facility Rental / Corporate Events: Infrastructure rental of courts and facilities for corporate team-building events, including coaching and tournament management options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

University Sports Club Jena (Abteilung Tennis) operates a 13-court tennis facility in Jena, Germany, providing annual memberships, court rental, youth and adult training through Tennisschule Schilke, competitive league play across 23 teams, and hosts regional tournaments including the JenOpen and Thuringian state championships. The club serves approximately 500 members and offers non-member guest court access, summer tennis camps, equipment sales, and corporate facility rentals.

Product overview

University Sports Club Jena Tennis Department operates as a sports club offering tennis facility access and training programs. The core offering includes court facilities (sand courts, all-weather courts with floodlights, artificial turf courts, and Pickleball fields) accessible through an Active Court booking system. Key modules include youth development via Tennisschule Schilke (~160 youth), tournament organization (JenOpen, State Championships), Wingfield video analysis on court 6, live webcam monitoring, Hochschulsport university courses, summer camps, equipment services (balls, stringing, teamwear), and corporate event hosting. The club has 23 teams competing in Thuringia Tennis Federation leagues for summer 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tennis Facility Access (Memberships & Court Rentals) Access to 13 tennis courts (5 sand courts April-October with automated irrigation, 6 all-weather courts with floodlights year-round, 2 artificial turf courts, 3 Pickleball fields, 2 ball walls) plus clubhouse. Available to ~500 members via annual memberships differentiated by age category and to non-members via guest court rental at 24 EUR per court-hour through the online booking system.
• Youth Tennis Development Program (Tennisschule Schilke) Structured tennis training for ~160 children and adolescents delivered by the partner Tennisschule Tom Schilke (Jentennis) in afternoon small-group sessions. Includes Bambini and youth team pathways (9 youth teams and 4 Bambini teams in 2026), talent identification, and tournament preparation for state championships.
• Tournament Organization & Hosting Organization and hosting of competitive and recreational tennis tournaments including the JenOpen (DTB A7-rated), Thüringer Landesmeisterschaften (state championships for U12/U14/U18/Aktive/Senioren), Universitätsmeisterschaften, USV Jena Cup club championships, Nikolausturnier, and Spaßturniere. Includes tournament entry fee revenue, prize money, and sponsorship of tournament events.
• Jentennis Summer Camps Tennis summer camps run by Jentennis tennis school at the USV courts during the beginning and end of Thuringian summer holidays. Daily program from 10:00-15:00 including on-court sports and catering. July week priced at 245 EUR per child; August week priced at 290 EUR per child; individual days by arrangement.
• Tennis Equipment Sales (Balls, Stringing, Teamwear) Sale of official tennis balls (Dunlop Fort Tournament 4-pack at 13 EUR; Wilson US Open training 4-pack at 7 EUR), racket stringing services via the tennis school/Intersport Jena, and official teamwear/merchandise through the Domsport teamshop (domsport.de/USV-Jena).
• Corporate / Team-Building Facility Rental Rental of tennis courts, clubhouse, and associated infrastructure for corporate team-building events, with optional add-on coaching and tournament management services for local Jena-area businesses.
• Breitensport / Casual Recreational Tennis Recreational tennis access for non-competitive players and guests. Includes Schnuppertraining trial training sessions, member events, and guest court rental via the online booking system without club membership commitment.
• Hochschulsport Tennis Courses (University Sport) Tennis courses for University of Jena students and external beginners/advanced players, booked via the university's Hochschulsport portal (hochschulsportbuchung.uni-jena.de). Includes access to the 2 artificial turf courts for public rental and serves as a conversion funnel to full membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~500 members make it one of the largest tennis departments in Thuringia and within USV Jena e.V.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Forumedia Internet GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the online court booking system (active-court.de / usv-buchung.de) used by members and guests to reserve courts online or via touchscreen at the facility. Handles data processing for court reservations and billing. Data hosted in a high-security data center in Regensburg with HTTPS/SSL encryption.
• WingfieldcoreTechnology or IntegrationWingfield video analysis system installed on court 6, enabling automated match analysis, scoring, and autonomous LK match recording via a smartphone app. Part of the modernization of the all-weather courts from 2025.
• Hochschulsport Jena / University of JenacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity sport institute offers tennis courses for students and external participants via its booking portal. The USV facility serves as the venue, and the partnership provides a pipeline of student members. The university and USV share the sports center facilities.
• Tennisschule Tom Schilke (Jentennis)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe tennis school run by Tom Schilke provides structured training for approximately 160 children and youth, adult training, and coaching for competitive teams. Operates from the USV courts and serves as the primary entry point for new members. Tom Schilke also serves as Sportwart (interim) on the club board.
• Fair Resort Hotel JenaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides indoor hall facilities for winter training when outdoor courts are unavailable. The Jentennis FairResort Cup indoor tournament is held at this venue.
• Stadtwerke Jena GmbHmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVereinspartner (sponsor) with logo placement on the website and rotating banner on the homepage. One of the club's main local utility sponsors providing financial support.
• zollsoft GmbHmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVereinspartner sponsor with website visibility. Local Jena software company supporting the club.
• Reha aktiv 2000 GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVereinspartner sponsor from Jena providing logo and link placement on the club's sponsors page.
• Ratsapotheke JenaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVereinspartner (club partner) sponsor with local pharmacy providing support to the club.
• Domsport ErfurtmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides the official USV Jena teamwear and merchandise via a dedicated teamshop at www.domsport.de/USV-Jena. Located in Erfurt, Domsport also sponsors a teamshop page on the USV website.
• Deutscher Tennis Bund (DTB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational tennis federation whose logo appears on the partners page. The club hosts DTB-rated tournaments (e.g., JenOpen A7) and operates under DTB/TTV competition rules.
• Thüringer Tennis-Verband (TTV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState tennis federation through which all league competitions are organized. The club participates in TTV leagues and hosts TTV state championships. The club's competitive teams are registered through the TTV.
• Universitätssportverein Jena e.V. (USV Jena)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of the Abteilung Tennis. The USV Jena e.V. provides overall governance, the legal entity (e.V. registered association), and shared infrastructure including a portion of the sports center facilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kölner Tennis-Club 1919: Long-established Cologne tennis club with comparable membership structure, league teams across age categories, youth development, and tournament organization. Operates a similar subscription-plus-court-rental revenue model in a comparable German urban market.
• TC Blau-Weiss Berlin: Historic Berlin tennis club founded in 1899 with a comparable membership-based model, league team participation, tournament hosting, and youth development programs. Directly comparable as one of Germany's established private tennis clubs of similar heritage vintage.
• TC Iphitos München: Well-known Munich tennis club with comparable membership model, multiple league teams, youth training programs, and tournament activity. Closely comparable as a German urban tennis club of similar scope and operational structure.
• TK Grün-Weiss Frankfurt: Traditional Frankfurt tennis club with membership access, multi-team league participation, and tournament hosting. Comparable as a German private tennis club offering similar recreational and competitive tennis programming.

Emerging players

• Playtomic: Global tennis and padel court booking platform with social/matching features. Comparable as a technology-enabled tennis booking and community experience, intersecting with USV Jena's Forumedia-powered booking system and potentially redefining member expectations for digital tennis experiences.

Others

• Hochschulsport Jena (Universität Jena): University of Jena's Hochschulsport program, a strategic partner that channels students into USV's tennis programs via shared facilities and course offerings. Comparable as a co-located university sports operator rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Tennis Bund (DTB): National German tennis federation governing all league play, tournament ratings (e.g., DTB A7 for JenOpen), and the broader competitive framework. Comparable as the umbrella industry body whose rules, platforms (nuLiga, MyBigPoint), and member services define the operating environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/usvtennis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usv-jena

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University Sports Club Jena