[Bjartr]

Rent... a tennis court? I've never even heard of such a practice before. You just wait until there's a free court, then use it. I can imagine places where it's exceptionally popular and the perfect weather where a rental system would be viable, but I'm curious if it's the norm in places.

[happyraul]

This is a very US-centric view, where public subsidies for tennis courts exist. In Germany for example, there's no such thing as a public tennis court, as far as I can tell.

[Bjartr]

Do parks in Germany have basketball courts, football pitches, or baseball diamonds? Is it that parks provide for sports that's US centric, or is it including tennis courts in that set of amenities that's US centric?

[poulsbohemian]

There was definitely a public basketball court and a football pitch within a few blocks of where I lived in suburban Münster. So can't speak for all of Germany, but there are some public spaces for the common sports in that country.

[gnicholas]

In Menlo Park, you have to pay something like $50/yr to get a key to the courts. The key price is higher if you live outside the city limits, in unincorporated Menlo Park (I assume because you're not paying city taxes). Fortunately there are unlocked courts in Palo Alto.