EDDIE IZZARD

The compact size
and shape of a
jorkyball court
make it suitable
for facilities with
limited space. The
rules (right) make
jorkyball a fastpaced
sport
Leonardo Giangreco Biancheri (above) is helping to spread the sport
to grow. “As well as the core market of
sports clubs, it’s perfect for urban spaces
in city centres, as well as fitness clubs and
hotels,” says Biancheri. “Jorkyball can also
be used as a great fan engagement tool at
events and big football matches. Having
a jorkyball court at a fanzone attracts
people around it to have a look – so it
works perfectly for sponsors who want to
create interest at events.”
PROFIT-A-BALL
The fact that a 50sq m jorkyball court can
be squeezed into a tight space also means
that the courts can be a very profitable
investment for sports clubs and fitness/
leisure operators wanting to expand
their offering. According to Biancheri,
the profitability aspect is one that has
convinced many clubs to install jorkyball
courts at their centres.
“You can fit up to 16 jorkyball courts
in the space needed for one five-a-side
football pitch,” he says. “As each jorkyball
court takes four players, by doing the
maths, you quickly realise that you can fit
more than five times as many players in.”
In reality, most jorkyball clubs have
between one and three courts and in some
cases they have been installed to replace
underused squash courts.
Biancheri adds that health and fitness
clubs have shown particular interest in
adding jorkyball courts – not only because
clubs often have limited space, but because
the sport offers a high intensity workout
in a very different way from traditional
fitness activities. “From a fitness point of
view, what gives it an edge over most other
intensive workouts is that it’s not just a
fitness activity – it’s competitive sport,” he
says. “The more you play, the better you
become and you can challenge people and
get fit without even noticing!”
MAKING IT WORK
As part of plans to secure more sites for
jorkyball in Italy – and to help clubs with the
initial cost of installing courts – Biancheri
has struck a financing deal with one of the
country’s national banks. “If a club wants to
sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 4 2015 © Cybertrek 2015 43