Getting Started
Creating Your First Americano in Skedge
Step-by-step guide to creating your first americano in Skedge: set players, courts, scoring, an optional entry fee, then publish and share the code.
An americano is the fastest way to fill courts with a social, competitive session: partners rotate every round and each player builds an individual point total. This guide walks through creating one in Skedge from a blank screen to a shareable event code.
Before you start
Have three things decided: your sport, roughly how many players you expect, and how many courts you have booked. Padel is doubles-only, so each court needs exactly four players — aim for multiples of four for the cleanest night. If your numbers do not divide evenly, Skedge handles it with fair sit-out rounds, so you do not need perfect arithmetic to begin. If you want the deeper format reasoning first, read how to run a padel americano.
Create the event
Tap Create and choose Americano
Open Skedge, tap Create, and select Americano as the format. Pick your sport (tennis, padel or pickleball). The event starts in DRAFT, so nothing is live until you publish.
Set players and courts
Enter how many courts you have and the player cap. Skedge uses this to plan rotations and, where headcount is not a clean multiple, to schedule sit-out rounds so every player rests the same number of times.
Choose your scoring
Set the per-round points target — common choices are 16, 21, 24 or 32. A higher target means longer, more decisive rounds; a lower target means more rounds and more partner variety. Standings update automatically from these points as you enter scores on event day.
Add an entry fee (optional)
If you want to collect money, enable an entry fee and connect a Stripe payout account. Skedge collects fees in-app and pays you out. You can skip this entirely and run a free session, or add it later. See setting up entry fees and payouts for the full flow.
Publish
Review the summary and publish. The event moves from DRAFT toward LIVE and Skedge generates a unique event code plus a shareable invite link.
Share the code
Send the event code or link to your players. They join with a phone number and a one-time code — no accounts to manage. Details in inviting players and event codes.
Picking a sensible scoring target
Work backwards from your court booking, not forwards from optimism. Estimate total session minutes, divide by the number of rounds your player count produces, and choose a points target that fits the resulting round length. If a night feels rushed, lower the target next time; if rounds drag, raise it. You can run the same group repeatedly and tune this over a few sessions.
Start free, then add fees
For a first event, consider running it free to learn the rotation rhythm and round timing with your group. Once you are comfortable, enable an entry fee on your next event so collection and payout are automatic from day one.
What happens on event day
When players arrive, they check in through the app and you enter live scores after each round. Standings recompute automatically, and you can put a TV into big-screen mode so everyone sees the order of play and the running leaderboard. There is no separate setup for this — it is built into every published event.
Lock structural choices before going LIVE
Player count, court count and scoring target shape the entire rotation schedule. Change these freely while the event is in DRAFT. Once it is LIVE and players have joined, changing them can disrupt pairings — only do it if you genuinely need to.
Next steps
Once your americano is published, get players in quickly with a clear invite and event-code flow, and if you plan to run this group week after week, consider graduating to a multi-week structure described in building a league. When you are ready to create your first event, head to get started.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I create an americano in Skedge?
- Open the Skedge app, tap Create, choose Americano, set your sport, players and courts, pick your scoring target, optionally add an entry fee, then publish. Skedge generates an event code you share so players can join.
- How many players do I need for an americano?
- Any number works, but it runs cleanest in multiples of four for padel (doubles only) since each court needs four players. For other counts, Skedge schedules sit-out (bye) rounds automatically so rest is shared fairly.
- Do I have to charge an entry fee?
- No. The entry fee is optional. You can run a free americano and add fees later, or enable a fee at creation by connecting a Stripe payout account so Skedge can collect and pay you out.
- Can I edit an americano after I publish it?
- While the event is in DRAFT you can change anything. Once it goes LIVE, keep edits to non-structural details where possible. Roster and score changes are still handled in-app on event day.
- How do players join my americano?
- Players download Skedge, enter their phone number, verify with a one-time code, then enter your event code or tap your invite link. No accounts or passwords are needed.
- What scoring does an americano use?
- Americano uses individual point scoring: partners rotate each round and every point you win adds to your personal total. You set a per-round points target (for example 16, 21, 24 or 32) when you create the event.
Keep reading
Building a League: Divisions, Schedule and Standings
How to create a multi-week league in Skedge: set up divisions, generate the schedule, track standings, and run promotion and relegation between weeks.
Inviting Players and Sharing Your Event Code
Invite players to a Skedge event with an event code or share link, see how players join with phone and OTP, and manage your roster and waitlist.
Setting Up Entry Fees and Stripe Payouts
How to enable an entry fee in Skedge, connect a Stripe payout account, and understand when collected entry fees are paid out to organizers.