Modernizing Event Registration for a Global Tennis and Pickleball Platform
This case study explores how Closeloop enhanced the UTR Sports platform by streamlining event registration, enabling saved cards and Apple Pay and Google Pay payments, and strengthening real-time communication with SMS notifications to create a faster, more convenient experience for players, clubs, coaches, and federations.
UTR Sports
UTR Sports provides a global platform for everything pickleball and tennis, connecting players, coaches, clubs, and federations through one digital ecosystem powered by highly accurate ratings.
UTR by UTR Sports is a global rating system that promotes fair and competitive play across the tennis world. All players, regardless of age, gender, geography, or skill level, are rated on the same scale from 1.00 to 16.50 based on actual match results.
UTR gives players a real-time view of their true skill level, helps them track progress, discover level-based play, and expand their tennis network across age, gender, and geography. The rating is calculated using a player's eligible recent match scores and weighted performance data.
As the platform continued to grow, improving registration speed, payment convenience, and communication became a clear product priority for returning users across web and mobile touchpoints.
Registration Friction
Closeloop evaluated the existing UTR Sports registration journey and uncovered key experience gaps across payments, repeat sign-ups, and event communication touchpoints.
No Saved Payment Method
Returning users could not save their card details for future event registrations, which created repetitive effort and unnecessary checkout friction.
Repetitive Checkout Steps
Players had to re-enter payment information for each registration, slowing completion and increasing the chance of drop-off.
No Wallet-Based Express Pay
The platform lacked Apple Pay and Google Pay, limiting the faster single-tap payment experience users now expect.
Limited Real-Time Notifications
Notifications relied too heavily on email, leaving room to improve how users received time-sensitive registration and event updates.
Settings and Registration Were Disconnected
There was no clean experience for saving, editing, and managing cards at the account level while keeping registration simple.
Existing Payment Flow Had to Stay Stable
New enhancements had to fit into the existing Stripe-based experience without disrupting the current payment process.
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Registration Goals
Closeloop prioritized the most important repeat-user journeys, delivering meaningful registration and payment improvements without requiring a broader platform rebuild.
Save and Manage Cards
Let users securely store payment details and update them later from settings.
Speed Up Checkout
Reduce payment friction and make repeat registration faster for returning players.
Add Wallet Payments
Introduce Apple Pay and Google Pay for quick, single-tap registration payments.
Strengthen Notifications
Extend event communication with real-time SMS updates alongside email notifications.
Protect Existing Stripe Flow
Keep the underlying payment experience stable while introducing the new capabilities.
Improve User Satisfaction
Create a more polished, customer-centric registration experience across devices.
User Research & Challenges
Discovery Phase
Reviewing the existing registration flowCloseloop analyzed the existing UTR Sports platform to identify baseline issues in the registration experience, especially for returning users making repeat event payments.
The review showed that returning customers had no practical way to save their payment details for future event registrations. That gap made repeat registrations slower, created unnecessary friction in the checkout journey, and increased the likelihood of incomplete registrations.
Closeloop also identified a clear opportunity to improve registration convenience with Apple Pay and Google Pay, while strengthening event communication through more responsive real-time notifications in addition to email updates.
Key Challenges
Balancing convenience with implementation safety- Repeat-user friction: The biggest gap was the repeated entry of payment details during event registrations.
- Secure card management: Users needed the ability to store and update cards from settings, not just during one transaction.
- Checkout modernization: Apple Pay and Google Pay had to feel native to the existing payment experience.
- Communication speed: Event updates needed stronger real-time delivery through SMS as well as email.
- Low-disruption rollout: The Stripe flow needed to remain reliable while the new functionality was introduced.
Execution Approach
Closeloop approached the engagement as a focused product enhancement initiative, improving the user journey without disrupting the broader platform foundation.
Audit the Existing Journey
Mapped the registration and payment flow to pinpoint the biggest sources of user friction and drop-off.
Design Card Management
Added the ability to save, edit, and manage payment cards while keeping the experience intuitive for future registrations.
Extend Payments and Alerts
Integrated Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Twilio-powered SMS notifications to improve speed and communication.
Preserve Platform Stability
Updated the Stripe workflow carefully so the new experience felt seamless without disrupting the trusted payment foundation.
Delivered Enhancements
This section focuses on what Closeloop added to the product, while the methodology above explains how the rollout was handled.
Saved Cards and Flexible Payment Management
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Save Cards During Registration Users can store their credit or debit card details as part of the event registration flow for faster future checkouts.
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Manage Cards from Settings Saved cards can be edited or updated later, giving users better control over their payment preferences.
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Lower Repeat-Entry Friction The registration process becomes more efficient for returning users and reduces incomplete registrations.
Faster Checkout and Better Event Communication
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Apple Pay and Google Pay Single-tap wallet payments were introduced to make event registration faster and more convenient.
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Twilio-Powered SMS Alerts Real-time text notifications were added for registration confirmations and event-related updates.
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Seamless Stripe Continuity The new capabilities were integrated without interrupting the existing Stripe payment process.
Closeloop delivered focused enhancements to the UTR Sports web and mobile platform, improving repeat registration speed, payment convenience, and real-time communications for event users.
Tech Stack
Built with industry-leading technologies to deliver a scalable, reliable, and modern platform experience across web and mobile.
These enhancements improved the experience for the people who rely on UTR Sports every day, from players registering for events to clubs and federations managing participation at scale.
System Flow Diagram
An end-to-end view of how registration, payment processing, card management, and SMS notifications connect across the UTR Sports platform.
Measurable Impact
The updated registration experience improved convenience, increased completion, and delivered stronger communication for event users.
Client Value & Feedback
Client feedback reflects not just satisfaction with technical execution but appreciation for the strategic partnership and business outcomes achieved.
"Closeloop helped us improve event registration with a faster, more convenient payment experience while keeping communication stronger and more responsive for our users."