On weekend mornings at Rossi Park, the real contest is often not on the scoreboard but at the gate. Neighbors in the Richmond say the park’s three public tennis courts are getting locked up for hours by a Meetup-run group, leaving casual players stuck on the sidelines. The Rossi Racquet Club reportedly stacks back-to-back doubles sessions on Saturday and Sunday mornings, which locals say leaves little room for walk-ups. The simmering tension spilled online this week and has already triggered complaints to city officials.
As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, some players have filed 311 reports accusing the group of “gatekeeping” and even clipping carabiner locks on the gates. Recreation and Parks deputy director Tamara Barak Aparton told the paper, "Our courts are for everyone," and the department says it is investigating the allegations.
Meetup rules and membership
According to the group's Meetup page, Rossi Racquet Club has more than 1,000 members and a detailed RSVP system that prioritizes doubles-only play and gives first dibs to those who sign up in advance. The events listing also includes a suggested $5 donation to cover balls and supplies, a detail critics highlight when they accuse the group of trying to monetize a public court.
City rules and permits
San Francisco Recreation & Parks walk-up rules specify that singles or doubles play is capped at one set, that rallying is limited to 30 minutes, and that players must give up courts when others are waiting. The department also offers a formal reservation system, and its San Francisco Recreation & Parks Tennis Group Permits information lists fees of $20 per hour per court for nonprofits and $40 per hour for for-profit groups, so recurring organized play can run through permits instead of ad hoc meetups.
Neighbors say they're shut out
A 311 complaint described by the San Francisco Chronicle accused the Racquet Club of "gatekeeping" and of telling other players the courts were closed for organized play. A San Francisco Reddit thread went further and branded the group a "private cabal," a phrase that quickly bounced around the local tennis community. The club's leader, Chad Moore, told Recreation and Parks in a January 2025 email, "We have done nothing wrong, illegal or unwelcoming. we always play fair for ALL!!" according to the Chronicle.
What's next
Recreation and Parks says it is reviewing the complaints and weighing options that could include on-site education, shifting more courts to reservation-only status, or requiring formal permits for recurring groups. For now, staff are monitoring weekend play at Rossi Park while they consider enforcement and scheduling changes to keep the courts accessible to everyone.
For players who just want to drop in with a racket and a friend, the weekend scene at Rossi Park is a pointed reminder that public space can be claimed in very different ways, and that city policy will ultimately decide who gets time on the court. Neighbors and regulars say they will be watching closely to see what Recreation and Parks does next.
