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Pitch black, save for glowing neon-green lines cutting through the dark and an electric-yellow colored shuttlecock streaking across the net at 100 km/per hour.

Step into Nomad Sports Hub after 5 pm and this is likely what you will witness. Because here, you are not just entering a badminton court; you are entering a glowing, fluorescent badminton court. As India celebrates National Sports Day today, Siasat.com got a peek into a venue proving that the future of urban recreational sports is more than just athletic precision.

Welcome to the world of neon badminton!

Bridging international trends

While glow-in-the-dark sports have made waves in leisure capitals like Dubai, Hyderabad had yet to see a dedicated neon setup despite its strong foothold in the badminton scene. Seeing an opening to inject fresh energy into the local landscape, Nomad Hub’s Akhil took matters into his own hands. “Something like this already existed in cities like Chennai and Bangalore. When I started researching, I wondered why we didn’t have one in Hyderabad. The badminton community here is huge, but everyone is used to regular play. We wanted to give them something new and exciting,” he said.

After visiting operational centres in India to study the technical logistics, the team set out to construct a custom facility. However, transforming an athletic court into a blacklight studio requires serious technical precision. Thus began a process of manual labour.

Engineering a glowing court

Nomad Sports Hub has five court spaces in total: three feature tournament-grade Hevea hardwood flooring meant for standard professional play, while two feature high-grade synthetic courts designed to undergo a dramatic nighttime transformation.

“To ensure regular daytime play is not disrupted, we have used heavy-duty blackout curtains that isolate the synthetic courts from natural light,” Akhil tells Siasat.com.

Once that was done, setting up the neon conversion was a painstaking DIY process. The team spent 48 straight hours manually pasting imported, high-grade fluorescent line tapes along court boundaries.

The lighting uses safe recreational UVA wavelengths, similar to those found in high-end bowling alleys, which illuminate the fluorescent tapes on the court. Players are handed nylon shuttlecocks that radiate bright neon hues, along with custom rackets laced with illuminated nylon strings, fluorescent court shoes, and reflective neon jackets.

A viral sensation

“Without any promotional campaign, our 15-second reel about the neon badminton went viral instantaneously. We got around 2.4 million views within a few days and the response was crazy,” Akhil says.

Since opening its doors in June 2026, the weekend evening slots have been full back-to-back. Yet what makes the trend fascinating is who is booking the courts. It has drawn kids, families and friend groups who are looking for entertainment blending with sports.

“We play music inside, so it feels less like a strict workout and more like a fun, social night out with friends,” he added.

Location- Nomad Sports Hub, Tellapur

Pricing- Rs 800 per hour, which includes rackets, shuttlecocks, neon jackets and shoes. The slot can include a maximum of 6 players.

Operating hours- The neon badminton starts from 5 pm

How to book? District App or call on 7902060708.