Building a pickleball business

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Pickleball growth: 8 reasons for insane pickleball statistics

Pickleball growth, what’s up with that crazy, fun, slightly quirky sport increasingly played by people of all ages. It was the fastest-growing sport in America for the third year in a row. According to a report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

Participation increased 158.6% over three years.
Pickleball growth resulted in 8.9 million Pickleball players in the United States over the age of six, up from 4.8 million in 2022.

What explains this growth? (which is not surprising when I look at my own experience in one small town. ) There’s quibbling over growth rates, but most agree the growth is immense. WHY?

“…Pickleball growth? DARNIT Pickleball is just plain fun…and addictive….in a good way. I just can’t get enough and now all my friends play…”

Accessibility. Old, young or middle-aged, anyone with even modest athletic ability can get up to speed within days or weeks and play at a reasonable level (NOT true with tennis or golf).
Laughter. It’s just plain fun. Surprising shots and rallies are common at every level and stuff happens that just makes you laugh. This is not common in most competitive sports. The fun factor is huge.
Simplicity. Small court, minimal gear, short games. Games go quickly and there is very little time between points.
Community. Most groups welcome new players, foster an inclusive vibe, and rotate play through multiple partners and teams. This and the sideline court waiting time make it a social activity as well as exercise.
Strategy. Once you know the basics, there are nuances and thinking that come into play. Strategic (cagey) players can often beat more athletic opponents.
Exercise. But it’s low impact. Most people play doubles, and with a small court, movements are short and rapid favoring quickness and reflexes but not requiring super strength or endurance. All that said, an hour of Pickleball will burn roughly 400 calories about the same as a jog and much more fun.
Economy. Little gear to spend money on, balls last for months! There’s lots of public courts, and court time at facilities is relatively inexpensive when you play with a group.
Year-round. Can be played indoors or outdoors, there are pluses and minuses to each, but you can always get a game!

Pickleball Business Advisors is brothers Bill and John Pryor. We provide a variety of consulting services based on extensive experience in fitness business development, and research into the fast growing pickleball marketplace. To initiate a feasibility assessment for your pickleball club, or for other consulting, contact us so we can learn about your project.

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Business opportunity in the pickleball market

The articles on this site have been created to help entrepreneurs and investors assess the development of pickleball clubs, centers and facilities. We focus on the latest market information, startups, business operations, marketing issues, financial considerations and more.

Participation increased 158.6% over three years.
Pickleball growth resulted in 8.9 million Pickleball players in the United States over the age of six, up from 4.8 million in 2022.

Is pickleball a fad? What is the attraction? What business models make sense? What kind of investment makes sense? These and other questions are dealt with in the blog posts noted below. We’ve been assessing startups around the country, visiting clubs, talking to owners, interviewing suppliers and assembling best practices.

Complete list of posts on this site:

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Demand for dedicated pickleball centers means business opportunity

The growing popularity of pickleball has resulted in a supply and demand issue, and a strong need for dedicated pickleball facilities. Too many players, not enough courts. Many areas still lack enough courts to meet the demand for pickleball courts. This article will outline opportunities and issues across the country for building courts to fulfill demand. Many cities have lots of public playable courts, but with a few exceptions there are almost no paid, dedicated pickleball facilities. Yet.

One example of the need for dedicated pickleball facilities. Massachusetts

The Places 2 Play database shows a total of 274 places to play pickleball in Massachussetts. The vast majority of these are outdoor public courts, most using temporary nets, and are largely unavailable during the New England winter. Next there are YMCAs, community centers and tennis centers that have adapted their outdoor and indoor facilities to accommodate pickleball. There are a few other multi-purpose sports facilities that have added some form of pickleball.

I could only identify two, yes two, dedicated pickleball clubs in the entire state. Massachusetts is the 16th largest state with a population of 6.7 million. By contrast, I found a database of 304 tennis court locations in the Boston area alone…and no fewer than 54 dedicated tennis clubs that require dues or court fees.

In both sports, people have a low cost option: free outdoor courts. But in tennis there is a well established body of paid clubs. In pickleball, that is just beginning and the shortage of clubs is attracting more and more entrepreneurs. When considering the launch of a new pickleball club or facility there are several business models to consider. Business-starters cannot help but be drawn to the broad appeal and the phenomenal growth of the sport.

I don’t believe the dynamics in Massachusetts are different from other states. Texas, a state 6 times the size of Massachusetts, has a few dedicated pickleball centers, but a very small number considering they have 530 court locations listed on Places 2 Play.

There are a growing number of examples of new facilities and clubs springing up to fulfill demand

The pickleball phenomena is clearly nationwide. Red states, blue states, warm states, cold states, big states, little states. In fact the Places 2 Play locations pretty much track to overall state populations. States with the most places to play pickleball are California, Florida, Texas, New York, Illinois, Georgia, and North Carolina. It is no surprise that some of the most interesting new pickleball clubs, centers are facilities are being built in these states, but the reality is they are popping up everywhere. Even very small towns are no exception.

Pickleball business startup: what a lender or investor needs to see

Unless your rich uncle is handing you a chunk of cash, you’ll need to find startup capital from lenders or investors. Whether you purchase a franchise, build a building, or lease a space you’ve got an “up front” capital need. To get it, you can borrow (debt) or offer shares in your business (equity). Either way, the folks providing the money will want certain information and assurances.

Business Overview: Details about the nature of the business, industry analysis, market research, competitive landscape and scale of the opportunity
Information about you. Your background, experience, the team you’ve assembled, your personal and business credit history and your suitability to launch a pickleball business.
How much money you need and when it will be paid back, backed up by financial projections.
Financial projections / Feasibility Assessment. Startup expenses, and detailed line by line operating revenues, operating expenses and net income. Monthly in year 1, annual summaries for years 2, 3 and perhaps further.
Operating plan. Description of key business processes such as marketing, customer service, new business acquisition, administration, and staffing.
Critical success factors. Key things that will need to happen for financial projections to be achieved. The “how” behind the numbers.
“Skin in the Game”: Lenders and investors want to know you are personally committed and not just risking their money. Your money or in some cases your collateral will need to be on the line for them to feel comfortable that you will work hard to get the results.

To initiate professional business planning for your pickleball club, or for other consulting, contact us so we can learn about your project and propose ways we can help. Pickleball Business Advisors is brothers Bill and John Pryor. We provide a variety of consulting services based on extensive experience in fitness business development, and research into the fast growing pickleball marketplace.

Investing in Pickleball

The pickleball phenomenon, primarily its insane growth, has sparked a flurry of investments in various niches.

Paddles, gear and accessories
Court construction services
Technology for operations
Communications and Media
Coaching and teaching
Professional leagues
Tournaments
Real estate
And our favorite: Pickleball Clubs….where the rubber meets the courts.

Our specialty is helping entrepreneurs launch dedicated pickleball clubs: typically indoor, membership driven, fitness businesses. There are literally hundreds opening in the near future, and in my opinion there will ultimately be thousands. We believe a well run club can compete and be nicely profitable if certain best practices are built into the original plan and nurtured.

Investing in a pickleball club. If you build it, will they come?

We hear primarily from 2 kinds of people. First people who live and breathe Pickleball and have personally witnessed the explosion in their communities. They understand the appeal because they’ve lived it. Secondly, we hear from business people / experienced entrepreneurs who recognize a rising tide and are looking for an angle to get involved. They don’t know pickleball, but they know it’s hot.

A Common mis-perception by both groups: Investing in a pickleball club is investing in a court-rental business. There is a temptation to do an overly simple calculation that goes something like this:

I have 8 courts open 14 hours a day, 3,360 hours a month
I will charge 50 dollars per hour
I will get 50% occupancy
Therefore I will gross over $1 million per year
Boom, I’m successful

If this is the essence of your model, and you build your staffing, marketing and operating strategy around it — we believe your business will struggle. Court rental will be a piece of the puzzle, but we believe it will need to be interwoven with a variety of other programming….and in fact will not even be the majority of revenue in many cases. An 8 court club can indeed reach $1 million per year and beyond, but not without a creative approach to programming, community building, offering cool experiences, and keeping players engaged.

Investing in a pickleball club means investing in your team and your strategy

Yes, you need to find a good facility, build nice courts and create an appealing space. But if you want to get off to a strong start, you’ll also need to invest in a team and an approach that builds a loyal repeat player-base. You need to convince players that have been playing for free, that they should pay. Just renting courts will not be enough to make the model work.

Exploring Pickleball in Dallas

We advise, consult and mentor pickleball club entrepreneurs, and a great thing about that job is traveling to see awesome pickleball spots! I just spent 3 days in “The Big D” on a pickleball mission. The goal was to learn more about the evolving pickleball market, visit interesting venues, watch professionals play, test my skill against Texan picklers and oh yeah, visit my sister and her kids that live in Dallas. I achieved 4 of 5, which is not bad! (I never got to play because of rain on the days I was free).

USA Pickleball National Championships

Located in Dallas at The Brookhaven Tennis and Golf Club, this was nirvana for scoping out pickleball play, shopping for swag, and immersing in the pickle scene. Pro play took place both indoor and out with great elevated viewing available on many courts. There were also dozens of courts featuring amateur play at many levels. So amazing to see rec play and pro play interspersed in the same quality environment. I can’t think of another sport that could pull that off. Our shuttle bus ride from the parking lot was filled with an amazing cross-section of visitors: old, young, men, women, athletes, non-athletes. Literally the full cross-section of pickleball enthusiasts.

Imagine going to the US Open (Tennis or Golf) and being able to play on the same courts the pros were playing on. Genius. A great boondoggle weekend for guys, gals or couples would be to play and watch at the pro tournament while eating and drinking in the host city. You even get exercise!

Searching for cool dedicated Pickleball clubs

To be honest, I was stunned by the lack of publicly available, dedicated pickleball courts in Dallas. My Google and Pickleheads searches found plenty of “generation one” venues: municipal courts, community centers, re-purposed parks etc…but where are the dedicated pickleball places? Metro Dallas is immense in square miles AND in population. The weeklong USA Pickleball tourney was jammed with players – but the clubs have yet to open. I found 2 places where you could reserve a court, drop-in and pay to play: Chicken n’ Pickle, and Pickleball Oasis. BOTH are 30 to 40 minutes outside Dallas proper depending on Traffic.

Chicken N Pickle

I’d was dying to see this place because much has been written about it, and many of our clients reference it when planning their own clubs. I’ve reviewed my experience in a separate post: click here if you’re interested.

Oasis Pickleball

Located in Rockwall, Texas a good 30-50 minutes from central Dallas depending on traffic. This huge complex is co-located with a trampoline park, a swimming area and other family activities. It has an amazing 40 outdoor courts with a dozen or so that were covered for shade and rain, also a cool pro shop. I borrowed my sister’s car and shlepped out there for their 8am to Noon open play —- but unfortunately it was pouring rain and only a few courts were playable (and I didn’t want to horn in on the regulars).

This place is really a big time tournament venue, not an intimate local club. They do have an active membership ($55 per month), and some cool programming, but the high number of courts is really to accommodate hosting major tournaments that feature pro and amateur play. That’s a key part of their business. The facility has the parking and can create the championship courts and other amenities needed for competitions.

Like Chicken n’ Pickle, the massive real estate makes something like this impractical closer in town and regular pickleball players are unlikely make the drive on a regular basis. Also, as I experienced, weather can effectively shut it down. Why can’t there be dedicated, quality, smaller facilities in or around the city? Where’s the indoor courts and clubs!? They’re coming. Several groups have made announcements about openings in Dallas —- it would seem there is plenty of demand.

Is Chicken N Pickle a pickleball club?

I was dying to see this place because much has been written about it, and many of our clients reference it when planning their own clubs. Is it a pickleball club? I would say “sort of”. Yes it has pickleball, but really the business model is an extensive experience-driven bar and restaurant — that has pickleball but is not primarily a pickleball club.

They currently have 8 locations, and plans on the books for many more. I spent 3 hours there on a Wednesday night, and here’s our Pickleball Business Advisor summary of the business:

It’s immense. 12 pickleball courts, but that’s only a small percentage of a footprint that includes varied food offerings, restaurant seating areas, multiple bars, fire pits, foosball, shuffleboard, corn hole, roof decks and more. I would say it was easily over 100,000 square feet. Most courts were open air, many were covered, and a few look like they could be used in winter because they could be enclosed and heated.
It’s really a restaurant, family entertainment and event venue that has pickleball. NOT a pickleball club with a restaurant. I met people attending a company sales meetings that had 70 folks there. Many were using courts dedicated to their event and playing in street clothes. They were having a blast. P.S. the food was reasonably priced and very good (especially the chicken!). Note: My sister said order the craft beer because the wine was mediocre.
There is a morning open-play scene that attracts more serious players, but I am quite sure pickleball revenues are only a very small part of their overall financial picture.

This location was in Grand Prairie, Texas which is technically in the Dallas area, but from a practical standpoint is not accessible for regular play by Dallas folks because of traffic and distance. I’m quite sure one of the reasons it can’t be closer is the difficulty in finding suitably priced real estate closer into the city. It is stunning to me that there weren’t more dedicated Pickleball clubs in Metro Dallas. I’m sure that will change soon.

Conclusion

All in all Chicken N Pickle appears to be a successful restaurant and event business with a unique twist related to pickleball. It did not appear to be a serious fitness business where regular pickleball players would play, or that would create interesting programming to grow pickleball attendance and participation. Successful business, yes….Pickleball centric business, no.

Choosing a Pickleball franchise (or not)

I’ve had extensive experience with stand-alone startups, AND with franchises. Should you buy a franchise or startup your own ? It depends on two things: First in depends on you, and what kind of business person you are. Secondly it depends on the experience and quality of the franchisor you are considering.

The 2 most important questions to ask a franchisor:

question mark on yellow background — Questions

Can you show me the financial results of any clubs in your system? (note: the longer the history the better but a full year’s results should be an absolute minimum).
Can I speak with any operators who have been open a full year? Talking to a real business owner with direct experience with a franchisor is invaluable.

If the answer is no to these questions, then you are considering buying into a business system with no track record. It doesn’t mean you won’t be successful, but it does mean you are being asked to pay a significant chunk of money (franchise fees and royalties) without strong evidence of the value.

Advantages and disadvantages of buying a pickleball franchise.

Traditional Franchise Advantages (in any industry)

Brand recognition: for most franchises (think McDonalds and Subway), there is value in the name. Brands are just beginning to emerge in pickleball.
Proven business model: If a franchise has a proven business model that has been tested and refined over time it can reduce the risk of failure for franchisees, as they are essentially following a blueprint for success.
Support from franchisor: Franchisors typically provide franchisees with a variety of support services, such as training, marketing, startup and operational assistance. It is important to understand very specifically what this is and to consider the value.

Franchise Disadvantages

High upfront costs: The initial investment required to purchase a franchise can be significant. Franchisees typically have to pay a franchise fee, as well as other miscellaneous costs.
Less control over business: Franchisees are required to follow the franchisor’s business model, which means they have less control over their business decisions than they would if they were starting their own business.
Royalty fees: Franchisees typically have to pay ongoing royalty fees to the franchisor. This can significantly reduce profit margins.

Advantages of Starting a Business on Your Own

More control: In a startup you have complete control over all aspects of the business. This can be appealing to entrepreneurs who want to be their own boss and have the freedom to pursue their own vision.
Keep all profits: As a business owner, you keep all of the profits that your business generates. This is not the case with franchises, where franchisees have to pay royalty fees to the franchisor.
Greater potential for reward: If your business is successful, you can potentially earn a significant return on your investment. This is not always the case with franchises, as the franchisor takes a share of the profits.

Disadvantages of Starting a Business on Your Own

Theoretically higher risk…IF compared to a well established franchise. The current reality in our market is there is no well-established franchise, so I don’t believe the risk is significantly different.
More work. Either way you do it, starting and running a business will be a lot of work. A good franchisor can save you time on startup, especially real estate and construction if they are experienced in those areas.
Less support: When you start your own business, you are on your own. There is no franchisor to provide you with training, marketing, or operational assistance. This can be a challenge, especially for entrepreneurs who are new to business ownership. Finding mentors and advisors is important.

Which approach is right for you?

The decision of whether to buy a franchise or start your own business is a highly personal one. If you are looking for a business opportunity with less risk and more support, then buying the right franchise may be a good option for you. However, if you are looking for a business opportunity where you have more control and the potential for greater reward, then starting your own business may be a better choice.

Ultimately, the best way to decide which approach is right for you is to do your research and talk to other entrepreneurs who have experience in both franchises and startups.

Opening a pickleball club

Consider these recent stats about the pickleball market:

Participation increased 158.6% over three years.
Pickleball growth resulted in 8.9 million Pickleball players in the United States over the age of six, up from 4.8 million in 2022. More data.

If you are a pickleball player and someone in business, and if you have an entrepreneurial bone in your body I’m sure you’ve thought to yourself: “this is an insane-growth market and there has to be some great opportunities in it”. Yes there are. And like in any market, the people who get in reasonably early AND execute well, can build great businesses.

At the core of all this is of course people playing pickleball on an actual court. Right now, and for some time to come, there is a dire need for more courts. There’s a capacity issue, a simple matter of supply and demand.

If you’re sold on the market and believe as I do that this is not just a fad, then you’re considering investing in a pickleball club, or a pickleball facility. The business plan you create will need to consider a few unique dynamics of this market.

Business planning for a pickleball startup

What are the players in your market used to? Most are playing somewhere today, Is it indoors or outdoors? On what quality court? Is playing time good? Do they socialize, or just play? What can you do to make everything better? What can you create so that people who are often playing for free….will pay.
Do you have a detailed strategy to be sure the unique community vibe of pickleball is preserved and leveraged? This is a critical element in the rapid growth of the game.
A pickleball club is a capacity restricted business. Period. Optimizing revenue means filling courts. What is the strategy for optimizing court occupancy? (hint: think programming).
What are the critical success factors related to cost-structure, especially rent and staffing. What can the model afford? What is needed to run the business.
Membership and court rental are probably not enough. Building in ancillary revenue streams is something to plan from the outset.

Obviously any pickleball club business plan will project startup costs, operating revenue and expenses, and the financial viability. At the end of the day, driving revenue will come down to how well you execute on the things outlined above. These are the things that bring people in. Where the rubber meets the court.

Cool new Pickleball clubs

Austin, Texas and North Kingstown, Rhode Island. In our never ending quest to unearth (and play at) the coolest pickleball spots in America, we found a couple winners this month. My wife and I celebrated a huge wedding anniversary by spending 4 days is Austin, Texas. I planted her in a Spa one morning and then headed out to find a game (clever strategy don’t you think?). She was on to my plan but it worked for her too.

Austin Pickle Ranch

Austin Pickle Ranch, West 6th St

This is a cleverly constructed 7-court complex on the roof of a parking garage in West Austin. Murals cover various walls, and a cool airstream trailer serves as the check in desk. Nifty viewing areas feature Astro turf and Adirondack chairs. The court quality is outstanding, the nets perfect. I was there on a mild morning in October and I asked their front desk guy about rain….he said “thats not much of an issue around here, we’re more concerned about HEAT”. This is why I feel indoors is the way to go— but this place had a great charm, and from a business stand point, I’m sure leasing the roof of a parking garage is a hell of a lot cheaper than retail space on the first floor. I stepped in to a great game…..my partner was bare-chested and tattooed, which concerned me at first, but he tuned out to be a nice guy and a quality player.

Lil’ Rhody

Rhode Island is the smallest state, but they’ve got a thriving pickleball culture that was mostly outside (including a re-claimed military air strip) until recently. Several spots have opened, and I recently stopped in to play at Lil Rhody.

Located in a nondescript strip mall off of route 1, Lil Rhody features 5 courts, each named after a cool Rhode Island town. The surface is slightly cushioned which is really nice and the lighting is good. I did hit the ceiling once, but the ceilings are plenty high for regular play. When I saw pictures and video on the website, I was concerned about tightness…..courts had more room around than I thought (still a bit tight on the sides though). They have a nice system for corralling errant balls.

Interesting model — 5 courts, low cost membership, some open play is free for members, other sessions require a small fee. I don’t know what they pay for rent, but probably not huge given the area. P.S. this location serves a handful of small towns in Rhode Island, not the city (Providence), and not high end suburbs.

One impressive part of the experience was that our advanced group was one short so the young lady working the front desk jumped in. She was an awesome player and a joy to play with. This is the kind of staff necessary for that “vibe” a good Pickleball club will have.

The thorny issue of ‘leveling’ pickleball play

Every pickleball player was once a beginner. It was awkward: the kitchen, the scoring, where to stand, how to work with a partner. Then something clicks and you move to the next level. And the next. And the next. And the next. You realize strategy can overcome brute force, and that small nuances can make big difference in how often you win. Your muscle memory and instincts kick in. This process is a big part of why pickleball is so popular. If you are opening a pickleball club, you need to think about this issue.

The best pickleball experience is when playing with others at around your own skill level.

judgement scale and gavel in judge office

I met a player in Orlando who had courts near his home, but routinely travelled 45 minutes to a facility where other players at his skill level played. Have you done something similar? This is an example of the power of “leveled” play. The traditional open-play environment most of us learned in is fun, social, and good exercise; but very few public venues are suited to “level” play. (I did find one exception in Incline Village in Lake Tahoe area —– they had a great open play scene with beginner, intermediate and advanced courts – self policed). The beauty of a well-run club is that you can orchestrate and control a cool open play vibe while at the same time “leveling” play. And you will NEED to do this to keep players happy.

The “thorniness” of leveling play

There are a few reasons this issue needs to be carefully addressed so as not to offend or alienate players, and to create fun for everyone. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced are relatively subjective terms. Most players are likely to categorize themselves reasonably….but not everyone. Example: Everyone hits an amazing shot on occasion, this does not make them an advanced player unless they do it consistently. There are multiple systems of rating people: formal like DUPR, or like having a pro assessment, and informal, where people self-assess.

Note: leveling is an issue at all levels. Beginners do not want to face advanced players, nor vice versa.

“Leveling” applies to open-play, but also to other programming. It is something that needs to be built into your strategic plan because it is a powerful tool for building a loyal player-base. It impacts the way you schedule courts and events, and even impacts your staffing. I played at a small 5-court facility in Rhode Island recently, and guess who jumped-in to fill out the group needed for advanced open play? The gal at the front desk — who was an awesome player.

Creating a pickleball club experience

The reason (many) pickleball players will pay to play at a cool pickleball club is because it offers more than what they get at the local public courts or the gym at the YMCA. Successful pickleball clubs don’t just provide courts for play, they provide an experience. Stated another way, this is not a simple court-rental business, this is an experience business. Different clubs are creating different types of experiences, the ones that do it best will build player loyalty and financial success as a result.

What kind of club do you want to build?

The type of club you want, your “vision” will directly impact key decisions made during the planning process. Decisions about space design, amenities, staffing and other expenses will flow from your vision, so it will be important to define things in advance —- knowing of course that things can evolve and change based on market conditions. Things to consider:

Food & Beverage. If this is a part of your business, how extensive will it be and what role will it play in your operation?
Amenities. Are you a cushy club, simple and basic, or something in between? This decision impacts a number of factors including pricing.
Community. By this I mean the community vibe within your club, but also how your business interacts with the nearby community.
Programming. If you’ve rooted around in this blog, you’ve seen a bunch on this critical topic. Good, creative programming guided by passionate, energetic staff is key thing missing from outdoor open-play, and a thing that will a) make players return and b) get them to pay.
Serving niches. Somewhere in your strategic thinking is the idea of addressing a variety of niches: men, women, all ages, athletes, non-athletes, etc.
Events. How important are (or should be) events to your business. For some club owners, this has emerged as a key revenue stream whether planned for or not. If events are important, how does this impact your plan, your marketing, your staffing?

Market differentiation matters

No matter where you are, you can be sure multiple pickleball clubs are in process if not already open. God Bless America and our capitalist, entrepreneurial spirit. “First-in” can certainly be helpful, but in our opinion, this whole area of “experience creation” is what will differentiate pickleball clubs and ultimately determine which clubs are the most successful.

Opening a pickleball club: 4 questions to answer honestly

If you are considering the launch of a pickleball club, I recommend asking yourself 4 important questions: 1) Are the conditions right in my area to make this a strong and profitable business? 2) Do you have a thorough understanding of what it will take to be successful? 3) Are you cut out to be an entrepreneur? 4) Will running this club be fun?

If the answer is no….to any of these questions, I would say don’t start a club. Let’s take them one at a time:

1) Are the conditions right in my area to make this a strong and profitable business?

For most people, in virtually all parts of the country, the answer to this is yes. Rarely is there such a pervasive phenomena with well documented demand and ongoing growth. In our opinion, unless your location is sandwiched between 2 successful competitors, you could make this work almost anywhere…IF you execute. Which brings us to question #2.

2) Do you have a thorough understanding of what it will take to be successful?

Just because demand is strong and the sport is growing, does not mean you can throw open a club and be successful. As they say “the devil is in the details”. How will you price? How will you market? How will you engage with your community? What skills and staff will be most important? Thorough planning in advance on these issues is important, but you also need to be flexible and willing to pivot based on real world conditions. Which bring us to question #3.

3) Are you cut out to be an entrepreneur?

If you’ve already launched a business (and liked it), skip this section. There are many smart, really good business people who find entrepreneurship too risky, too stressful, too unpredictable and too crazy. In a startup things will go awry….and then you try new things. You’ll often rely on your ‘gut’ versus hard data. You’ll wear virtually every hat and need to be OK with that: HR, finance, marketing, branding, operations, IT….and more. You’ll need to be available 24/7 and be OK with that. You’ll need to change tactics on the fly and be OK with that. You get the idea. If you ARE cut out to be an entrepreneur, you’re more likely to answer yes to question #4

4) Will running a pickleball club be fun?

Every business has its own challenges and stresses. But even if you make money and are a good entrepreneur, you need to like the business. No one wants to be “biz-erable” in a job, its not worth it. Having fun running a club probably means you love to play pickleball, you love the culture and community of pickleball and you enjoy your customer base. Only a true people person is likely to have fun running a pickleball club….if you’re not, be sure you find one to be the face of the business!