4 things you should think about if you decide to start a pickleball club

Over the past year, we have extensively researched the pickleball clubs that are blossoming around the country. We have also completed revenue assessments, feasibility assessment and business plan elements for a number of entrepreneurs.

No two clubs are the same, but the ones that have experienced success have a few things in common. They have done a good job of addressing ‘critical success factors’ that make a difference.

1) Programming

Successful clubs are not primarily court-rental businesses. They create loyal players through creative programming that optimizes inherently limited court availability. Programming ideas and required staffing need to be in your plan.

2) Revenue streams

Every club will have a variety of revenue streams and your vision for your facility will determine how each of these will impact overall profitability. The essence of a good club revenue plan addresses each revenue stream in detail and considers both the marketing and the execution.

3) Staffing

If you’ve started any modeling at all you’ve seen that after your monthly rent, the largest ongoing operating cost is staff. The starting point in assessing staff is to identify key business tasks and then determining how many people (and what kind of people) are needed. Important: what are YOU (the owner) going to do? The more you do, the less staff you need and the better your margin will be.

4) Targeting multiple markets

One of the reasons pickleball is exploding is because it’s attracting an incredible variety of ages and demographics. What other sport attracts kids, seniors, men, women, athletes, and non-athletes, from all income brackets? Hmmmm. This is great news if you’re opening a club, it also means you’ll need to think through a variety of marketing approaches for each segment.

Each time we visit somewhere to play, we learn a bit more about this market! 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.