Debating the addition of pickleball to your fitness center or commercial real estate property?

Pickleball courts are showing up in all kinds of places – on tennis courts, in shopping malls and in old warehouses – in reaction to its skyrocketing popularity. Now the fastest growing sport in America, participation practically doubled to an astounding 8.9 million players between 2021 and 2022.

And apparently we could use another 25,000 courts in the U.S. – to the tune of $900 million in investments – to meet the current demand.

Aquila recently jumped on the bandwagon by opening a pickleball court at one of our locations earlier this month. We set up shop on an existing rooftop basketball facility. And much to our delight, we discovered pickleball lines already existed on the court, so no laborious measuring required – we simply added removable tape to better delineate one sport’s boundaries from the other.

Other necessary though relatively inexpensive investments included the purchase of a good net along with a set of paddles and balls that we loan out to players. Court reservations (available in 60-minute increments) are handled through our existing software management system.

All in all, getting pickleball up and running proved to be a very low-cost and easy process.

Existing gym members as well as the outside community have access to the new pickleball facility (the latter pay a minimal fee for access). The decision to open usage up to nonmembers was largely based on the fact that there are no other pickleball courts available in the area. And we knew doing so would give our center some extra exposure. As news and use of the new court spreads and more people get a look at our center while accessing the rooftop court, we anticipate our membership roster growing. Not a bad tradeoff.

If you too are looking to get in the game – or at least allow your own members or tenants to do so – be sure to consider the pros and cons of adding pickleball to your offerings.

Sweet Side of Pickleball

Pickleball makes good business sense for many reasons including:

1. Attracts a variety of ages. The sport appeals to players of every age group. While the 65 and older crowd is largely responsible for its surge, the sport is just as popular today among players age 18 to 24. But the greatest number of participants currently falls within the 25 to 34-year-old range, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
2. Universal appeal thanks to ease of play. Part of the reason this sport has taken the nation by storm is because it’s very easy to play. The court is small, and the game requires less skill and speed than, say, tennis. So regardless of ability or experience, pickleball appeals to a broad range of abilities – beginners, experts and everything in between.
3. Easy set up and maintenance. All you really need to get the game up and running is a tape measure, chalk or tape (or a legit court marking kit) for lines, and portable net. It’s nice to offer paddles and balls, but many players will choose to bring their own.
4. Great use of underutilized spaces. If you’ve got a basketball or tennis court that typically sits empty for some of the day, you’ve got a great spot to set up pickleball. Likewise, with office spaces sitting empty, you might consider converting some square footage to courts. An amenity like this could be a big draw for those still working from home and needing an incentive to return to the workplace.
5. Indoor and outdoor operation. As long as you’ve got a flat surface and ample space, pickleball can be played inside or outdoors. While a pre-existing basketball or tennis court presents an ideal setting, don’t forget about parking lots, rooftops, and empty office or common areas that might offer ample space for a court.

Sour Side of the Sport

Before you rush off to get pickleball established, it’s important to be aware of the constraints and issues involved with the sport.

1. Though smaller than a tennis court (which is actually big enough to house four pickleball courts), pickleball still requires a significant amount of space – 44 feet by 20 feet, to be exact.
2. High Demand. Americans are desperate for more pickleball venues. Should you decide to offer more options to them, prepare yourself for an influx of demand, potentially long waitlists and the need for a scheduling system.
3. As pickleball has expanded nationally, so have the noise complaints. Be sure to consider how the sound of hard paddles hitting plastic balls might affect your neighbors or those occupying the same indoor space (e.g., office workers). There are products on the market to mitigate the noise outdoors, but they can be costly.

Pickleball offers a great return on investment in a range of settings, but requires some forethought – including the consideration of its pros and cons – before you’ve got a hit on your hands. With nearly three decades of facility management expertise under our belt, Aquila knows which health and wellness solutions prove most successful in certain environments and among particular audiences. Contact us to delve further into the benefits and feasibility of bringing pickleball and other offerings into your own space.