Pickleball franchises are mostly indoor clubs: a large leased building, often a former big-box store or warehouse, fitted with several courts, a pro shop and sometimes a bar or cafe. Members pay a monthly fee for court time, and the club adds leagues, lessons, clinics, tournaments and private events. A few brands build or resurface courts for homes, schools and clubs instead.
Most pickleball brands are only a few years old, so they have short records: few published sales figures and little history of closures. Judge them on what the first clubs actually do, not on projections.
The pickleball franchises
Indoor pickleball and padel clubs
| Brand | Cost to open | Locations | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The PicklrAn indoor pickleball club offering court access, lessons and events.$1.25M–$2.08M | $1.25M–$2.08M | 59 | +53 |
| Pickleball KingdomAn indoor pickleball club offering courts, lessons, leagues and memberships.$999K–$2.47M | $999K–$2.47M | 22 | +21 |
| Dill DinkersAn indoor pickleball club with open play, lessons, leagues, tournaments, a pro shop, food and drinks and event space.$496K–$1.35M | $496K–$1.35M | 19 | +19 |
| Ace Pickleball ClubAn indoor pickleball club with courts, leagues, lessons, a pro shop and a cafe.$818K–$2.4M | $818K–$2.4M | 11 | – |
| PickleRageAn indoor pickleball facility offering court access and related recreational services.$883K–$2.5M | $883K–$2.5M | 5 | +5 |
| Conquer Padel ClubA Conquer Padel Club franchisee operates an indoor padel facility with lessons, events, a pro shop and a bar.$1.07M–$2.58M | $1.07M–$2.58M | 1 | +1 |
| Crush YardAn indoor pickleball facility with open play, leagues, tournaments, camps and lessons, plus food, beer, wine and cocktails.$6.52M–$9.97M | $6.52M–$9.97M | 1 | – |
| Pickleball 365A Pickleball 365 franchisee operates an indoor pickleball facility with memberships, programming, tournaments and open play.$332K–$625K | $332K–$625K | 1 | +1 |
| PKLA pickleball venue with courts, leagues, shuffleboard and cornhole, bars and a restaurant.$3.18M–$7.53M | $3.18M–$7.53M | 1 | – |
| The Pickle PadAn indoor pickleball and entertainment venue with courts and social activities.$1.53M–$4.07M | $1.53M–$4.07M | 1 | +1 |
Court building and resurfacing
| Brand | Cost to open | Locations | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CortzA business that builds, resurfaces and repairs sport courts for pickleball, basketball and tennis.$104K–$198K | $104K–$198K | 24 | +23 |
| Pickled CourtA mobile business cleaning, maintaining and resurfacing indoor and outdoor pickleball, tennis and other sport courts.$89K–$140K | $89K–$140K | 1 | – |
What pickleball franchises cost to open
The typical brand here costs $941K at the low end of its estimate and $2.44M at the high end. The lowest starting cost is Pickled Court’s, from $89K. Use each brand’s full range for budgeting: the low end is a small site in a cheaper market.
| Kind | Brands | Typical cost to open |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor pickleball and padel clubs | 10 | $1.03M–$2.48M |
| Court building and resurfacing | 2 | $96K–$169K |
For a club, the building is the bill: a lease on a tall, column-free space, court surfacing, lighting, nets, climate control, locker rooms and the front desk. Clubs with a bar or restaurant add a kitchen and a liquor license. Court-building brands cost far less because they need only equipment, a trailer and a truck.
Fees and royalties
The typical franchise fee is $58K and the typical royalty 7% of sales, plus 1% for marketing. One brand charges a flat, tiered or other royalty instead of one percentage. Royalties come off sales before rent, wages or loan payments. The fees and royalties guide compares industries.
What locations sell
One brand here publishes a comparable yearly sales figure per location. Sales are before costs, so they say nothing on their own about profit.
| Brand | Yearly sales | Sales ÷ cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Picklr2025, 12 locations | $963K | 0.6× |
Which pickleball franchises are growing
All 8 brands with three years of location figures grew from 2023 to 2025, a net change of +124 locations between them. The typical one lost none of its franchised locations a year to closures, terminations and non-renewals, against 3.0% across all franchises. On the SBA Franchise Directory are 7 of the 12, so SBA-backed loans are open to them.
Before you buy
Ask how many members a club needs to cover its rent, how many existing clubs have reached that, and how quickly. Check what other indoor courts, public parks and racquet clubs near your site charge, since cheap outdoor play competes with any membership. A long lease on a large building is the biggest commitment here, often longer than the franchise agreement itself.
Ask the franchisor how many clubs it has sold but not yet opened: in a young brand, that shows how fast it is growing and how much support each new owner will get.
Questions
How many courts does an indoor pickleball club need?
Most franchised clubs plan for roughly six to twelve courts, enough to run leagues and open play at the same time. Fewer courts limit how many members a club can serve at peak hours; more need a larger building and more members to cover the rent. Ask each brand what court count its existing clubs have and how full they are at peak times.
Is pickleball a fad for a franchise owner?
Nobody can say for sure. Participation has grown quickly for several years, but a franchise is a ten-year commitment with a long lease. Look at how clubs in your area are filling, whether membership holds after the first year, and whether the club earns from leagues, lessons and events as well as court fees.