Some Pickleball Clubs Are Struggling, But More Are Still Opening Nationwide

Six major pickleball chains grew from 145 to 199 locations between January and September. But more places to play doesn’t mean every club can pay the bills.

Getting more places to play and wondering whether your favorite club will survive shouldn’t happen at the same time. Welcome to pickleball in 2026.

Charts published in the Oct. 15 edition of David Johnson’s Business of Pickleball newsletter capture that tension: the court count keeps climbing while the business behind those courts faces a reality check.

A few numbers worth your attention:

• The big chains are still getting bigger. Across six tracked franchise brands, open locations increased from 145 in January to 199 in September — a 37% jump.
• Some expanded dramatically. Ace Pickleball grew from 21 to 32 locations. Pickleball Kingdom went from 23 to 34. PickleRage doubled from five to 10.
• Indoor court growth is slowing lately. The Pickleheads-sourced tally rose from 28,130 in December to 29,946 in September, up about 6.5%. But September’s net increase was just 70 courts, compared with 418 in June.
• Expansion doesn’t guarantee stability. The tracker lists The Picklr at 76 locations in September, up from 60 in January. In October, its parent company filed for Chapter 11. The company says individual franchisees aren’t part of that filing and clubs will remain open.

For players, the distinction is simple: more courts measure access. They don’t measure whether the rent gets paid.

Johnson previously reported that nine facilities listed for sale cut their asking prices, with a typical reduction of 39%. And as facility consultant West Shaw explained in The Dink, expensive leases and limited peak-hour capacity can strain even a club that looks busy after work.

These charts don’t tell us which clubs are profitable or how many have closed. They show expansion continuing through a shakeout.

That could mean more choices for your next open play — alongside ownership changes and closures. A packed paddle rack is encouraging. Unfortunately, the landlord takes dollars.