Ace Pickleball Club Plots Nationwide Expansion Ahead of Grand Opening
The pickleball franchisor has plans to bring indoor courts to at least seven states, with 40 clubs expected to be open by the end of 2024
Ace Pickleball Club, an indoor pickleball company, is expanding across the U.S. with 32 new locations sold after only launching its franchising arm in February. The growth comes before Ace has even opened its first location, which is coming later this month in Georgia.
Pickleball has surged in recent years, with over 36.5 million Americans playing the sport in 2022. Now, Ace Pickleball Club’s professional-grade, cushioned courts will come to Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania.
In addition to a welcoming atmosphere, the pickleball clubs will feature unlimited open play and court reservations, premium sound and lighting, glow-in-the-dark technology, permanent nets/lines, grab-and-go refreshments and a pro shop.
Witnessing the popularity and rapid growth of the beloved sport, Ace Pickleball Club co-founders Jay Diederich and Joe Sexton saw a void in the pickleball space, wanting to deliver year-round access for players.
“It was a pretty simple choice for us,” says Diederich, who serves as CEO of Ace Pickleball Club. “My wife and I got hooked on pickleball a few years back during the pandemic, like millions of other people. I think what is attracting everyone to the sport is that it’s multigenerational.”
The sport has attracted fitness enthusiasts, both young and mature, and is inclusive of those who enjoy being active but can be intimidated by other racket sports. It’s also a sport that has provided social opportunities with its friendly approach.
“It’s one of the few sports that I know of where you can have grandparents and grandkids on the court at the same time and have a competitive game,” Diederich said. “It’s fun, it’s social. It’s really easy to pick up and get the basics down to where you can have fun on the courts in no time.”
He predicts more school systems will layer pickleball into their athletic offerings and additional states will make pickleball an accredited sport.
“I think the future is very bright,” he said. “I think we barely scratched the surface on the growth of pickleball going forward.”
Diederich and Sexton anticipate the opening of over 40 Ace facilities by the end of next year.
“Our goal with Ace Pickleball Club is to provide inviting state-of-the-art facilities year-round. From pros to first-timers, everyone gets access to the best courts,” Diederich said. “We’re thrilled to play a role in professionalizing the sport and making it more accessible than ever to people across the country.”
Ace will also provide a streamlined membership pricing model and plans to host clinics, leagues, camps, tournaments, and opportunities for expert instruction.
As Ace Pickleball has been under construction to open, Diederich reports that they’ve had to chase anxious pickleballers, eager to play, out of the space.
“They’re coming by the construction side and popping their head in and asking when we’re going to open,” he said of the upcoming location, set to open July 15th in Rosewell, Georgia.
Other club locations are slated to open in the following areas:
- Albany, NY
- Chicago, IL
- Denver, CO
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Harrisburg, PA
- Jacksonville, FL (as well as Southwest Florida)
- Orange County, CA
- Phoenix, AZ
“We have tremendous confidence in our talented franchisees to expand Ace Pickleball Club nationwide,” said Sexton, who serves as president of Ace. “We’re beyond excited to open our doors to these communities and many more to come. Increasing access to the sport of pickleball is our mission.”
Life Time has also subscribed to the pickleball craze, with the athletic country club operator recently bringing a 7-court pickleball complex to NYC.
