An Ace of a Time: Entrepreneurs Ace Their Pickleball Club Visit

Fun and Games at the Fastest Growing Sport in America

Pickleball, the rapidly rising paddleball sport, has fully captured the imagination and competitive spirit of entrepreneurs TK Herman and Scott Howard. The business partners recently visited Ace Pickleball Club - Roswell, GA and came away thrilled with what they saw.

1. 00:00 Introductions and a Memorable Plane Ride

The visit kicked off with Herman and Howard introducing themselves and completing the story they started in The Franchise Story EP 1 about a tense moment on a small plane. Howard recalled needing to urgently pee halfway through a flight to visit the Ace Pickleball Club. He had to hold it in for a record time until they touched down, much to his great relief!

We've all been in uncomfortable situations like that before, trying to avoid an embarrassing accident. But the humor of their stressful plane ride punctuates the partners' enthusiasm for pickleball. They overcame the challenges of piloting and passengering to make it to Ace Pickleball Club - Roswell, GA, a priority stop on their entrepreneurial journey.

2. 01:50 Universal Relatability

Howard lightheartedly admits that the urge to pee has gotten the best of every one of us at some point. But he notes the surprising power of desperation, saying “you’ll be surprised when the fact that you might die how quickly you can...hold the pee in.” Though uncomfortable, he fortunately avoided any mid-flight leakage thanks to adrenaline and focus.

3. 02:00 Sweet Relief

The best part, Howard said, was finally being able to “let that guy go” after they completed their landing. He imagines there was likely a trail left on the tarmac from taxing to the parking spot. Howard seemed proud of his ability to resist nature's call and found humor in the incident. He hopes the record for longest bathroom break was worth it to get to Ace Pickleball Club sooner.

4. 02:21 Successful Landing

Despite the in-flight urine urgency, Howard praised Herman’s piloting skills in landing the plane safely under difficult conditions. Herman managed to get them on the ground right in the nick of time. Howard’s obvious pride in his business partner’s abilities shows the depth of their friendship and professional trust.

5. 03:01 Familiar Faces

Upon arriving at Ace Pickleball Club - Roswell, GA, Herman and Howard were thrilled to find the atmosphere awesome and the facility first class. Herman said the climate-controlled courts and surroundings made players of all levels feel comfortable. They were also excited to see some familiar faces from their past business ventures.

Brianne Carter, Director of Operations for Ace Pickleball Club, previously worked with Herman and Howard as a corporate trainer when they launched their first Sky Zone franchise. Seeing Carter reinforced the partners’ knack for recruiting top talent across their entrepreneurial endeavors. It also highlighted the small world of growing sports like pickleball.

6. 04:41 Growth and Potential

Ace Pickleball Club CEO Jay Dietrich outlined the exponential growth in pickleball and its bright future. With an estimated 8 million current players and projections of up to 60 million over the next few years, Dietrich noted the sport has “barely scratched the surface.”

He highlighted pickleball’s potential for Olympic inclusion, possibly as soon as 2028, as well as its rapid expansion at the high school and collegiate levels. Streaming deals with major networks also showcase pickleball’s mass spectator appeal. Dietrich said the fan engagement was “eye opening,” with spectators “going absolutely crazy watching their favorite players.”

7. 06:50 Takeaways

Howard recapped the key takeaways from opening day at Ace Pickleball Club. Beyond the first-class atmosphere, he said the club “verified that pickleball is a sport that people seem to love.” He praised Ace Pickleball for an “unbelievable job” creating ideal playing conditions.

8. 07:10 Pilot Privileges

A perk of being pilots, Herman noted, was the duo’s ability to fly in and out the same day. By leveraging general aviation, they condensed a multi-day trip into a single efficient day. Herman said they specifically targeted club locations within 40 minutes flight time to maximize their aviation advantage.

9. 07:44 Touring the Next Court

Herman and Howard showed the behind the scenes construction of Ace Pickleball Club - Fort Wayne. They were midway through converting a former youth basketball facility into a prime pickleball destination.

Howard explained that central Indiana was the “Mecca” for competitive amateur basketball, producing players like Anthony Davis and Jabari Parker. Now, the same venue would become a pickleball hotspot thanks to its geographic centrality between major Midwest cities.

Herman envisioned the size and legacy of the basketball complex attracting droves of pickleball players once the basketball courts were converted into pickleball courts. Though unconventional, he cited a “build it and they will come” mentality in reimagining the space. Herman felt confident the location would be a pickleball “center point” for the region.

10. 08:51 Regional Advantages

Beyond the visual prominence from nearby highways, Herman said the Fort Wayne site was ideally situated to draw players from surrounding states. Its proximity to Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit would make it a natural destination for pickleball competitors and fans from across the Midwest.

By transforming a venue synonymous with basketball greatness into dedicated pickleball courts, Herman and Howard are aiming to do for pickleball what the basketball complex did for hoops. The massive space, Herman said, "demands that sort of attention” and is “perfect ground” for more sports history.

Conclusion

Herman and Howard’s whirlwind entrepreneurial tour of Ace Pickleball Club locations reinforced pickleball’s national rise. Their amusing in-flight antics proved no match for their drive to grow what they see as the next big sport. If their excitement is any indicator, Ace Pickleball Club will be an ace serve towards pickleball achieving mainstream success.

00:00

TK Herman and Scott Howard introduce themselves and finishes the story from Ace Pickleball Club Entrepreneurs: The Franchise Story Ep 1 about needing to pee on a plane ride. 0:59 Scott turned around in the seat.and holds his pee for a record time while TK lands the plane. Big relief when they land! 1:50 We have all been in that situation before.... 2:00 The best part about it is.... 2:19 After the successful landing TK and Scott visit Ace Pickleball Club and love the atmosphere, climate control, court quality. 03:01