Indoor Pickleball Revolution Underway with New Franchise Model

Ace Pickleball Club aims to build nationwide chain of climate-controlled pickleball facilities

The pickleball craze continues to sweep the nation, with millions of new players discovering the sport every year. But one major obstacle stands in the way of pickleball's further growth - lack of courts and indoor facilities. That's where Ace Pickleball Club plans to step in.

Led by veteran entrepreneurs Jay Diedrich and his team who have years of experience building indoor trampoline parks, Ace Pickleball aims to construct state-of-the-art climate-controlled pickleball facilities across the country through a national franchise model.

The Future of Pickleball Show Episode 31 Trailer - Paul Olson introduces his guest Jay Diedrich and teases the indoor pickleball park concept (0:00)
Jay Diedrich Discovers Pickleball in 2020 - Jay talks about how he first discovered pickleball during the Covid shutdowns while living in Florida, instantly getting hooked on the sport. (0:40)

After getting beat badly by two septuagenarians his first time playing, Jay was determined to improve. He and his wife quickly became obsessed, playing multiple times per day.

Making the Leap into the Business Side - Seeing packed tournaments in his community, Jay recognized pickleball's explosive growth trajectory and infrastructure limitations, sparking the idea for indoor facilities. (2:48)

With courts constantly crowded and weather often interfering with play, Jay's wife challenged him to develop a solution. Combining his passion for pickleball with over 10 years experience building indoor active entertainment venues, a lightbulb went on for Jay.

The Origins of Sky Zone Trampoline Parks - Jay details his team's background developing indoor trampoline parks across the country. (3:56)

Recognizing similar real estate and spatial needs, Jay realized his skill set was uniquely suited to build dedicated indoor pickleball centers.

Constructing the First Location in Georgia - An in-depth look at timeline and specifics of Ace Pickleball's inaugural facility. (7:26)

With the first location in Roswell, Georgia opening in just 3 weeks, Jay explains how Ace Pickleball is set up as a full-service franchisor - controlling real estate, design, construction and operations for turnkey franchise units.

Explaining the Franchisee Model - Jay breaks down options for potential franchisees - single or multi-unit, new entrepreneurs or seasoned operators. (9:45)

From first timers to large multi-unit owners, Ace Pickleball has sold 32 franchises to a wide range of investors looking to capitalize on the booming sport.

Ensuring Premium Player Experience - Jay stresses Ace Pickleball's focus on high standards, quality control and attention to detail in their facility designs. (11:43)

Avoiding common pitfalls Jay noticed in existing centers, locations feature high ceilings, optimal court spacing and dedicated ball control to deliver best-in-class play.

Attracting Fellow Franchisees - Jay notes that former Sky Zone franchisee TK Herman will likely be Ace Pickleball's first franchisee opening. (12:21)

Leveraging their credibility in franchise circles has already paid dividends, landing an experienced former partner as Ace Pickleball's first franchisee.

Opening the First Franchise in Fort Wayne, Indiana - Jay expects the first franchise unit to open in Fort Wayne in December 2023. (12:59)

With their streamlined franchise model ready for rapid growth, Ace Pickleball has an aggressive timeline for franchisees to start opening locations across the country.

Providing Guidance on Finances - Ace Pickleball outlines estimated costs for potential franchisees. (13:41)

While stopping short of providing specific dollar amounts, Jay advises prospective franchisees to prepare for significant upfront investment to fund their first location build-out.

Typical Facility Size - The target footprint is 12-16 courts, expanding up to 20+ courts for larger markets. (14:18)

Given explosive player demand seen everywhere, Ace Pickleball favors building significantly larger facilities versus the smaller 4-8 court venues they've observed in some areas.

Nationwide Applicability - Jay sees virtually no geographic constraints, with the model viable in any US market. (15:04)

Crunching demographic data state-by-state, Jay found pickleball's participant base spans all ages, income levels and regions - giving Ace Pickleball confidence in coast-to-coast expansion.

Timeline for New Franchisees - From initial outreach to securing real estate, Jay lays out process for getting new locations set up. (16:13)

Once engaged, Ace Pickleball takes the driver's seat - identifying sites, negotiating leases and securing financing so franchisees can focus on operations, marketing and programming.

Ace Pickleball's Secret Sauce - Asked what separates Ace Pickleball from potential competitors, Jay points to proven team's development expertise. (19:00)

With intricate construction needs and costly missteps to avoid, Jay emphasizes that Ace Pickleball's industry-specific experience in large format builds is a vital competitive edge.

Summery

The pickleball revolution is sweeping the nation, but lack of dedicated courts and weather issues are holding back further growth. Enter Ace Pickleball Club, a new indoor pickleball facility franchise aiming to solve these infrastructure challenges.

Led by entrepreneur Jay Diedrich, Ace Pickleball leverages over a decade of experience building indoor active entertainment venues like trampoline parks. Seeing pickleball's exploding popularity but limited court access firsthand in 2020, Jay assembled a team to adapt their skillset for indoor pickleball.

With their first location in Georgia opening in just three weeks, Ace Pickleball serves as a full-service franchisor. They control the entire process for franchisees - real estate, design, construction, operations and more. Offering a proven turnkey setup, Ace Pickleball has already sold 32 franchises to enthusiastic investors despite minimal marketing.

Jay promises premium player experiences, emphasizing high standards and attention to detail regarding court spacing, height clearances and ball containment. Avoiding common downfalls observed in existing facilities, Ace Pickleball intends to raise the bar for indoor play.

While costs vary based on specific location needs, Jay confirms significant capital is required upfront to fund the first venue. But long-term profit potential is immense given massive pent-up demand for pickleball courts.

The target footprint is 12-16 courts, but facilities can expand up to 20+ courts in some markets. And with pickleball's near universal demographic appeal, Jay sees virtually no geographic constraints on viability. Whether a state-of-the-art build-out in a vacant big-box store or ground-up construction, Ace Pickleball has the team to make it happen coast to coast.

Once engaged, Ace Pickleball takes the reins on real estate, design, permitting and financing so franchisees can instead focus on marketing, operations, programming and growing their customer base. It's this proven end-to-end franchise expertise that Jay views as their "secret sauce" versus rival concepts.

With unprecedented pickleball demand and inadequate infrastructure, the table seems set for rapid growth.

In closing, Jay touches on long-term visions like youth programming, creative tournament formats and community engagement. With unprecedented demand for places to play, Ace Pickleball is confident they've cracked the code on finally giving pickleball the dedicated infrastructure it deserves. If early momentum holds, we may be witnessing the emergence of indoor pickleball's first national juggernaut in Ace Pickleball Club.

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