The Rise of The Picklr
By The Pickleball Weekly Editorial Team • Dec 10, 2025 • 10 min read
How a local vision became one of the largest indoor pickleball franchises in the world
THE PICKLR BEGAN with a simple belief. Pickleball players deserved a dedicated home. During the early boom years of the sport, athletes played wherever they could. They played on taped basketball courts, in echoing school gyms, or in multi-purpose facilities that never quite delivered the experience the sport demanded, let alone battling Mother Nature’s elements when playing outdoors on taped tennis courts with portable nets. Lighting, scheduling, and floor quality were inconsistent when indoors, and the passion for year-round pickleball was growing far faster than the spaces built to support it.
In Utah, longtime friends Jorge Barragan and Austin Wood saw an opportunity to change the landscape.
The first time that Jorge Barragan played pickleball was in 2016, when friends invited him to play. He already played table tennis, so picking up the game came easy for him. He loved the competitiveness of the sport and soon became addicted as most do. Barragan also noticed too many people were waiting for a limited number of courts to open, which instantly planted a seed in his head.
Shortly after, Barragan was laid off from his tech job. He considered his options but, in the end, decided to create a pickleball facility. That’s when he contacted his Austin Wood to share his club idea. Wood enthusiastically agreed.
Their vision was clear from the start. They wanted to build a club designed entirely around the pickleball lifestyle. A place where anyone, regardless of age or skill level, could walk in and instantly feel at home. The concept needed to be both welcoming and professional, social yet structured, and elevated in a way that treated pickleball not as a temporary trend, but as a sport deserving of premium facilities.
The name? The Picklr as a tribute to the nickname of a dedicated local player, a nod to the community-first ethos that still guides the franchise today.
The very first Picklr location in Uintah, Utah reflected that purpose. Players were greeted with high-quality courts built with professional-grade outdoor surfacing, bright and intentional lighting, reliable scheduling, and an atmosphere that blended friendship with high-performance training. Members responded immediately. The club thrived not because of novelty, but because it solved the problems players had endured for years. Word spread. The Picklr wasn’t just another place to play. It was a model for what indoor pickleball could become.
The Philosophy Behind the Momentum
Every major franchise begins with leaders who understand a moment before the rest of the world sees it. Barragan and Wood recognized that pickleball wasn’t simply a fast-growing hobby. It was redefining recreational culture across North America. With entrepreneurial backgrounds that blended business strategy, customer experience, and grassroots sports development, they built a club structure that was both scalable and deeply rooted in community.
They studied how players moved through the space, what programs created return visits, which coaching models generated measurable improvement, and which amenities transformed a local venue into a full- service hub. Soon, they began opening multiple club locations in U.S., creating a national network of indoor courts and offering much-wanted memberships and play time to meet the surging demand for year-round court access.
Despite their new found growth, their philosophy remained focused on the player experience. If the environment was exceptional and the programming thoughtful, the club would grow naturally. That clarity became the foundation of the franchise long before expansion began.
A Rapid U.S. Expansion
The Picklr’s growth in the States not only by capitalizing on pickleball’s explosive popularity, but on transitioning from corporate-owned locations to a rapid franchise model, securing significant investments, and launching major marketing campaigns with influencers such as actor and pickleball enthusiast Katy Perry.
As of late 2025, The Picklr has more than 500 state-of-the-art clubs sold nationwide in various stages of development. More than 52 are up and running in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming with plans for at least 80 locations to open soon.
As more club facilities to open in the U.S., club consistency has become a defining strength. Whether in Utah, Colorado, or Florida, a Picklr club always felt like a Picklr club. Organized, energized, premium, and welcoming.
A New Era of Innovation and Global Ambition
The Picklr’s expansion is not limited by geography. It is shaped by demand.
In Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, became the franchise’s first international location, which is only weeks away from opening. Demand was so strong that pre-opening membership tiers one through three sold out during construction. The expansion continues with Toronto West, scheduled to open in 2026, and additional plans for clubs across provinces including British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.
The franchise is also already expanding to Japan with plans for 20 clubs over the next five years, the first opening in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with other targeted locations including Osaka, Kanagawa, Aichi, and Fukuoka. This is made possible through their master franchisee Nippon Pickleball Holdings, a Tokyo-based company already involved in local pickleball growth in Japan, aiming to bring the large-scale indoor facilities to the growing Japanese market.
Europe is also on the horizon. As pickleball gains traction overseas at an accelerating pace, The Picklr has announced its intention to expand into Western Europe beginning in 2026. Early partner discussions and market studies point to significant opportunity for dedicated indoor facilities abroad.
What makes all of this growth significant is not only the number of clubs. It is the consistency in how they operate. Members know what to expect from a Picklr location. Courts will be clean. Staff will be trained. Instruction will be structured. Events will be organized. The game will be respected. As the franchise expands, this reliability has become a key factor in its reputation.
The Heart of the Brand
As pickleball surged across the United States and beyond, The Picklr has become one of the first brands ready to meet national and global demand. The franchise model allows new clubs to open with consistent quality and identity, maintaining the same standards that defined the original location.
Each new facility offers climate-controlled indoor courts surfaced with outdoor-style materials, AI-enhanced coaching tools, structured leagues, tournaments, free clinics, and flexible programming that support both casual players and serious competitors. Locker rooms and showers offer convenience. On premises pro shops sell paddles and apparel. Dedicated event spaces bring communities together. Players can also reserve courts up to a week in advance and enjoy drop-in play, open play, competitive sessions, private lessons, and The Picklr Academy’s progressive instructional pathway. And at the center of everything is the franchise’s signature advantage—unlimited play—an offering that resonated with players eager for reliable and affordable access.
Memberships at The Picklr can be purchased monthly or annually. Choosing the annual plan effectively gives members an extra month free every year, a perk that creates loyalty and long-term engagement. Members also enjoy nationwide access, allowing them to play at any Picklr location across the network, further enhancing the sense of belonging.
The Picklr Culture
While The Picklr is known for its professional-grade facilities, its true strength lies in its culture. Every location is built around a lively, supportive environment where people connect, compete, learn, and return—not just for the courts, but for the community. The clubs host social events, youth programs, tournaments, DUPR-integrated sessions, and learning pathways that give members a sense of progression.
The founders understood early that if they invested in people—coaches, players, and communities—the brand would grow naturally. That insight continues to shape The Picklr’s reputation as one of the most player-centered franchises in modern sports.
What’s Next for The Picklr
The Picklr’s story is still being written. The franchise continues to expand at a remarkable pace, driven by both player demand and the rising professionalism of the sport itself. As pickleball becomes part of mainstream recreation and competitive athletics, The Picklr is positioning itself as one of the central forces shaping what the indoor experience looks like across the continent.
The vision that began inside a single building in Utah has grown into a network of clubs committed to quality, community, and accessibility. Through thoughtful leadership and a clear understanding of what players want, The Picklr has become a defining presence in the modern era of pickleball.
It is rare for a sport to evolve as quickly as pickleball has. It is even rarer for a brand to rise with it in such a unified and recognizable way. The Picklr is now woven into the broader story of the sport’s growth, and its influence continues to spread as the game reaches more people, more cities, and more nations each year. of global pickleball unfold in real time—one carefully placed dink at a time.
The Pickleball Editorial Team produces in-depth reporting and cover features that examine the sport’s growth, innovation, competition, and culture. With contributors who understand both the strategy of the game and the forces shaping its future, the team is committed to telling the full story of modern pickleball.
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