Pickleball Inc. invests in Kaysville-based The Picklr and forms partnership

Utah’s Pickleball Inc., parent company of many of the growing sport’s leading brands, has entered into a strategic partnership with Kaysville-based The Pickler, a franchisor and operator of a nationwide network of indoor pickleball facilities. The deal includes a significant investment from Pickleball Inc. into The Picklr, a collaborative promotional campaign from Pickleball Inc., integration of Pickleball Central pro shops and much more that will drive franchise growth and memberships at Picklr locations, the companies announced.

Pickleball Inc.’s brands include Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour), Pickleball Central, Pickleball Brackets, PickleballTV, Pickleball.com and TopCourt.

As demand for pickleball facilities has grown, The Picklr recently announced plans to open more than 150 new facilities with over 1,800 indoor courts across 24 states in the next few years.

“The partnership between Pickleball Inc. and The Picklr aligns the largest pickleball ecosystem with a facility that meets their professional standards while encouraging players of all levels to improve their game through unlimited play, clinics and tournaments,” Pickleball Inc. said in a statement. “With an emphasis on state-of-the-art facilities, clinics, tournaments, and on-site pro shops, The Picklr has attracted everyone from enthusiastic beginners to seasoned pickleball players and will now be home to the best players in pickleball.”

“Our goal from Day One at The Picklr was to create a facility that would provide pickleball facilities that live up to the passion of players who love the game as much as we do,” said Jorge Barragan, CEO of The Picklr. “Every time you walk into a Picklr, our members know they’re in a facility that takes the sport seriously and is driven to grow the community of pickleball. By partnering with Pickleball Inc., we are reinforcing to our members and franchise owners that The Picklr is where the pros want to be and play. We look forward to continuing to push the standard and grow the game of pickleball.”

A key component of this partnership is the integration of brick-and-mortar Pickleball Central stores at every current and future Picklr location, Barragan said. “With this development, the world’s largest pickleball specialty retailer will elevate from strictly e-commerce to an omnichannel store that meets pickleball players where they are. Additionally, The Picklr will exclusively utilize Pickleball Inc.’s best-in-class software,” he said.

“Pickleball Inc. is the one-stop ecosystem for all things pickleball – from commerce to play to instruction and more — and this fantastic partnership with The Picklr broadens our reach to serve pickleball players and fans better than ever before,” said Connor Pardoe, CEO of Pickleball Inc. “In the quickly growing world of pickleball, The Picklr stands out as the premium brand for state-of-the-art facilities. Pickleball Inc. aligns ourselves with the best — and The Picklr is no exception.”