If you live in North Texas and aren’t into pickleball, you’re in a bit of a pickle—because the hot new sport just keeps on rolling in.
The latest news: Utah-based The Picklr, an operator of indoor pickleball facilities in Utah and Colorado, has announced a major national expansion including 80 new facilities and 13 new franchisees. The new locations will include six clubs in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin, along with facilities in 10 other states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming.
The Picklr called its aggressive expansion plans part of its “commitment to meeting the demand for top-notch indoor pickleball experiences while partnering with enthusiastic franchise owners who will be leading and developing The Picklr communities across the country.”
Photo: The Picklr
“In coming on board to expand The Picklr, our new partners see the value of making this sport accessible and enjoyable to people across the country,” Jorge Baargan, the company’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “The Picklr stands out among our competition through high-end facilities and our unique sense of community that is evident to anyone lucky enough to be a part of The Picklr, whether as a member, competitor or now our new franchisees.”
Adds to a plethora of pickleball presentations across North Texas
Snagging The Picklrs as a prize is just the latest in a wave of pickleball news across North Texas.
In June, Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott partnered with Dude Perfect as an owner of Major League Pickleball’s Frisco Pandas.
Last November, billionaire Mavericks owner Mark Cuban became the first team owner of the then-new VIBE PIckleball League, just before it announced plans to merge with Major League Pickleball.
Dallas businessman Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, is a lead investor in the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association, which is bringing its 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships to Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch November 5-12.
And yet another indoor pickleball brand, Picklemall, announced in May that it planned to pop up in Dallas and several other cities across the U.S. “in the coming months.” Picklemall is led by Dallas-based CEO West Shaw and backed by billionaire Austin financier Steve Kuhn, who founded Major League Pickleball in 2021.
The Picklr claims a ‘first mover advantage’
Photo: The Picklr
“With seven corporate-owned facilities”—six in Utah and one in Colorado—”our first-mover advantage has undeniably led to a high level of interest from well-capitalized candidates across the entire country,” Scott Schubiger, chief growth officer of The Picklr, said in a statement.
“Our growth strategy has always been rooted in understanding the needs of pickleball players and fans,” Schubiger added. “Moreover, this expansion is a significant step towards achieving our mission of fostering and meeting the desires of a vibrant and inclusive pickleball community.”
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Whether he's buying a pro pickleball team or disrupting big pharma with his cost-plus drug company, Mark Cuban says he's a "ready, fire, aim" businessman. So he surrounds himself with "ready, aim, fire" perfectionists to keep him from "screwing everything up." That's just one insight the billionaire shared in a fireside chat with Backstage Capital founder Arlan Hamilton at the Venture Dallas conference last week. “There's always going to be somebody smarter, there's always going to be somebody faster, better," Cuban added. "I just try to work a little harder.”
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When Dak Prescott is in a pickle, usually it's because an Eagles defensive lineman is chasing him around the backfield. But now the Dallas Cowboys QB has found a new pickle-related pursuit: He's become one of the owners of the Frisco Pandas, a Major League Pickleball franchise. The move comes just months after Frisco-based Dude Perfect became investors in the franchise, valuing the team at $5 million.
