TL;DR
Life Time, a luxury athletic country club operator, has built over 750 permanent pickleball courts and plans to add hundreds more, with a 51% growth in pickleball players in 2023. The company has partnered with Lululemon for apparel and named Andre Agassi as the chair of its Pickleball and Tennis Board.
The luxury athletic country club operator, now equipped with over 750 permanent courts built at its North American clubs, isn’t done yet. Life Time is just getting started, with hundreds more pickleball courts planned and underway — fitting news, considering October 10 is World Pickleball Day.
The premium lifestyle operator is currently hosting its annual Fall Pickleball Classic tournaments at more than 100 locations nationwide, offering a chance for pickleball fans to compete.
Pickleball growth strategy
A (Pickleball) Promise Kept
Considered the fastest-growing sport in America, Life Time made a bid in late 2021 that it would become the pickleball hotspot for guests and members of its high-end clubs. It’s a promise the operator has since fulfilled, with Life Time hosting tournaments from both the Professional Pickleball Association and Major League Pickleball.
Life Time’s investment in pickleball (and other in-demand services, such as dynamic personal training and assisted stretching) has paid off. In 2023, Life Time reported a 51% growth of pickleball players on its courts. The brand has continually seen high member engagement numbers and recently upped its revenue guidance to between $2.56 and $2.59 billion.
Partnerships and products
“We’ve embraced the growth of pickleball because it brings people of all ages and backgrounds together in a healthy and social way,” said RJ Singh, Life Time’s chief digital officer and leader of Life Time Racquet Sports. “Teaming up with leaders like Andre Agassi and top players like Ben and Collin Johns helps us push the boundaries of what’s possible for pickleball at Life Time, including through our app to provide expert training, livestreamed events, and more. No matter where someone is located, they can engage with Life Time Pickleball.”
Tennis pro, Agassi, has been named the chair of the Life Time Pickleball and Tennis Board. Even Life Time CEO Bahram Akradi has been outspoken about his love for the sport and is an avid pickleball player.
Life Time’s commitment to pickleball has also extended to creating a game-perfecting and patent-pending pickleball product — the Ultimate Pickleball. Additionally, the premium lifestyle operator named Lululemon as its official pickleball and tennis apparel partner.
In this story
This story was originally published by Courtney Rehfeldt in Athletech News on October 10, 2024. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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