United by the Paddle: Highlights from The Picklr’s First Annual Franchisee Conference

By Rob Lloyd, President, The Picklr Canada

From the opening pickleball tournament to the closing fireside chat with the CEO of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, one thing was clear at The Picklr’s inaugural Franchisee Conference in Salt Lake City: our shared passion and commitment to making The Picklr the premier pickleball destination in the world.

A Story of Resilience and Vision

Jorge Barragan, CEO and Co-founder of The Picklr, set the tone with a powerful and emotional keynote. He shared his personal journey – his early childhood that shaped his burning desire to start his own business; then how losing his job during COVID led him and Co-founder Austin Wood to open the very first Picklr in Utah. Thinking that “build it and they will come” would lead to immediate success, it was hard to learn they did not. 

In fact, Jorge recalled sleeping in the mezzanine overnight thinking of ways to attract new customers then watching for cars through the front windows during the day to see who would show up. But through persistence, innovation, iteration and relentless learning, The Picklr has grown into a national leader—recognized this year as #43 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies.

Building the Premier Pickleball Experience

With over 85 franchise owners and development partners, The Picklr is shaping the future of the fastest-growing participation sport in North America. Our four-phase marketing playbook for member acquisition, growth, and retention sets the industry standard. Our Canadian franchises stand to gain from the lessons learned from early Picklr pioneers, while adapting to the unique needs of our market. Still, as the conference showed, success is about more than just memberships.

Breakout sessions highlighted the many ways franchisees can grow and diversify revenue:

• The Picklr Shop – a go-to retail hub for the latest pickleball equipment and apparel.
• The P-Series Training Program – proprietary coaching content designed for everyone from beginners to elite players. Wingfield AI Analytics – installed in every club, provide personalized data to help players improve.
• Monthly programming – for competitions and tournaments to keep members engaged, increasing retention rates well above industry norms.
• Community Programs – from corporate team building events to local sponsorships, each Picklr is positioned as a true community hub.

Technology, ongoing marketing campaigns, and data-driven insights all work together to help franchisees open strong, attract members quickly, grow service revenues and build vibrant local communities.

The Bigger Picture: Pickleball’s Explosive Growth

The conference closed with Connor Pardoe, CEO and Commissioner of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, who shared the remarkable 40% annual growth in amateur and professional play on the PPA Tour. With more young athletes taking up the sport, especially on college campuses across Canada and the U.S., pickleball is clearly here to stay.

The PPA’s decision to partner—and invest—in The Picklr reflects our shared values and belief in the sport’s future. With new broadcast deals and wider exposure on the horizon, we are only scratching the surface of pickleball’s true potential.

The only thing that restrains the same explosive growth in Canada is the lack of year-round courts – to satisfy existing demand and develop an entire generation of new young players. That is the opportunity in front of us right now.

Bringing the Momentum Home to Canada

For The Picklr Canada team, this conference reinforced what we already believed: that The Picklr system provides franchisees with the tools, partnerships, and support to succeed. More importantly, it showed that we are part of a passionate and growing community united by the paddle.

We are proud to be bringing this momentum to Canada, and we look forward to welcoming players, partners, and franchise owners who share our vision of making The Picklr the top destination for pickleball nationwide.

👉 Learn more about franchise opportunities: https://thepicklr.ca/franchise/