*Pictures taken by Picture this 4 Life Photography*
As a recent addition to the pickleball world, True Pickleball Club in Latham, New York, just outside of Albany, knows a thing or two about what it takes to successfully open a new club and host a grand opening. Having opened in mid-October 2023, True Pickleball has gone through the rigor of identifying a location for the facility, creating a business plan, and executing the plan to see it through its opening day.
True Pickleball Club seeks to be more than simply a place to play the game, but also an experience for everyone who walks through the door. Their facility is state-of-the-art as it is a “testament to [their] commitment to enhancing the players’ experience,” says Mike Bibbo, True Pickleball Club’s owner. Each court, dedicated to solely pickleball to avoid the confusion of multi-line courts, has its own cabana with a 75-inch TV which features top-notch Selkirk pickleball content. Bibbo notes that the “crown jewel of [their] club is the CDPHP Championship court, complete with an activity area and exclusive access to a private courtside lounge, the Concord Club.” Further, True Pickleball looks forward to hosting a variety of corporate events, fundraisers, and parties for the local Capital District at their facility and inviting everyone to their inclusive environment.
When looking at the pickleball landscape across the region, Bibbo noticed that many pickleball enthusiasts were confronted with the common dilemma of not having enough, or often any, dedicated pickleball courts. For years, most players in the Capital District have had to use multipurpose facilities as an indoor option or hastily converted tennis courts as an outdoor option. Bibbo believes “this situation didn’t align with the essence of pickleball, a game that deserve[s] courts purposefully designed to maximize the true experience.” Moreover, as a pickleball enthusiast himself, Bibbo was well aware of the competition with sports such as tennis and basketball for court time, as well as the harsh weather conditions of the Northeast requiring indoor play for much of the year. Recognizing this gap in the industry, Bibbo and the team at True Pickleball Club identified the opportunity to nurture the existing local pickleball culture as well as welcome beginners to the sport. Bibbo sought to address the “yearning from the pickleball community for a place that catered to the sport in its purest form.” From there, his vision became clear: To create a premier facility that would become a haven for pickleball enthusiasts in the Capital District.
When choosing a location for the club, Latham was identified as a strategic location because it is easily accessible from major highways, which makes it convenient for players from Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and other surrounding areas to call True Pickleball Club home. Further, Latham enjoys a variety of amenities, to include shopping centers, restaurants, and hotels, “making it an attractive destination for players traveling to the facility…[and] enhances the overall experience for visitors.” Latham’s central and convenient location, on top of the town’s amenities, made it an excellent choice for the area’s first indoor pickleball facility and has the potential to become a well-known destination for pickleball among the greater Capital District region.
In order to establish a successful pickleball club, Bibbo knew having a solid business plan was key. He and his team spent months crafting the plan by contacting other pickleball club owners throughout the country and examined several models and structures for a club. Bibbo highlights that he experienced remarkable generosity from the pickleball business community during this process as “other owners would give [them] advice and help [them] avoid mistakes [the other owners] made when opening.” Committed to getting the details right, Bibbo and others from True Pickleball Club visited several other pickleball clubs to see what they were doing and make sure they were on the right track. In terms of the details, they did extensive research on court surfaces, lighting, sound, and other amenities within the facility to ensure they had the best for their player and would be able to excel in each of these areas.
Although their initial business plan was well thought out, running a successful business requires constant evolution. Bibbo and his leadership team regularly meet with both their customers and staff to solicit feedback, asking questions such as: What do customers like? What could they do better? How do players like the courts? Are there additional leagues they could offer?. The team at True Pickleball Club seeks to grow from each experience with the business, such as their first tournament which was held in early November 2023. Each of these experiences make up part of the journey that is starting a new pickleball club and offer ample learning opportunities for club owners and leaders.
As with any business plan, changes must be made based on the present circumstances and obstacles that arise. However, through the entire process, True Pickleball Club’s guardrails were the initial goal to “provide a space where people of all skill levels, from first-time players to seasoned experts, could come together and play pickleball on courts exclusively designed for the game.” With this mission in mind, Bibbo was able to pivot when necessary but also knew when it was time to trust his gut verses when it was time to ask for advice.
To commemorate the opening of True Pickleball Club, they hosted a dedication event at the facility, inviting local elected officials, family, friends, and local media to participate in this special event. While the local community had been able to follow along with bits and pieces of the journey through True Pickleball social media channels for months prior to the opening, this was the first opportunity for them to see it with their own eyes. Bibbo comments that the “work is worth it when you can see the reactions on people’s faces.” The dedication event included everything from balloons to dignitaries to celebrate the culmination of True Pickleball Club’s vision coming to life. They even had some VIPs on the court hitting the ball around. Bibbo decided to host the event to thank his family, friends, and the facility’s contractors who had been with him through the entire process and show appreciation for those who pivoted along with him through changes to the floor plan, innovative ideas, and everything else that went into the opening. Despite last minute challenges, including the nets possibly not arriving in time and getting the water finally turned on, they were able to persevere and get these details squared away to host a wonderful grand opening. The dedication event created memories that will be cherished forever and cemented the identity of True Pickleball Club within the community.
Choosing which programs to begin your club with can be a big question as you want to ensure you have a firm pulse on the needs and desires of your members and be able to provide them with the programming they are looking for. At True Pickleball Club, they started off strong offering ladder leagues, pickleball 101 clinics, and a Fall Paddle Tournament. The decision to host each of these programs was based on feedback from their local community, many of whom indicated they were wanting to learn the sport and sought a bit of handholding through the process, hence the programming intended more for beginners. Through these activities, Bibbo hopes to “foster the sport, encourage participation, and bring folks” into True Pickleball Club and the pickleball community at-large. At the same time, the club was met with a substantial following of 4.0 players, giving True Pickleball Club the opportunity to host programming geared for more advanced players, such as the Fall Paddle Tournament. The tournament, held in early November 2023, was deemed a great success as Bibbo describes “the overall vibe…[as] nothing short of electric.” With their meticulously designed courts becoming a focal point throughout the tournament, this event “marked a spectacular beginning for pickleball enthusiasts in the Capital Region and beyond.”
As part of their opening strategy, True Pickleball Club is offering a ‘Founders Membership’ option for those looking to partner with the club from the onset. Founding members are able to reserve court time 14 days in advance of their selected court time, sign up for tournaments and leagues earlier than others, and will have access to members-only events. This membership option makes sense for those looking to play 3+ times per week, offering access to both court time and special amenities through this membership. True Pickleball Club specifically markets this membership toward avid players but also encourages members coming in regularly to convert their membership to a Founders Membership.
Over the next several years, Bibbo expects True Pickleball Club to have a tremendous impact on their community. Seeking to bridge a frequent generational gap in the sport, True Pickleball Club works with local assisted living facilities and school districts to bring in residents and students to the club. Both the young and old can enjoy pickleball and Bibbo hopes that working with these local entities will foster a greater appreciation and love for the sport throughout the community.
Driven by a desire to create a welcoming environment for pickleball play and support people along their health journeys, Mike Bibbo and the team at True Pickleball Club have created a unique club with a firm grasp on their club’s identity. Through thoughtful planning, they have “ensured that [their] facility offers something for everyone, from beginners seeking their first taste of pickleball to seasoned players eager to take on new challenges.” True Pickleball Club’s doors are truly open to all and promise an authentically pickleball experience.
