What do you get when you cross an entrepreneur and the fastest-growing sport in the United States? The Cleveland Pickleball Center! Since opening in February 2025, Cleveland’s first and only dedicated indoor pickleball center offers three outdoor and ten indoor courts, state-of-the-art LED lighting, private event and party space, bar, players lounge areas, on-site parking with EV charging stations and more.
Cleveland Pickleball Center President Rob Euerle says he understood the appeal of pickleball after playing one game. Looking around town he noticed while there were some city-owned outdoor recreational properties, there wasn’t anything that allowed players to play year-round. He saw a great opportunity to bring the sport to Cleveland and was eager to take advantage of it.
“I thought Cleveland could benefit from a pickleball facility and I enjoy opening new businesses,” Rob says. “Since I also own a construction company it seemed like a no-brainer to rehab a dilapidated building into this state-of-the-art facility for Cleveland residents and the surrounding communities.”
Admittedly new to the sport, he leaned on his previous experience opening the largest double-deck shooting range and a wedding venue to garner media attention for the new club.
Utilizing media outlets is a fantastic way to spread the word about your facility without a budget. Per Rob, all it takes is some persistence and a date.
“I kept calling in a non-aggressive yet persistent manner and it paid off,” says Rob.
Two weeks before the opening Crain’s Cleveland wrote an article on the new club and seven media outlets attended the grand opening including four newspapers and three television stations. Rob says the event wasn’t large, just he and a couple of others cutting a ribbon, yet it was enough for the media to attend and then publicize for them.
“It really was quite simple and I’m so glad they were there to help spread the word. It’s free advertising!”
Rob also noted a local media personality responded to his requests and came out to play pickleball on camera. Thanks to those few minutes on local television nearly 50,000 people learned about Cleveland Pickleball Center. After the segment, the club and Rob received numerous phone calls, emails and texts along with an increase in web traffic. For those intimidated by writing a news release, Rob notes they simply called and emailed media outlets with the Grand Opening date to great success. They also leverage social media to promote the club and will reach out to local radio stations next.
With media coverage handled, Rob is now focusing on keeping the publicity momentum going by reaching out to a variety of markets.
Rob says pickleball is similar to golf socially yet less intense and doesn’t require as much equipment. With that in mind, Cleveland Pickleball Center will start offering monthly networking meetings on the courts for businesses to connect and have fun. The Center also plans to reach out to the many colleges around town.
“We hope to offer college clubs and playing times specifically for that age group to introduce new players to the sport and inform those who already play there is now a location open in the evening when students might have more free time,” Rob says.
Cleveland Pickleball Center is also active on the Team Reach app and Court Reserve to inform current pickleball players of upcoming leagues, tournaments and simply the fact they are open and available for play.
As word continues to grow about Cleveland Pickleball Center, Rob and his team are committed to encouraging new and seasoned players to step into the facility and see what all the buzz is about. Through smart marketing strategies, keeping an eye on their local market and adapting to what they need, the Cleveland Pickleball Center is positioned for success.
