The first pickleball club in Macomb County, Michigan, Bash Pickleball Club, opened in May 2024 with 10 indoor courts. While co-owners Kevin and Sam Brikho had always planned to expand the facility, the success of the club prompted them to add eight more courts less than five months later, making it the largest indoor pickleball facility in Michigan.
Director of Pickleball, Kevin Brikho, says Bash strives to be competitively priced with a great environment. With over 500 members and a mailing list of 8,000, their customer service focus, along with creative partnerships and leagues, is proving to be successful.
Their large court capacity and smart design make Bash a perfect site for a variety of tournaments and leagues. The 48,000 square foot facility boasts 39-foot ceilings and is fully prepared for next summer with air conditioning throughout the facility. All courts are spaced so fans have plenty of room to safely watch players. Bash also features a pro shop, vending machines, changing room with lockers. Even though Bash doesn’t have a full kitchen, they have room for food trucks and have a party space available for catering.
“We currently host the second and third largest pickleball tournaments in Michigan, the Motor City Open and the Winter Classic for 459 and 430 players, respectively,” Kevin says. “We’re expecting over 500 players at the Winter Classic this year.”
Bash credits their tournament success to the facility space that provides ample space between courts for spectators and listening to their players by expanding the age brackets from three to four. The categories this year are 35 and under, 36-49, 50-59, and 60 and above. Players are grouped by DUPR rating and those without a rating self-seed themselves.
In addition to running their own leagues, Bash also helps other organizations run their leagues since they have the space and the ability.
“We open our courts to clubs, including Stonewall Sports and the Detroit Athletic Club, to help facilitate their leagues,” Kevin states. “The DAC only has more interest in the sport than their two pickleball courts can handle. Opening our doors to their members is a win-win.”
Besides helping athletic clubs with their leagues, Bash also works with private corporations to host employee leagues. These intriguing partnerships weren’t part of their business plan and just happened organically. Bash is happy to do what they can to keep people playing and the leagues have become a great source of dependable revenue.
Many companies that run softball or baseball leagues for employees are now able to add pickleball by hosting a league at Bash. Most occur between 5-11 pm, which, like most clubs, is their prime time. Bash ensures that leagues are booked accordingly and leaves courts open for members. Bash currently runs 3-4 leagues a year, with many in the summer when the club is a little slower.
“Companies pay a fixed amount for the time they are using,” says Kevin. “We always offer the option of running the league; however, we’ve found a lot of places have their own formula or way they like to run their leagues.”
Bash also offers corporate accounts through agreements that allow employees to book courts for free. Many companies decide to use these accounts for team bonding as an added employee benefit.
“Our goal was to keep pickleball affordable and accessible for everyone,” Kevin says. “The best part of this job is the people. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
The Brikho’s focus on creating a comfortable and social environment where players can connect and have a great time has paid off with a bustling club and a welcoming atmosphere. By listening to the community needs and being open and responsive to opportunities, Bash continues to grow, thrive and enjoy every step of the journey.
