Score Hub in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities area in Minnesota opened two years ago with eight indoor courts in a new-to-pickleball market. Since then, the club has expanded to two facilities offering 16 courts in a market now saturated with pickleball clubs.
What began as a pickleball-only club has expanded to include indoor soccer and a golf simulator to meet customer needs and differentiate itself from the new clubs. By keeping the business model flexible and being aware of the market, Score Hub continues to grow and thrive.
A Market That Went from Five Facilities to Sixty
Over the past three years, the east metro Minneapolis area has become increasingly competitive in the pickleball club world, expanding from roughly five pickleball facilities to sixty. Score Hub Manager Donny Mark says the days of playing on lined basketball courts are over in the area.
“We have fabulous courts and realized we needed to differentiate ourselves from other clubs,” Donny says. “I have previous experience working at a sports dome and playing soccer and realized diversifying our offerings a bit and focusing on what sets us apart would help more in the long run than simply adding more courts to a facility.”
The Score Hub market in numbers
- Opened two years ago with 8 indoor courts
- Now 2 facilities and 16 courts
- Local market grew from roughly 5 facilities to 60 in three years
- Differentiation strategy: add sports and amenities, not just courts
Staffing for Programming, Not Just Access
With that, Score Hub leans heavily into league programming with great success. Donny noted nearby clubs are either 24-hour unstaffed facilities or clubs that focus on open play. Score Hub has invested in a manager, kitchen manager and three to five part-time employees, with one dedicated to running the leagues.
This method allows the club to be hands-on and listen to player feedback to optimize leagues and player retention. Donny adds that most of their employees are or were members. By meeting people through working at the front desk, they were able to grow their staff without extensive employee searches.
Hiring from inside the membership is a pattern other operators have leaned on too, as SPORTIME shared in its hiring and developing pickleball staff feature.
Score Hub’s staffing model
- One manager
- One kitchen manager
- Three to five part-time employees
- One staffer dedicated to running leagues
- Most employees are current or former members
Partner Leagues, Ladder Leagues, and Guaranteed Income
“Our 4.0 and above like partner leagues, as do we, because one sign-up automatically equals two,” says Donny. “Ladder leagues are great for newer players as they help to keep their interest in the sport and encourage return play. We listen to what our players want and take it from there most of the time.”
Using software developed to help with league management is also helpful.
Most leagues are eight weeks and run for two hours once a week, varying between partner and ladder leagues depending upon demand. Leagues are great for a club’s bottom line, as they provide guaranteed income, especially at Score Hub, where 48 players typically participate across its 8 courts.
| League element | How Score Hub runs it | Who it serves |
|---|---|---|
| Partner leagues | One sign-up equals two players | 4.0 and above |
| Ladder leagues | Encourages return play and sustained interest | Newer players |
| Length | Eight weeks | All levels |
| Format | Two hours, once a week | All levels |
| Typical participation | 48 players across 8 courts | All levels |
Clubs looking at seasonal swings in participation can pair this with our guide on how to turn membership changes into opportunities to grow.
Keeping Players in the Building Longer
Keeping players at the facility as long as possible increases engagement and revenue. Score Hub offers pickleball, soccer, and golf, along with a small food-and-beverage area featuring pizza and beer taps. This variety of offerings allows families to enjoy all aspects of the club and socialize as long as they are able.
Donny says they have found that a lot of their guests will play pickleball, then hit the bar and food area and end up on the golf simulator while their kids are kicking around a soccer ball. The intentional variety of offerings ensures something for everyone, making Score Hub a destination.
Ancillary revenue works the same way behind the counter, as Pickleball Central explained in its look at turning club pro shops into revenue engines.
The Score Hub dwell-time stack
- Pickleball courts
- Indoor soccer
- Golf simulator
- Food and beverage area with pizza and beer taps
Onboarding New Players and Spotting Natural Connectors
As many clubs know, finding new members and players is the key to growth and success. Score Hub has a strong onboarding program for new members and regularly offers free intro classes to help new players learn the game and make player connections. Many times, some members seem to connect everyone, encouraging participation in activities. Score Hub develops relationships with all its members and is sure to pay attention to those who naturally connect with others.
“These members are valuable for many reasons, and listening and engaging with them is a great way to hear what’s happening in your club,” Donny says.
Community-led growth is the same lever that took Cedar Falls Pickleball Club from 27 members to nearly 450.
Lessons for Operators in a Saturated Market
Remaining flexible and open to member and market needs keeps the courts, and more, full at Score Hub. Adding additional and complementary offerings keeps players of all ages returning and having a great time. When thinking about growth, more courts might not be the answer; it just might be more opportunities for fun and socializing.
Operators weighing a second location can also read our piece on rethinking how pickleball facilities operate at scale, and owners converting existing sports assets may want how one owner made the tennis-to-pickleball shift work.
Score Hub at a Glance
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities area, Minnesota |
| Opened | Two years ago, with 8 indoor courts |
| Today | 2 facilities, 16 courts |
| Sports offered | Pickleball, indoor soccer, golf simulator |
| Food and beverage | Small area with pizza and beer taps |
| Programming | Partner leagues, ladder leagues, free intro classes, new member onboarding |
| League format | Eight weeks, two hours once a week |
| Staff | Manager, kitchen manager, 3 to 5 part-time employees, 1 dedicated league staffer |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Score Hub located?
Score Hub is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities area in Minnesota.
How many courts does Score Hub have?
Score Hub opened with eight indoor courts and has since expanded to two facilities offering 16 courts.
What does Score Hub offer besides pickleball?
Score Hub added indoor soccer and a golf simulator, and it operates a small food-and-beverage area featuring pizza and beer taps.
How long are Score Hub leagues?
Most leagues run eight weeks, meeting for two hours once a week, and alternate between partner and ladder formats depending on demand.
Why do pickleball clubs run leagues?
Leagues provide guaranteed income. At Score Hub, 48 players typically participate across its 8 courts.
How does Score Hub bring in new players?
Score Hub runs a strong onboarding program for new members and regularly offers free intro classes to help new players learn the game and make player connections.
How competitive is the Minneapolis pickleball market?
Over the past three years, the east metro Minneapolis area expanded from roughly five pickleball facilities to sixty.
Growth is not always more courts.
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