As the only pickleball club in Utah that was built from the ground up expressly for pickleball, Premier Pickleball Club in Herriman, Utah, has quickly established itself as a destination pickleball facility for players new and experienced.
Open since May, 2025, the club is home to 300 members and three outdoor courts along with 10 indoor courts.
Purpose-built pickleball facilities are a growing model in the industry. For another example, see how the MVP Athletic Club pickleball-only facility offers a scalable model for club expansion.
Key Takeaways
- Premier Pickleball Club in Herriman, Utah is the only pickleball club in the state built from the ground up expressly for pickleball, with 300 members, 10 indoor courts, and three outdoor courts.
- The build prioritized player health and comfort: soundproof insulation, sound-absorbing fabric between courts, six A/C units, and a clean air monitor players can see.
- Court cameras and iPads on every court let players capture and share their own highlights, which turned into organic marketing for the club.
- Premier now works with five local pickleball influencers, each receiving a free membership in exchange for content filmed at the club, with no post quotas or content requirements.
- The marketing budget targets players and members new to the sport, because lower-level players drive coaching, clinic, and programming revenue.
- Pay-to-play customers drive half of the revenue, and non-members were willing to pay twice as much for the same court time.
- Players care about three things: where their friends are playing, a drive of 25 minutes or less, and the club itself.
Designed From the Ground Up for Pickleball
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Molly Hanson says when designing the club, they worked to try and think of everything. Each of the 10 indoor courts are PPA regulation with cushioned court surfaces. The facility also boasts high ceilings, indirect lighting and steel-framed construction, which means no posts to block views or play.
Operators planning a new build can compare these choices with our guidance on expert tips for lighting your pickleball court properly and how to open a successful pickleball facility. Court specifications for professional play are published by the PPA Tour.
Soundproofing That Protects Players’ Hearing
Premier took their construction one step further and added soundproof insulation so there isn’t any echoing on the inside of the facility and utilizes a thin, sound-absorbing fabric between courts instead of chain link to further dampen sound.
“We have heard of people getting tinnitus from sound reverberation and wanted to combat that. We’ve actually tested other clubs’ decibel levels, and are proud to say our club is a safe decibel level for our players,” Molly says. She adds that when players come to their club after being at another, they notice and appreciate the difference.
Sound is one of the most common complaints in converted indoor spaces. For background on the condition Molly references, see the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders overview of tinnitus. For a look at how another club approached a warehouse conversion, read how The Flying Pickle partnered with Cushing Terrell to convert warehouse space.
Air Quality as a Visible Safety Feature
Air quality is another key safety factor for the owners, who made a conscious decision to go overboard with the air conditioning, with six units in the building.
“Our A/Cc units pull fresh air in consistently through a filter and then pull stale air out, Molly says. “Our inside air is never muggy, and we keep a clean air monitor on the counter so players can see the air quality rating.”
Premier Pickleball Club at a Glance
| Feature | Premier Pickleball Club |
|---|---|
| Location | Herriman, Utah |
| Opened | May 2025 |
| Members | 300 |
| Indoor courts | 10 (PPA regulation, cushioned surfaces) |
| Outdoor courts | 3 |
| Sound control | Soundproof insulation plus sound-absorbing fabric between courts |
| Air quality | 6 A/C units plus a clean air monitor on the counter |
| Construction | Steel-framed, high ceilings, no posts, indirect lighting |
| Court technology | Cameras and iPads on every court |
| Content creators | 5 local pickleball influencers |
Chart: Premier Pickleball Club Built Player Comfort Into the Facility Itself. Sound, air, and sightlines were designed in from the start, not added later. Source: Premier Pickleball Club / Pickleball Club Magazine.
Why Premier Shifted Its Marketing Toward Newer Players
The club originally planned to cater to higher-level players and then realized lower-level players are the ones who bring in money due to coaching, clinics, and programming. Premier has found that higher-level players are aware of the club and come regardless, meaning they don’t require advertising dollars. The club’s marketing budget is focused on attracting players and members new to the sport and keeping them.
According to Molly, the club utilizes a marketing company to create and push paid Facebook advertising as well as a social media company that creates their content.
Clubs building a similar new-player funnel should review how to grow your club by leveraging beginner clinics and Branding, Buzz, and Belonging: a conversation on marketing pickleball clubs.
Court Cameras Turned Players Into Organic Marketers
Thanks to software on every court that captures play it is easier for the club to have player content, and easy for players to capture their own video.
“iPads on every court allow our players to rewind after a great shot for their own use. We came to realize players sharing this content was giving us organic marketing that was working!”
How Premier Recruits Pickleball Influencers
One such player was a Premier ambassador and coach who was creating content and was seen as a pickleball influencer. Molly approached them and asked if they would like to create content for Premier in exchange for a free membership. They agreed and Molly searched out other local pickleball influencers.
“I would find influencers, research their past content, and then reach out through social media and offer a free membership in exchange for creating content at our club. We now have five content creators, and it is doing extremely well for us.”
Premier’s Influencer Playbook
| Step | What Premier does |
|---|---|
| 1. Spot | Notice players and coaches already creating pickleball content |
| 2. Research | Review each influencer’s past content |
| 3. Reach out | Contact them through social media |
| 4. Offer | A free membership in exchange for content created at the club |
| 5. Invite | Bring creators to large tournaments and group charity play |
| 6. Keep it simple | No post quotas or content requirements; content must be filmed at Premier |
Chart: How Premier Pickleball Club Built a Five-Creator Influencer Program. The only stipulation is that content is filmed at Premier. Source: Premier Pickleball Club / Pickleball Club Magazine.
Giving Creators Something Worth Filming
Premier makes sure to invite their influencers to large tournaments and when big groups are playing for charity, etc., knowing the content will flow. The club does not have any content requirements in regard to the number of posts or specific content. The only stipulation is that the content has to be filmed at Premier.
While not part of the original marketing plan, it has quickly become a low-cost and highly valuable part of growing the business.
Events that bring big groups together are natural content moments. Our guide on how to host a successful charity tournament that builds community covers how to plan them, and how West Coast Pickleball built a thriving business through community-minded marketing shows another club turning community into reach.
Pay-to-Play Players Drive Half the Revenue
Besides shifting the marketing demographic and plan, Premier has also realized pay-to-play customers drive half of the revenue.
“We planned to be exclusively a members only club,” says Molly. “We weren’t going to turn down anyone wanting to play and soon realized non-members were willing to pay twice as much for the same court time.”
| Revenue source | Share of revenue | Court time pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Members (300) | About half | Member rate |
| Pay-to-play customers | About half | Willing to pay twice as much for the same court time |
Chart: Pay-to-Play Customers Drive Half of Premier Pickleball Club’s Revenue. A club planned as members-only found non-members willing to pay double for court time. Source: Premier Pickleball Club / Pickleball Club Magazine.
The economics behind court time pricing are covered in turning player time into revenue, and for another take on flexible access, see how Club Pickleball USA masterminds a unique approach to membership.
What Pickleball Players Actually Care About
The club realized that players want to be with their friends and are willing to pay for it. The community also has seasonal residents for whom buying a full-time membership isn’t realistic. She adds that she has learned the pickleball community cares about three things:
- Where are my friends playing
- Does it take more than 25 min to get there
- The club itself.
Seasonal residents are a challenge many clubs share. See how Prestige Pickleball Club sets up for success through seasonal fluctuations and how to turn summer membership changes into opportunities to grow.
A Senior Community That Built Itself
Molly says cost doesn’t seem to be a factor; playing with friends is the priority. The club also has a thriving senior membership group that came about organically. This group has formed such a community that the club is planning to host events that meet their interests, such as a cancer fundraiser, and routinely hosts potlucks at the club that don’t necessarily involve pickleball. She says members bring their non-playing friends to introduce them to the group. And who knows, maybe they’ll end up playing too!
Clubs looking to grow this segment intentionally can start with three strategies for pickleball clubs to tap into the growing senior demographic, and keeping the game and community top of mind at Cedar Falls Pickleball Club shows the same community-first instinct at work.
What Operators Can Take From Premier’s Playbook
Premier is another excellent example of how paying attention to member needs and building on what is already working can lead to success.
While court cameras are helpful, encouraging influencers to post your club’s content can be done very economically and successfully. Spending time to research influencers in your area can lead to growing members and the bottom line.
Six moves from Premier translate directly to other clubs:
- Build for player health. Sound control and air quality are features players notice and appreciate.
- Spend ad dollars where the revenue is. Newer players drive coaching, clinics, and programming, so that is where Premier’s marketing budget goes.
- Make sharing easy. Court cameras and iPads turn every great shot into potential organic marketing.
- Recruit creators who already love your club. Research their past content, reach out on social media, and offer a free membership.
- Keep the creator deal simple. Premier’s only rule is that content is filmed at the club.
- Do not turn away pay-to-play. Non-members at Premier pay twice as much for the same court time and drive half of revenue.
When formalizing a creator program, make sure your influencers understand disclosure expectations. The FTC’s Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers explains how to disclose a free membership or other material connection. For more on marketing that grows membership, read how marketing helped the Al Kruse Pickleball Center expand membership and brand identity as a culture builder with The Pickleball Space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Premier Pickleball Club located?
Premier Pickleball Club is located in Herriman, Utah. It is the only pickleball club in Utah that was built from the ground up expressly for pickleball, and it has been open since May 2025.
How many courts and members does Premier Pickleball Club have?
Premier Pickleball Club has 300 members, 10 indoor courts, and three outdoor courts. Each indoor court is PPA regulation with a cushioned court surface.
How does Premier Pickleball Club work with pickleball influencers?
Premier offers local pickleball influencers a free membership in exchange for creating content at the club. Co-founder and COO Molly Hanson researches each influencer’s past content and reaches out through social media. The club now works with five content creators, has no requirements on the number of posts or specific content, and asks only that the content be filmed at Premier.
How did Premier Pickleball Club reduce noise inside its facility?
The club added soundproof insulation so there is no echoing inside the facility and uses a thin, sound-absorbing fabric between courts instead of chain link. Premier has tested other clubs’ decibel levels and says its club is a safe decibel level for players.
How does Premier Pickleball Club manage indoor air quality?
Premier has six air conditioning units that pull fresh air in through a filter and pull stale air out. The club keeps a clean air monitor on the counter so players can see the air quality rating.
Who does Premier Pickleball Club target with its marketing?
Premier focuses its marketing budget on attracting and keeping players and members who are new to the sport. The club found that lower-level players bring in revenue through coaching, clinics, and programming, while higher-level players are aware of the club and come regardless. Premier uses a marketing company for paid Facebook advertising and a social media company to create content.
How much revenue comes from pay-to-play at Premier Pickleball Club?
Pay-to-play customers drive half of Premier’s revenue. The club planned to be members-only but found non-members were willing to pay twice as much for the same court time.
What do pickleball players care about most when choosing a club?
According to Molly Hanson, the pickleball community cares about three things: where their friends are playing, whether it takes more than 25 minutes to get there, and the club itself. She says cost does not seem to be a factor; playing with friends is the priority.
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