Pickleball Kingdom brings five indoor clubs to Bay Area markets

Pickleball Kingdom said April 23 it signed a multi-unit franchise agreement that will bring five indoor clubs to Bay Area markets, with San Jose, Sunnyvale and Fremont among the first targets. The buildout will be led by franchisees Raj Chellani and Atul Bhagat, and the company framed the region as a strong market for premium indoor pickleball.

For Bay Area amateurs, the real question is access. Five clubs spread across the region could mean fewer white-knuckle drives to one crowded gym, fewer sessions lost to rain, and fewer long waits for a public court that is already booked solid by after-work players and weekend open play regulars. Pickleball Kingdom’s model is built around climate-controlled courts, coaching and clinics, youth development programming, leagues, tournaments, lounge areas and space for community and corporate events, all designed to turn pickleball into a predictable indoor routine instead of a weather gamble.

The company’s founder and CEO, Ace Rodrigues, has made that pitch for years: he built the concept to remove the hassles of outdoor play, from waiting for courts to dealing with sun, wind, dirt, heat, cold and weather. That logic fits the Bay Area especially well, where court access can be squeezed by expensive land, packed rec centers and the simple math of a growing player base chasing too few hours on court.

Pickleball Kingdom is leaning on California proof to back up the expansion. In Roseville, the company announced a club on July 30, 2025, at 10251 Fairway Drive. The location was described as about 32,900 square feet with 11 professional-grade indoor courts, and the opening target was spring 2026. ABC10 later reported the Roseville club opened with 11 indoor courts, leagues and programs.

The Bay Area move lands as the sport keeps expanding nationally. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s 2025 participation report said 19.8 million Americans played pickleball in 2024, up 45.8% from 2023. A 2026 report put the 2025 total at roughly 24.3 million players, another 22.8% jump. Pickleball Kingdom, which describes itself as the world’s largest indoor pickleball entity, is betting that those numbers justify a deeper Northern California footprint, not just one flagship but a network of courts built for recurring play.