Ballers is ballin’ thanks to a $20m series A headlined by tennis star Andre Agassi.
Oh, what’s Ballers? It’s a social club for people who like to play sports, set to open its first location in Philadelphia this summer.
What can you play?
Pickleball, squash, padel, golf, and soccer, with memberships ranging between $99 and $499, per Sportico.
The concept comes via husband-and-wife duo David Gutstadt and Amanda Potter, according to Sports Business Journal. They met while working corporate jobs at luxury gym chain Equinox and later co-founded gym/co-work concept Fitler Club, also in Philly.
Potter has described it as “an urban version” of a country club, and there are already plans to expand to Boston, Miami, and LA, with the goal of 50+ additional US locations in the next 7-10 years.
Social sports are booming
People love swinging rackets around these days:
- Pickleball participation has surged 311% over the last three years, per Fast Company.
- A RacquetX survey of racket sports players found that 43% either enjoy or want to try multiple sports.
- Padel — a cross between tennis and squash that originated in Mexico in the 1960s — is taking off, with 30% of Gen Z respondents saying they’ve tried it.
Meanwhile…
… people today are also looking to make friends, especially outside of traditional third spaces.
As consumers — especially younger generations — drink less, bars and night clubs are out, while social clubs that prioritize wellness are on the rise, whether that’s a communal sauna, indoor golf club, or the good ol’ climbing gym.
To that end, Ballers will also have a restaurant and bar, plus activations like art installations, DJs, or other incentives to mingle off the court.
Fun fact: Private padel courts have apparently become a status symbol for luxury homes and buildings, according to Fox Business, with one real estate agency saying they’re replacing the allure of the private basketball court.
