Welcome to the Business of Pickleball, your go-to podcast for industry insights. If you're in the pickleball business, staying informed is crucial. This podcast offers interviews with leaders actively building pickleball enterprises.
Today’s episode features hosts Robert Allen and David Feldman discussing a specialized insurance solution for pickleball clubs—the Pickleball Insurance Program (PIP). PIP provides tailored coverage quickly and easily at pippprogram.com or visit their booth at the Pickleball Brief Business Summit.
After a holiday break and successful summit, we're back with an exciting guest who shares our passion for fitness in sports—Ryan Van Winkle. Ryan has developed innovative applications within racket sports through his company Bounce, focusing on teaching and learning efficiency.
Ryan introduces the Racket Fitness Experience (RFX), which merges group fitness with racket sports, similar to OrangeTheory or CrossFit but tailored to pickleball. The program involves engaging classes using resistance bands suitable for all fitness levels, offering both play sessions and high-intensity interval training on specially designed tetra courts.
This approach not only improves player performance but also attracts new participants who are interested in fun ways to stay fit rather than traditional gym routines. RFX aims to create inclusive experiences that can bring more people into racket sports by providing diverse programming options similar to those offered by gyms.
For club owners looking to enhance member engagement and retention, incorporating unique programs like RFX can be beneficial. It creates community vibes while adding value beyond regular gameplay—perfect for attracting non-traditional players seeking enjoyable fitness alternatives.
To support participating clubs further, RFX limits partnerships geographically, ensuring exclusivity while assisting them in marketing efforts both physically at venues as well as digitally across social media platforms—helping maximize visibility among potential members locally interested in not just playing but experiencing something fresh within their routine workouts!
People might discover they enjoy pickleball by combining it with other sports, like football. This approach is similar to what RFX does by tapping into the fitness market. Clubs can target gym-goers and offer them a fun new class, drawing in fresh audiences beyond just pickleball enthusiasts.
Pickleball clubs have an edge because it's easy to learn but hard to master, unlike tennis which can be intimidating for beginners. With structured games and courts, even newcomers can quickly enjoy the sport and join leagues or tournaments.
Club owners should focus on marketing strategies that attract diverse groups since relying solely on existing enthusiasts won't sustain growth. Offering injury prevention classes could keep members engaged longer without injuries affecting participation rates.
RFX aims to create a community through its group fitness programs designed for racket sports. Unlike endurance-based activities, where competition is individualistic, these programs promote interaction among players while ensuring safety during exercises.
The business model involves revenue sharing with no upfront costs for clubs; instead of licensing fees alone as initially planned before feedback showed preference towards shared earnings between parties involved—aligning incentives better overall!
We adapted our business model, offering an annual license fee for all-inclusive clubs where revenue sharing is complex. We're exploring integrating our format into court reservation apps to track reservations effectively.
We've begun discussions with leading software companies like Court Reserve and Play by Point. With enough clubs on board, we&
Welcome to the Business of Pickleball, your go-to podcast for industry insights. If you're in the pickleball business, staying informed is crucial. This podcast offers interviews with leaders actively building pickleball enterprises.
Today’s episode features hosts Robert Allen and David Feldman discussing a specialized insurance solution for pickleball clubs—the Pickleball Insurance Program (PIP). PIP provides tailored coverage quickly and easily at pippprogram.com or visit their booth at the Pickleball Brief Business Summit.
After a holiday break and successful summit, we're back with an exciting guest who shares our passion for fitness in sports—Ryan Van Winkle. Ryan has developed innovative applications within racket sports through his company Bounce, focusing on teaching and learning efficiency.
Ryan introduces the Racket Fitness Experience (RFX), which merges group fitness with racket sports, similar to OrangeTheory or CrossFit but tailored to pickleball. The program involves engaging classes using resistance bands suitable for all fitness levels, offering both play sessions and high-intensity interval training on specially designed tetra courts.
This approach not only improves player performance but also attracts new participants who are interested in fun ways to stay fit rather than traditional gym routines. RFX aims to create inclusive experiences that can bring more people into racket sports by providing diverse programming options similar to those offered by gyms.
For club owners looking to enhance member engagement and retention, incorporating unique programs like RFX can be beneficial. It creates community vibes while adding value beyond regular gameplay—perfect for attracting non-traditional players seeking enjoyable fitness alternatives.
To support participating clubs further, RFX limits partnerships geographically, ensuring exclusivity while assisting them in marketing efforts both physically at venues as well as digitally across social media platforms—helping maximize visibility among potential members locally interested in not just playing but experiencing something fresh within their routine workouts!
People might discover they enjoy pickleball by combining it with other sports, like football. This approach is similar to what RFX does by tapping into the fitness market. Clubs can target gym-goers and offer them a fun new class, drawing in fresh audiences beyond just pickleball enthusiasts.
Pickleball clubs have an edge because it's easy to learn but hard to master, unlike tennis which can be intimidating for beginners. With structured games and courts, even newcomers can quickly enjoy the sport and join leagues or tournaments.
Club owners should focus on marketing strategies that attract diverse groups since relying solely on existing enthusiasts won't sustain growth. Offering injury prevention classes could keep members engaged longer without injuries affecting participation rates.
RFX aims to create a community through its group fitness programs designed for racket sports. Unlike endurance-based activities, where competition is individualistic, these programs promote interaction among players while ensuring safety during exercises.
The business model involves revenue sharing with no upfront costs for clubs; instead of licensing fees alone as initially planned before feedback showed preference towards shared earnings between parties involved—aligning incentives better overall!
We adapted our business model, offering an annual license fee for all-inclusive clubs where revenue sharing is complex. We're exploring integrating our format into court reservation apps to track reservations effectively.
We've begun discussions with leading software companies like Court Reserve and Play by Point. With enough clubs on board, we&
**ShowNotes for Pickleball Brief Podcast Episode: Emerging Distribution Models and International Expansion**
Welcome back to the Pickleball Brief podcast with your hosts, Robert and Dave Feldman. Dive into today's insightful discussion on the evolving landscape of pickleball equipment distribution, brand ambassadors' roles, and the complexities of international expansion.
Key Points Discussed:
1. **Distribution Strategies**
- The shift towards using brand ambassadors and influencers with discount codes.
- Challenges in maintaining brand integrity when representatives are not fully aligned with company values.
- Potential pitfalls of a network marketing approach in controlling branding quality.
2. **The Ambassador Model**
- Various experiences with local reps showcasing both successful strategies and detrimental practices.
- The balance between expanding reach through ambassadors versus protecting brand reputation.
3. **Grassroots Movements vs Formal Distribution Channels**
- How private member clubs may become natural distribution nodes for products.
- Difficulties faced by club owners in establishing direct relationships with manufacturers.
4. **Industry Evolution & Database Development**
- Introduction of an industry database as a valuable resource connecting manufacturers, distributors, franchises, service providers, etc.
- Upcoming newsletter launch aimed at providing comprehensive insights into the pickleball industry (scheduled for January 15th).
5. **Internationalization ... What's Up With That?**
- Debate over whether it’s too soon to push international growth given domestic challenges within leagues and associations.
– Considerations regarding cultural differences, legal implications, taxation issues associated with global expansion.
6. **Podcast Availability & Listener Engagement**
– Announcement that the podcast is now accessible across various platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify; encouraging listeners to subscribe and provide feedback where available.
7. **Closing Thoughts & Future Episodes Preview**
As always Robert and Dave encourage listener engagement by subscribing to their channels or leaving positive reviews if you enjoy their content!
Remember to mark your calendars for January 15th when Pickleball Brief releases its first monthly briefing packed full of essential updates from around the pickleball world!