
In this episode of The Pickleball Show, host Curtis Reese Dinks into the business of pickleball and welcomes Rachel Chonko, the Editor-in-Chief of Peake Media and a driving force behind the explosive growth of pickleball’s business landscape. With over a decade of experience covering the sports and fitness industry, Rachel shares her personal journey into the sport and dives into the origins of Peake Media, a B2B publishing powerhouse founded to equip health and fitness pros with essential resources.Rachel traces Peake’s evolution from its flagship titles like Club Solutions Magazine, Campus Rec Magazine, and Community Rec Magazine to its bold 2024 launch of Pickleball Innovators, the parent company’s dedicated arm for empowering pickleball entrepreneurs. As the go-to hub for club owners, she highlights key trends like noise mitigation strategies, massive franchise expansions (think PickleRage’s 17 new deals in 2025 and Pickleball Kingdom’s global push into India and the UAE), and innovative venues like the 43-court mega-complex The Fort in Fort Lauderdale. Curtis and Rachel break down actionable advice for aspiring facility operators—from navigating urban noise complaints to capitalizing on pickleball’s social boom—while teasing the 2025 Pickleball Innovators Summit as a must-attend for industry trailblazers.Whether you’re a court regular or a business-minded player, this episode serves up insights faster than a cross-court dink. Tune in for laughs, strategies, and the inside scoop on why pickleball isn’t just a game—it’s the next big fitness empire.https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-chonko/https://pickleballinnovators.com/author/rzabonick/https://communityrecmag.com/author/rachel-zabonick/https://pickleballinnovators.com/how-technology-is-powering-the-modern-pickleball-club/