A version of the following article appeared in the Friday, November 13, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Interest in the tennis-like sport has spiked in recent years, but as more businesses jump on the craze, their viability may not be supported by pickleball alone
Rally Pickleball, in the Lower South End area, opened in 2023 with eight rentable pickleball courts and a restaurant with a pizza oven and cocktail bar. (Ledger file photos)
by Lindsey Banks
Pickleball first arrived on the Charlotte recreation scene about six years ago with plenty to relish. The tennis and ping-pong-like sport is fast-paced, played with paddles and a perforated plastic ball, and on a court about a third the size of a tennis court.
Since the pandemic-era boom, courts have popped up in county parks, country clubs and dedicated indoor facilities. Businesses have built sprawling entertainment concepts around the sport, like Rally in South End and Tipsy Pickle at Camp North End, which also serve food and drinks.
Lately, though, some of the major pickleball operators that sprung up as the sport gained popularity have faced headwinds. The Picklr, an indoor pickleball facility franchisor with dozens of locations worldwide, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. The company’s founder and CEO told the Sports Business Journal that lease agreements had become a “financial burden” for The Picklr’s parent company.
Although no local pickleball facilities have closed, after years of explosive growth, has Charlotte finally reached peak pickleball?
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