Pickleball, All the Rage, To Get New Dedicated Wayne Courts

February 14, 2024

By estimation of USA Pickleball, the sport that caught on as a bona fide craze just a few years ago after growing out of middle school physical education units, 36.5 million people played at least once in 2023. And Places2Play notes that there are about 11,000 locations across the U.S. to play.

SPORTIME, known for its tennis facilities and its iconic founder and director John McEnroe, has recently ventured into the pickleball space, beginning construction on a dedicated facility in Armonk, New York, late last year.

Now, SPORTIME's next wave of expansion includes Tuesday's announcement that it will open a 50,000 square foot Pickleball location in Wayne at Willowbrook Plaza.

The anticipated opening for the Wayne location is spring 2025.

“We are excited to announce our newest SPORTIME Pickleball location in Wayne, with more great locations coming soon,” Claude Okin said, President & CEO of SPORTIME. “For the ever-growing masses of pickleball lovers in the Tri-State area, and for those who will no doubt be joining those legions in the months and years to come, SPORTIME Pickleball locations will provide the highest quality indoor pickleball facilities and programs, consistent with the SPORTIME brand. We are proud to have been a racket sports leader in our region since 1994”.

The news came along with a third new facility in Westbury, Long Island, that is scheduled for a Fall 2024 opening.

SPORTIME Wayne will include 20 indoor courts and is located in the busiest shopping district in the State, with 16 million visitors each year. This will be the largest indoor pickleball facility in New Jersey and will feature a stadium court, food and beverages and event spaces.

In addition to a high volume of daily play and instruction, it is expected to be a major destination site for local and national pickleball tournaments, as well as for large-format group and corporate events.