Courts fill and paddles fly as East Tennessee finds its new obsession
On a Tuesday night in West Knoxville, paddles clack under soft lights as doubles teams rotate on and off the courts. In an upstairs lounge, players sip local ciders and unwind. Once dismissed as a pastime for retirees, pickleball has exploded into Knoxville’s mainstream, gaining popularity across generations and turning into a thriving business model for local entrepreneurs.
“We have five indoor pickleball clubs now,” says Kelly Smith, co-owner of Pickleville in Louisville, Tennessee. “That’s more than cities five times our size. So pickleball is very hot right now in Knoxville, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down.”
Smith caught what he calls the “pickleball bug” four years ago and never looked back. A former fitness equipment manufacturer and real estate professional, he transitioned into the sport after a personal passion aligned with a promising business opportunity. In early 2024, he and a group of partners launched Pickleville by leasing an old facility and eventually purchasing it for long-term growth.
“I play competitively now,” Smith explains. “We, me and a partner, won the Tennessee mixed doubles championship a few months ago, traveled to Dallas for the national championship, and finished fourth.”
The transformation of the sport has been dramatic. “There’s a Pickleball Channel now,” he says. “The prizes increase tenfold almost every year, where there’s many players making millions of dollars now playing pickleball.”
Pickleville has both indoor and outdoor courts, a pro shop, and an upstairs lounge for players to gather before and after games. While walk-in play is welcome, many opt for a membership that offers discounted court rates. “If you’re a member, the fee is $6. If you’re not a member, the fee is $16 for two hours,” Smith says.
While the sport draws competitive players, it’s the accessibility that makes it so appealing. “The attraction with pickleball has been that the barrier to play is very low,” Smith explains. “You just have to have a paddle, and most folks seem to be able to pick it up very quickly.”
For beginners, Pickleville offers what Smith calls “Boot Camp,” designed to get people game-ready in just a couple of hours. Advanced lessons are also available, covering all skill levels. “Pickleball has been a great social outlet for many, many people, where they’ve formed lifelong friendships,” Smith adds.
Pickleville isn’t the only club experiencing success. Across town in Hardin Valley, entrepreneur Chris Rothermel has carved out his own niche. Originally from California, Rothermel moved to Knoxville three years ago and now owns a large indoor and outdoor pickleball facility—The Pickleball Playground—that has quickly grown to nearly 800 members.
“When we first moved out here, another guy that I know that’s pretty successful said, ‘Chris, if I were you, I would open an indoor pickleball facility,’” Rothermel says. “There was one indoor facility. They only have four courts. They can’t expand. They have 1,000 members and a waitlist to get on the membership.”
Rothermel had been running a pool fencing business in California, Florida, and Arizona, but found himself looking for a change. He connected with a local property owner and bought a facility that had been on the market for more than two years.
“One of the agents I was interviewing said, ‘I know you’re looking for land to develop, but there’s this facility that’s been on the market,’” he says. “So we met with the owner, told him what my plans were, and he decided to sell.”
Unlike Smith, Rothermel isn’t an active player. “I don’t play much now,” he admits. “Five kids, three businesses—and if my courts are full, the last thing they want to see is the owner on a court taking up space.”
Still, he’s very involved, often hosting events and greeting members. His facility features 16 outdoor courts and a newly renovated lounge with beer and cider on tap. “This was the second part of our renovations,” he says. “Phase One was the courts and the lights. Phase Two was the AC and this lounge area, which I think sets us apart from other places.”
The lounge has become central to the experience. “We have a Fun-With-Friends league every Wednesday and Sunday,” Rothermel says. “Saturdays when Tennessee is playing, people play 9 to 11, then sit here and watch football for a few hours.”
His club even hosts corporate events. “Pilot has rented this place out twice. They’ll spend $1,000 on alcohol in one night.”
Membership models are similar across clubs. “A single membership is $35 a month,” Rothermel says. “People say, ‘What does that get you?’ You don’t pay a non-member fee. So right now, these folks are paying $8 to play for two hours if they weren’t a member. There’s one lady that’s not a member today—she’s paying $18.”
For more frequent players, the club offers a “fanatic membership” for $149 a month. “If you’re here three and a half times a week, it’s worth it. You don’t pay indoor court fees.”
Despite being a business, Rothermel stresses the importance of community. His club has hosted Special Olympics training sessions, birthday parties, and all-ages play. “We’ve had young kids, 80-year-old folks, all different sizes and shapes,” he says. “Everybody can play.”
He also made specific design choices to enhance player experience. “One thing people like about this place is we have oversized courts,” he explains.
“The court obviously is regulation size, but out of bounds, on the baseline, a little bit bigger, because now we’re having athletes that get into the ball.”
From high ceilings painted with reflective white paint to up-lighting that reduces glare, every detail has been considered. “When we bought this place, we spray painted the entire ceiling with white reflective paint. That way, when the light shines up, it shines back down on the courts,” he says.
As for the future? Rothermel is open to expanding. “If I get to 1,500 members, then we’ll build some more pickleball courts here in this field, so we’ll never be to the point where you can’t get a membership or get a court,” he says.
Back at Pickleville, Smith sees pickleball continuing to rise. “Pickleball is, I believe, transitioning to an indoor sport,” he says. “Because the ball is light, when you’re outdoors the wind can maneuver the ball easier than a tennis ball. Indoors you don’t have the effect of the wind, the heat, the cold, the sun, the rain.”
And while Pickleville offers BYOB flexibility, they don’t plan on becoming a restaurant anytime soon. “We’ll stick with pickleball,” Smith says.
Whether it’s high-stakes tournaments or casual games followed by a cider, one thing is clear: Knoxville’s pickleball scene is thriving.
“If they have thought about giving it a try, please come out,” Smith encourages. “Most folks that play more than once—if you’ll come out for a second time, you’ll get hooked.”
Comments are closed.