Life Time has applied for a patent to create the “ultimate pickleball ball.”
Courtesy: Lifetime
Tired of playing pickleball, he discovered that elasticity and durability were inconsistent, lifeBahram Akradi, founder and CEO of , decided to take matters into his own hands.
On Friday, the upscale fitness and lifestyle company announced that it has created what it calls “the ultimate pickleball ball.” Life Time will debut the ball exclusively at the company’s clubs later this month.
“This was a problem in the sport that needed to be addressed, so we basically stepped in and solved it,” Akradi said.
Arkady is fully committed to the fastest-growing sport in the United States since 2021, and he remains bullish on its potential. It’s a key part of Life Time’s growth strategy, and the company’s shares are up 57% this year. The company raised its full-year guidance on August 1 following a strong second quarter.
Life Time will soon be selling the ball in its racquet sports specialty stores and online. The company is still determining pricing.
Life Time’s “Sports Country Club” has more than 700 permanent pickleball courts. The company plans to increase the number of courses to 1,000 by the end of next year.
“Our goal is to give people the right playing field, the right experience, the right consistency,” Akradi added.
Akradi said the company has invested $50 million to $100 million in pickleball, a sport that generates 6% to 7% of membership fees for Life Time.
Life Time also hosts professional championships at its clubs for the American Pickleball League and the Professional Pickleball Association. Professional organizations use the Vulcan as their “official ball,” but Akradi hopes to change that in the future.
In May, the company announced Lululemon as its official apparel sponsor for tennis and pickleball.
The company has also partnered with tennis legend Andre Agassi and top pickleball player Ben Johns to further develop the sport.
