Ballers Pickleball Court: A new social sports club called Ballers is set to open in downtown Los Angeles in late summer 2026. The club will take over the old Macy’s space at The Bloc and bring the first pickleball and padel courts to the area. It will also include golf simulators, soccer pitches, bars, a restaurant, and wellness areas.
Ballers to Replace Former Macy’s Store
Ballers will open inside the former Macy’s building, which covers 100,000 square feet. The location will offer 18 pickleball courts and four padel courts. These are the first of their kind in downtown Los Angeles. The club will also feature five golf simulators, two indoor soccer fields, a high-end retail store, two bars, a full restaurant, and a recovery area with a sauna and cold plunge.
Memberships will start at $99 per month. Members will get early booking access, entry to the recovery lounge, and invites to special events. Non-members can still use the courts and social areas by paying between $15 and $25 per hour.
David Gutstadt, Chief Executive Officer of Ballers, said, “[We wanted] to bring the country club to the city in an elevated, fun way.”
National Expansion Plans Underway
The Los Angeles location will be the third Ballers club in the U.S. The first will open in Philadelphia this month, followed by Boston later this year. The company aims to open 50 locations nationwide in the next seven to ten years.
Ballers is backed by well-known athletes including tennis stars Andre Agassi, Kim Clijsters, and Sloane Stephens, pickleball champion Connor Garnett, and National Basketball Association player Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Pickleball for Everyone
Amanda Potter, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, said Ballers will be both accessible and affordable so everyone can try racquet sports. “It’s a sport that people are still getting acquainted with, so we don’t want to have that barrier to people trying our sports by saying it’s members-only,” said Potter.
She referred to a 2023 study from the Association of Pickleball Professionals, which found that fewer than 10% of Los Angeles residents had played pickleball.
Connor Garnett said he started playing pickleball three years ago and supports Ballers’ mission. “You don’t have to be great at pickleball to come out here,” he said. “You don’t have to be great at padel. It’s just really an inclusive way to get people active and on their feet.”
A New Use for Downtown Space
Earlier this year, Macy’s at The Bloc closed after being listed as an “underproductive” location. This left downtown Los Angeles without a department store for the first time in more than 150 years. The space is now being transformed into a place for fun, fitness, and social experiences.
This change follows a larger trend of turning retail locations into experience-based spaces. In 2023, a similar indoor pickleball venue called Pickle Pop opened in Santa Monica to boost activity on the struggling Third Street Promenade.
News in Brief: Ballers Pickleball Court
Ballers, a new racquet sports club, will open in the former Macy’s at The Bloc in downtown Los Angeles by late summer 2026. The club will feature pickleball and padel courts, golf simulators, soccer pitches, and wellness areas. It aims to bring affordable, social fitness to city residents.
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