Pickleball Kingdom is expanding into Seattle and Bellevue, WA, respectively, spearheaded by franchisee John Hyland.
The game was created in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, WA, at the summer home of Joel Pritchard, who later served in the United States Congress and as Washington’s lieutenant governor. Pritchard and two friends, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell are credited with devising the game and establishing the rules.*
“Internally, we’ve been exploring opportunities in Washington for a while now. After all, it’s where pickleball started,” explained Pickleball Kingdom Founder and CEO Ace Rodrigues. “The key for us was finding the right partner, and we have exactly that in John and Casey Hyland.”
“Pickleball Kingdom is more than just a place to play; it’s a community where people of all ages and skill levels can come together to enjoy the rapidly growing sport of pickleball,” added Pickleball Kingdom COO Rob Streett. “Bringing our brand to Seattle and Bellevue feels like a homecoming. After all, this is where it all began and it’s where John is from.”
“For several months out of the year, it is very difficult to play the sport that so many people love,” John Hyland commented. “I found a few places that would turn their indoor basketball court into a few pickleball courts, but it was very tough to get on. With our partnership with Pickleball Kingdom, we will provide the ideal playing conditions every day, all year round. It’s the solution that the people in the Northwest have been waiting for. And the social aspect, the club culture that I saw and experienced inside Pickleball Kingdom in Arizona when I originally visited it, that was what really drew me to it.”
Hyland has reportedly been a successful real estate investor and is also in the aviation industry. He and his wife, Casey, have two young children.
*Factoid courtesy Wikipedia / Images courtesy Pickleball Kingdom
