By Jordan Meinster, CEO & Founder of PickUp USA Fitness
In 2012, I saw a gap that nobody in the fitness or basketball world seemed interested in filling. Basketball gyms existed, of course, but they were either unstructured public courts or high-level training facilities that priced out most players. There was no consistent, scalable solution that delivered structured, high-quality basketball training and competition to everyday athletes. That’s where the idea for PickUp USA Fitness began.
As someone who grew up around the game, I loved pickup basketball—but I didn’t love how disorganized and inconsistent it could be. You’d show up, wait around, maybe get a good run, maybe not. I wanted to create a space where players could show up, train with professionals, and play in officiated, high-energy pickup games that felt like a real experience—not a gamble. That basic insight—bring structure to an unstructured sport—became the foundation for a business model that has since evolved into a nationwide franchise.
We opened our first location with that vision in mind: to provide a basketball gym that was structured, professional, and accessible. Over time, we evolved the model to focus on four core revenue streams: memberships, private training, court rentals, and merchandise. These pillars have proven resilient and scalable across multiple markets and franchise ownership styles. And as demand grew, so did the opportunity to franchise.
But we didn’t rush to sell franchises. Instead, we spent years refining our model, building strong unit-level economics, and ensuring that the system could work for entrepreneurs across the country. Franchising is easy. Building a franchise system that actually delivers results for the franchisee? That’s hard—and that’s where we focused.
Our franchise onboarding process is intensive and intentional. We provide guidance from site selection to buildout to grand opening. We walk our franchisees through marketing plans, operational systems, and our proprietary training platform to ensure they have the best chance of success. And we remain involved long after they open their doors, providing coaching, marketing resources, and support through every stage of their business.
PickUp USA is now a growing national franchise with locations across the country. What makes us unique isn’t just the basketball—it’s our approach to business. We’re obsessed with franchisee profitability. Everything we do, from real estate strategy to youth programming to pricing models, is designed to keep costs low and margins healthy.
We’ve built a system where clubs can launch with a cost-effective buildout, lean staffing, and recurring revenue streams that scale. We coach our franchisees to keep their expenses in check, because we’ve seen firsthand how that approach keeps clubs financially sustainable and gives them the margin to grow. Our model doesn’t rely on any single revenue stream. Instead, it’s a diversified system where multiple services contribute to long-term financial stability.
Programs like our Youth Development Basketball League (YDL), private training, and officiated PickUp games aren’t just value-adds for members—they’re high-performing revenue channels that drive real business results. These offerings are designed to engage both youth and adult athletes, building a customer base that spans generations and skill levels. Many of our clubs have developed strong local reputations by delivering consistent, high-quality programming that keeps members coming back.
Beyond the economics, what makes this brand special is the people. Our franchisees come from all walks of life—some with basketball backgrounds, others with none—but they all share the same goal: to own a business that has real impact. We train them, support them, and work alongside them to grow clubs that are operationally sound and financially strong. We don’t just hand over a playbook—we work together to execute it.
We also run lean at the corporate level. Our franchising, development, and operations teams are tight, experienced, and focused. That’s allowed us to move quickly, support our network effectively, and keep our own overhead low—something not every franchisor can say. Every dollar we spend has to serve the brand and strengthen the system.
As of 2025, we’ve stacked together some of our best months ever. New franchisees are joining the system, existing clubs are seeing consistent month-over-month growth, and the brand is gaining real momentum. Club performance is trending up, and there’s a palpable sense of forward motion throughout the network.
The long-term vision for PickUp USA is simple: build the strongest basketball gym franchise in the country by keeping the focus where it belongs—on franchisee success. That means unit-level profitability, low startup costs, strong support, and programs that players actually want to pay for. We’re not just building gyms—we’re helping entrepreneurs build businesses with real staying power.
I started PickUp USA because I wanted to fix something broken in the world of basketball. Today, we’re doing that—and helping entrepreneurs build meaningful, sustainable businesses in the process. We’re bringing structure, professionalism, and opportunity to a sport that millions love but few have been able to turn into a career.
That’s what drives me. And that’s where we’re headed.
