Pickleball Kingdom Chooses LED Lighting Supply for High Bay Court Lighting Solutions Case Study

Pickleball Kingdom has named LED Lighting Supply as its preferred lighting partner for franchisee locations nationwide. The lighting standard our team developed with Pickleball Kingdom is now built into their franchise regulations, guiding fixture and layout decisions at every new location. Here’s how our partnership started, and why it became the standard.

The Backstory:

When Pickleball Kingdom first reached out, they were still an independent operation. They acquired an existing warehouse building in Plano, Texas, for a new court build-out. This project called for a full renovation of the existing structure, including eliminating the existing lighting layout and installing an entirely new lighting system based on our recommendations. The Plano Pickleball Kingdom team shared a layout of the existing space with LED Lighting Supply. This allowed us to overlay a new lighting layout plan with recommended light fixtures, accommodating both the courts and aisleways.

Another supplier had been involved earlier in the relationship, one without specialized experience in indoor sports lighting. The previous lighting recommendation for several facilities did not suit competitive indoor pickleball. Our Product Specialists stepped in to consult on a corrective plan for those locations, bringing them in line with the layout that worked in Plano.

The Challenge:

The Plano warehouse space acquired by Pickleball Kingdom still had the lighting the previous tenant left behind. The existing lighting was intended for industrial warehouse use, not for tournament-level competition or televised pickleball. The fixture mounting heights and overall layout had never been evaluated for how a lighting solution should illuminate 15 separate courts. To transition the space from generic warehouse lighting to pickleball tournament-ready lighting, Pickleball Kingdom needed a partner who could provide expert knowledge on indoor sports court lighting backed by readily available light fixtures within a short timeline.

The Strategy & Solution:

Using the existing layout of the warehouse space, LED Lighting Supply’s Product Specialist, Mike Ciaffone, developed a customized photometric lighting plan for the sports complex and recommended the appropriate high-bay solution, including light fixture counts, placements, and mounting heights, based on the planned court configuration. The plan included a display of the courts and aisles, lighting layout for the renovation, foot-candle and uniformity readings. This accounted for the area’s dimensions, number of courts, and infrastructure already in place. Our recommendation was designed to meet the illumination levels required for competitive pickleball play.

The lighting layout incorporated the existing aisle row lighting placement with our high bay lights while adding high bay fixtures over the courts and common areas. This achieved our target light level of 30-75 foot-candles (fc) across the courts. The final layout called for 69 wattage-adjustable UFO high bay light fixtures. The mixed-wattage light fixtures allowed for flexibility after installation. The solution improved light coverage and reduced dark zones from the previous lighting installation and HVAC aisleway obstructions. The outer courts reflected excess light once the two-toned walls were painted white. This improved illumination levels in the King's Courts and walkways without requiring extra fixtures.

The Results: Pickleball Kingdom Franchise Standardizes Lighting After Successful Pilot Location

After a successful first year of business, Pickleball Kingdom began expanding through franchising. From there, they standardized our lighting solution used at the Plano location as part of their official build-out package. Every new location across the franchise now depends on LED Lighting Supply’s custom lighting solution as part of their new build procedure. All future builds can adapt to the same lighting plan initially provided for the Plano location. Depending on the layout of the space, most locations include four lights on the regular courts and five lights on the Kings courts, with two Kings courts per complex. Our team continues to provide consultative support before and after purchase for completed projects and future builds.

In two years, LED Lighting Supply has supported 16 Pickleball Kingdom locations, providing over 1,700 light fixtures, with additional new locations currently in progress. Pickleball Kingdom is now one of the top 5 indoor pickleball club franchisees in the nation with 350 locations across the U.S. in various stages of development. The following locations have our lighting layout photometric PDF system built into their standard project process.

Fixtures and Performance by Location:

Pickleball Kingdom's corporate team has seen this consistency play out across a growing portfolio of locations supported by LED Lighting Supply. Pickleball Kingdom’s Vice President of Design & Construction, Karen Nettleton, highlighted their experience with our team in a recent Trustpilot review:

“LED Lighting Supply has been a valuable resource for our Pickleball Kingdom projects. Their team has been responsive and knowledgeable throughout the design process, providing detailed photometric analyses, including foot-candle layouts and heat maps, that help us evaluate fixture wattage, mounting heights, fixture placement, and anticipated lighting performance before installation. The information they provide supports informed decision-making and helps ensure consistent lighting coverage throughout the facility. We appreciate their technical guidance and support as we work to create a quality playing environment for our members.” -Karen Nettleton, VP of Design & Construction at Pickleball Kingdom

Watch Our Podcast Episode: How Pickleball Kingdom Built LED Lighting Supply Into Their Franchise Lighting Standards

Completed Project Photos:

Pickleball Kingdom Location: Plano, Texas

Pickleball Kingdom Location: Walker, Louisiana

Pickleball Kingdom Location: Birmingham, Alabama

Pickleball Kingdom Location: Poulsbo, Washington