Club Pickleball USA was born out of a passion for the sport. What started as a group of friends enjoying casual games evolved into a full-fledged club with 35 indoor courts across three locations in Utah, a stone’s throw away from Utah Valley University, the number one college pickleball university in the country.

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As pickleball exploded, Club Pickleball USA needed a way to offer consistent and competitive experiences for all players while expanding their programming and increasing membership. Enter DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating), a platform that has since become a cornerstone in their growth strategy.

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Club Pickleball USA’s Growth Journey

Club Pickleball USA’s story began with a simple idea: create a better environment for pickleball players. The founders recognized three key needs for pickleball players—access, amenities, and affordability—and focused their efforts on delivering those at scale.

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Their first location opened in Orem, Utah, in November 2020. The founders were early adopters in the indoor pickleball space, capitalizing on a growing demand for better facilities. By offering dedicated courts with permanent nets, LED lighting, and a comfortable environment, they quickly attracted a strong membership base. Over the next four years, they expanded to two additional locations while keeping a player-centric focus.

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The key to their growth? “We've spent over $200,000 in marketing in the last four years. So we've made a pretty substantial investment in our marketing spend,” says Devan Egan. “That’s maybe also where other clubs go wrong, as they kind of feel all they need to do is put up some pickleball courts with lights and have it be indoor with some air conditioning, and the people will show up.”

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The Role of DUPR in Elevating Programming

One of the critical challenges for any pickleball club is managing player skill levels and creating balanced, competitive experiences. Before adopting DUPR, Club Pickleball USA used traditional rating systems, but they were cumbersome and often inaccurate. The club noticed that players were eager for a more dynamic and reliable system that accurately reflected their skills and progression.

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DUPR provided a solution by offering a player rating system that was easy to use, adaptable, and consistent. Club Pickleball USA officially integrated DUPR into all aspects of their programming—tournaments, round robins, and other events—making it the standard rating system across their facilities.

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“We’ve found that as we integrated DUPR into our programming, the player experience was improved,” says Devan Egan. “Now our tournaments are notorious for having the most true to skill level experience on offer.”

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DUPR’s ability to dynamically adjust a player’s rating based on performance, without requiring extra membership fees or complex rules, was a game changer. The platform’s flexibility and real-time updates offered players a clear sense of where they stood and motivated them to engage in more competitive events.

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As Devan Egan says:

“DUPR gives a player a status of where they are, where they can go, and it gives them an incentive to continue to play.”

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Boosting Player Engagement Through Incentives and the Reliability Score

In addition to integrating DUPR into their tournaments, Club Pickleball USA ran targeted campaigns to drive player adoption of the platform. For example, players were incentivized with free club merchandise if they set up DUPR accounts, joined their CourtReserve app, and participated in GroupMe player chats. These efforts resulted in high adoption rates and significantly improved the overall player experience.

Players quickly recognized the value of tracking their progress through DUPR, which not only enhanced their competitive spirit but also fostered a culture of growth and improvement within the club. DUPR’s reliability score feature, which discourages players from “sitting” on their ratings without participating in matches, further fueled engagement, encouraging consistent participation across events.

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“The best thing that DUPR rolled out recently was the reliability score, because we have people that have been sitting on 5.0 ratings, unwilling to record a single match for a year, and now all of a sudden, because of the reliability rating, they need recent results to get sponsors. So they're now entering tournaments.”

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Enhancing Programming and Streamlining Operations

The integration of DUPR allowed Club Pickleball USA to streamline their event planning and operations. By leveraging DUPR’s partnership with CourtReserve, they could automatically filter players by skill level for events, ensuring that tournaments and leagues were more balanced and enjoyable for participants: “DUPR has streamlined the player experience so that it's a low friction experience for both the player and the club.” This feature reduced complaints about unfair matchups and significantly improved customer satisfaction. Additionally, the dynamic algorithm offered Egan and his team the flexibility needed to scale.

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DUPR also replaced the need for subjective skill assessments conducted by coaches, eliminating the tension that often arose when players were assigned a lower rating than they believed they deserved. Now, players could trust an objective algorithm that accurately reflected their performance, leading to more acceptance and less friction.

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“We've kind of gotten away from the business of telling people where they fit in,” says Devan Egan. “We've just said it is your responsibility as a player to participate in DUPR reported things, and we want to let a third party and their algorithm situate you.”

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Impact on Club Culture and Growth

Club Pickleball USA’s commitment to providing a top-tier player experience, supported by DUPR’s dynamic rating system, has translated into rapid membership growth and strong retention rates. The club’s focus on creating balanced, fair, and enjoyable competitive environments has resonated with the pickleball community. As a result, their events are among the most well-attended and highly rated in the region.

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And, as always, the more data the algorithm is fed, the more accurate it gets: “We've been fortunate that in Utah there's been a high adoption rate for DUPR, which means we all put a lot of data into the system. That explains why Utah has some of the most accurate DUPR ratings in the country.”

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Additionally, DUPR’s integration has helped elevate the competitive environment at Club Pickleball USA. Players now strive to improve their ratings, resulting in greater participation in tournaments and leagues. The ability to see their progress and compare themselves against others fuels their motivation and encourages a more serious approach to training and preparation.

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“DUPR has enhanced the competitive environment so that players are proud when they're at the top and they want to publish that they're in the top 50 on DUPR.”

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Stronger Together

DUPR has been instrumental in helping Club Pickleball USA scale its operations and enhance its programming. By providing a reliable and adaptable rating system, DUPR has not only improved the player experience but also helped the club attract and retain members. As the sport continues to grow, Club Pickleball USA remains committed to offering a player-centric environment that fosters both recreational enjoyment and competitive growth. With DUPR as a core part of their strategy, they are well-positioned to continue leading the way in the pickleball community.