In this episode of Racquets Biz, host Dominique Lemperle sits down with Martina Kochli, a former D1 tennis athlete turned top 15-ranked pickleball pro and now director of national partnerships and sponsorships for Dill Dinkers, one of the fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise groups in the United States.

Martina shares a comprehensive inside look at the business behind modern pickleball, including:

• What life is really like for today’s professional pickleball players — and why most still coach, teach, or run businesses to make it sustainable
  
  
• The economic model behind profitable indoor facility development, including conservative lease strategy and court utilization benchmarks
  
  
• Why Dill Dinkers plans strategic placement of 20–30 minute–spaced franchise facilities in Tampa and Lakeland
  
  
• The rise of coaching travel businesses (70+ Pickleball Getaways trips) and instructional tech like Pickleball 360
  
  
• How equipment technology is changing the speed and strategy of the game
  
  
• The industry shift from Director of Tennis to Director of Racquets in major clubs nationwide
  
  
• Martina’s approach to balancing career expansion, multi-sport facility visioning, family, and continued involvement on court

If you're in racquet sports management, facility development, or coaching and you want to stay ahead of where the sport is going—not where it’s been—subscribe to Racquets Biz now. New episodes drop monthly with insights from top operators and innovators shaping the industry.