Pickleball franchisor The Picklr has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Sports Business Journal reported. The filing comes while the sport is still booming, and it leaves one of the category’s fastest-growing franchisors facing a financial reset.
Lease Guarantees Behind the Filing
Founder and CEO Jorge Barragan has taken responsibility for the situation. He explained that the company agreed to guarantee lease payments for roughly 40 early franchise locations, and those obligations landed on the holding company. Barragan acknowledged the firm signed too many such guarantees, summing it up with “I own it.”
Founded in 2021, The Picklr began franchising two years later. It now runs more than 70 U.S. locations, along with clubs in Australia, Canada and Japan. The numbers show the strain. The company reported a net loss of $4.4 million on $10.3 million in revenue in 2025, and carried about $19 million in total liabilities as of March.
Investor Group Offers a Lifeline
An investor group led by franchisee Tom Neale has committed $4.5 million in financing, pending court approval, according to the company. Sports Business Journal puts the figure at $4.8 million. The money could give the business room to restructure while it works through its obligations.
Clubs remain open for now, and Barragan says the bankruptcy filing will not directly close any locations. He does expect some downsizing as the company reorganizes.
For franchisees and players, the key thing to watch is whether the court approves the new financing and how many clubs are affected by the restructuring.