Swing Racquet + Paddle

What Swing Racquet + Paddle does

Swing Racquet + Paddle is a privately held sportstainment company building a 44-acre, $100M flagship campus at 6121 Mt. Herman Road in Raleigh, North Carolina, scheduled to open in 2026. The venue combines five racquet and paddle sports (28 tennis courts including European Red Clay surfaces, 25 indoor pickleball courts, 15 padel courts, 4 beach tennis courts, and 10 ping pong tables) with food and beverage curated by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, a Wilson Sporting Goods retail and racquet fitting experience, and the North American debut of Sweden's Good to Great Tennis Academy. The company targets recreational players and families, avid athletes and competitors, youth and junior players, and corporate and group events, and positions the campus as the largest multi-racquet sports facility in the world.

The business is pre-revenue and is monetizing across six streams: court usage fees, tiered memberships (daily, occasional, and beginner players), food and beverage transactions, Wilson retail sales including stringing, event and tournament entry fees, and academy programming through the Good to Great Tennis Academy. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer through the single flagship campus, supplemented by on-site retail, membership programs, and hosted tournaments and corporate events. Marketing to date has been pre-opening and event-driven, relying on earned media in the New York Times, Sports Business Journal, Women's Health, and local outlets, plus owned social channels and an email newsletter as the primary lead capture mechanism.

The company was founded in 2020 (with the earliest documented activity in November 2022) by Rob Autry, who serves as Founder and CEO, with Jason DeGroff as President and Managing Partner. The advisory board includes former Topgolf CEO Ken May and Donald Thompson Jr., co-founder and CEO of the Diversity Movement. Swing is founder-controlled with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds in the data set, and a $10M economic incentive grant from the City of Raleigh on city-owned land. The operating status is active but pre-opening, with construction underway following the August 2024 groundbreaking.

Name

Swing Racquet + Paddle

Legal name

Swing Racquet + Paddle

Website

https://swingnc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swing Racquet + Paddle is a pre-opening sportstainment company building a 44-acre, $100M multi-racquet sports campus in Raleigh, NC, combining 70+ courts across tennis, pickleball, padel, beach tennis, and ping pong with celebrity-chef dining, Wilson retail, and a Swedish tennis academy, targeting recreational players, competitive athletes, juniors, and corporate events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports & Recreation Facilities

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tennis & Racquet Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAE), Racquet Sports (Tennis/Pickleball/Badminton/Squash) Retail (CRAMABAF), Tennis & Racquet Sports Clubs (Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Squash) (MPAKABAF)

Keywords

• Racquet sports facility
• Sports entertainment venue
• Pickleball padel tennis
• Membership sports campus
• Racquet club dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Court Usage Fees: Revenue from court reservations and play time for tennis, pickleball, padel, ping pong, and beach tennis. Customers pay per session or through membership plans.
2. Memberships: Membership programs offering different tiers for frequent players, occasional players, and beginners. Members receive priority access and benefits across the campus.
3. Food and Beverage: On-campus dining experiences curated by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani. Multiple eateries offering courtside bites and sit-down restaurant service, with a better-for-you inspired menu.
4. Retail Sales: Equipment retail including Wilson Sporting Goods products, racquet fitting services, and stringing bar for tennis racquets. Multi-racquet sport retail experience on campus.
5. Events and Tournaments: Hosting tournaments, leagues, clinics, and professional competitions. Revenue from event entry fees, spectator attendance, and associated programming.
6. Good to Great Tennis Academy Programs: World-class tennis coaching and youth development programs through the Good to Great Tennis Academy partnership, including junior academy and professional training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Swing Racquet + Paddle operates a 44-acre multi-racquet sports campus in Raleigh, NC offering 28 tennis courts (including European Red Clay), 25 indoor pickleball courts, 15 padel courts, beach tennis courts, and a 10-table ping pong lounge. The campus combines these court-based sports with food and beverage experiences curated by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, Wilson Sporting Goods retail, and the Good to Great Tennis Academy's coaching programs. Revenue is generated through court usage fees, memberships, on-site food and beverage, retail sales, and tournament/event programming.

Product overview

Swing Racquet + Paddle is a first-of-its-kind Sportstainment™ facility that combines multiple racquet and paddle sports—Tennis (28 courts including European Red Clay), Pickleball (25 indoor courts), Padel (15 courts), Beach Tennis, and Ping Pong (10 tables)—with Fabio Viviani-curated dining experiences, Wilson Sporting Goods retail with racquet fitting services, and the Good to Great Tennis Academy for coaching. The 44-acre flagship campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, serves as both a competition venue and community hub, offering memberships for players of all skill levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sportstainment™: A sports-first approach combining racquet and paddle sports with entertainment, food, and beverage experiences.

Products and services

• Tennis Courts 28 tennis courts on the Swing campus, including authentic European Red Clay surfaces, available to players of all skill levels through court reservations and memberships.
• Pickleball Courts 25 indoor pickleball courts offering all-weather playing opportunities for the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., accessible via court reservations and memberships.
• Padel Courts 15 padel courts offering the world's fastest-growing racquet sport experience in a covered outdoor setting, available through court reservations and memberships.
• Ping Pong Lounge 10 ping pong tables in a dedicated lounge space for casual and competitive table tennis play at the Swing campus.
• Beach Tennis Beach tennis and volleyball courts providing a unique sand-based racquet sport experience at the Swing campus.
• Food & Beverage Experience Multiple on-campus eateries offering food and beverage curated by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, with a better-for-you inspired menu spanning courtside bites to sit-down restaurant service.
• Good to Great Tennis Academy World-class tennis coaching and youth development program operated in partnership with the Swedish Good to Great Tennis Academy, featuring the C.A.R.E. philosophy (Concentration, Attitude, Respect, Energy) and led by coaches Magnus Norman, Nicklas Kulti, and Mikael Tillström.
• Wilson Sporting Goods Retail Experience On-campus multi-racquet sport retail experience featuring Wilson Sporting Goods equipment, a first-of-its-kind racquet fitting service, and a Stringing Bar for tennis racquets.
• Membership Programs Subscription-based membership tiers providing priority court access and benefits across the campus, designed for daily players, occasional players, and beginners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expected to drive $360 million of economic impact in first 3 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship.

• Donald Thompson Jr. (Advisory Board)minorOthers · 15 October 2024Donald Thompson Jr., co-founder and CEO of the Diversity Movement, appointed to advisory board. Brings expertise in business advisory, DEI initiatives, and workplace culture development. Thompson has built an extraordinary career spanning tech sales, IT leadership, digital marketing, and DEI programming.
• Wilson Sporting Goods Co.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2024Strategic partnership with Wilson Sporting Goods Co. for industry-leading racquet sports innovation and R&D. Wilson will have a multi-racquet sport retail experience on campus featuring the latest equipment innovations, a first-of-its-kind racquet fitting experience, and a Stringing Bar for tennis racquets. This partnership positions Wilson at the consumer touchpoint while supporting their product development efforts.
• Good to Great Tennis AcademyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2023Partnership with renowned Swedish tennis academy to establish their first North American base at Swing's flagship campus. GTG founders (Magnus Norman, Nicklas Kulti, Mikael Tillström) provide foundational expertise for a co-branded tennis academy experience. The academy has developed top players including Stan Wawrinka (3-time Grand Slam winner), Rebecca Peterson, and Grigor Dimitrov. GTG's C.A.R.E. philosophy (Concentration, Attitude, Respect, Energy) provides life skills development for youth players.
• Fabio Viviani / Fabio Viviani HospitalityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2023Celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, known for Top Chef appearances and restaurant empire, leads Swing's food and beverage component. Viviani is creating a better-for-you inspired menu designed to complement the racquet sports experience - indulgent yet lighter options using high-quality ingredients. His signature flair brings culinary credibility that elevates the overall Sportstainment concept.
• Ken May (Advisory Board)minorOthers · 1 July 2022Former Topgolf CEO Ken May joined the advisory board. During his four-year Topgolf tenure, he added 35 new venues and increased revenue tenfold. His expertise in sportstainment development provides strategic guidance for Swing's growth.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chicken N Pickle: Multi-sport entertainment concept combining pickleball courts with restaurants, bars, and event spaces — overlapping almost directly with Swing's racquet + F&B + events positioning, though smaller in scale and currently focused on fewer sports.
• Topgolf: The closest comparable: a sportstainment venue operator combining a sports activity (golf) with F&B and entertainment at scale. Topgolf pioneered the multi-venue expansion playbook Swing's advisory board (former Topgolf CEO Ken May) is now helping Swing replicate for racquet sports.
• Drive Shack: Public owner-operator of golf entertainment venues (including Topgolf-style concepts) competing for the same 'sportstainment' consumer occasion. Drive Shack demonstrates both the demand case and the multi-unit execution challenges Swing will face at scale.

Broad incumbents

• Invited Clubs (formerly ClubCorp): Large operator of private tennis and racquet sports clubs across the US with membership-based access and ancillary F&B. Invited is the incumbent benchmark Swing is positioning against in the higher-touch racquet club segment.
• Life Time Fitness: Large fitness and recreational sports club operator with multiple racquet/pickleball courts, F&B, and group programming nationwide. Life Time has the operational depth and multi-unit footprint to enter Swing's niche as a broader incumbent offering overlapping capabilities.

Emerging players

• The Pickleball Club: Indoor pickleball-focused club operator offering memberships, leagues, and coaching. Overlaps with Swing's pickleball programming and demonstrates the niche membership-club model in the same sport category.
• Pickle & Social: Pickleball + social hospitality concept with food and beverage service, mirroring Swing's pickleball + F&B combination at a smaller venue footprint.
• Padel X / Reserve Padel: Emerging US padel-focused club operator building dedicated padel venues and memberships. Directly comparable to Swing's padel component and a potential consolidator or competitor as padel demand grows in the US.
• ROKT Climbing + Fitness: Climbing + restaurant + bar venue concept that combines a single sport with a hospitality-driven social experience — a parallel sportstainment model in a different sport, demonstrating the addressable market for activity-based entertainment concepts like Swing.

Others

• Wilson Sporting Goods: Strategic equipment partner of Swing and one of the largest racquet sports equipment makers globally. Comparable as the upstream equipment ecosystem Swing depends on, and a potential adjacent operator if Wilson expands into direct consumer venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Swing_nc
• Facebookfacebook.com/playatswingflagship
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swingnc
• Instagraminstagram.com/playatswingflagship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swing Racquet + Paddle