As pickleball continues to explode across the U.S., one group is quietly becoming a major driver of daytime play and long-term membership: SilverSneakers participants.
SilverSneakers—a fitness program included in many Medicare Advantage plans—gives eligible members free or subsidized access to participating fitness facilities. For pickleball and padel clubs, that means a built-in pipeline of active, motivated players looking for places to play.
How to Bring SilverSneakers Into Your Club
If you’re a facility operator, here’s the practical path to getting started:
- Apply to become a partner: Go through the SilverSneakers provider network (via Tivity Health) and submit your facility for approval
- Set up check-in + tracking: You’ll need a simple front desk process to verify SilverSneakers members and track visits
- Define what’s included: Decide what access looks like—open play only, beginner clinics, or limited programming windows
- Train your staff: This audience often skews newer to the sport, so a welcoming, instructional approach matters
Once approved, your facility is listed in the SilverSneakers network, and members can check in using their SilverSneakers ID just like a gym.
From there, the club gets paid based on member visits and engagement (structure varies slightly depending on the agreement), similar to how traditional gyms monetize check-ins.
What You Should Do Right Now
Most clubs overthink this. The operators seeing success are doing a few simple things:
- Block daytime court hours specifically for SilverSneakers/open play
- Create beginner funnels (Intro to Pickleball → Social Play → Light League)
- Market locally—many eligible players don’t realize pickleball is included
- Lean into community—coffee, seating, and social touchpoints go a long way
Why It Works
This isn’t just incremental traffic—it’s high-quality usage.
SilverSneakers players:
- Show up consistently (huge for utilization)
- Play during off-peak hours
- Engage socially and stick around longer
- Bring others with them
For clubs trying to maximize court usage and build a strong daytime culture, this is one of the easiest wins on the board.
Bottom line: If you’re not plugged into SilverSneakers, you’re likely leaving predictable, recurring play and revenue on the table.