Sports
CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated Partners With CityPickle to Expand Urban Pickleball Access in NYC
CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated partners with CityPickle to expand NYC pickleball access, adding Central Park, Times Square and LIC courts to easy online booking.
New York City’s pickleball boom is getting a little easier to navigate. CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated, a North America–wide platform for booking sports facilities, announced a strategic partnership with CityPickle that will bring several of the operator’s most recognizable NYC courts onto CatchCorner’s reservation network.
The launch includes three CityPickle locations: Wollman Rink in Central Park, the flagship facility in Times Square, and indoor courts in Long Island City. A fourth site at Brooklyn Bridge is expected to open soon, expanding the footprint even further. The idea is simple: players can discover and book court time through CatchCorner in “just a few clicks,” with real-time availability and built-in payment options.
Why this partnership matters
Pickleball’s growth has been fueled by accessibility, but in dense cities the biggest barrier is often logistics: finding courts, knowing what’s available, and actually locking in a time slot. By pairing CityPickle’s high-profile, high-traffic venues with CatchCorner’s booking infrastructure, the partnership aims to reduce friction for everyone from first-timers to regular players.
CatchCorner CEO Jonathan Azouri framed CityPickle as a key player in expanding access, pointing to the way the operator is repurposing iconic city spaces into “dynamic hubs for sport, community, and social connection.” CityPickle’s Director of Strategic Operations, Nate Hamowy, echoed that community-first approach, saying the company’s mission is to create a place where “everyone can enjoy the game,” and that CatchCorner’s platform helps players find and connect across sports.
The bigger trend: racquet sports go urban
The announcement also signals a broader shift in how racquet sports are being built into city life. Instead of relying solely on traditional clubs or hard-to-access public courts, operators are increasingly activating prominent locations and creating event-like environments around play. In a place like NYC—where space is scarce and demand is high—partnerships like this can be the difference between pickleball feeling like a trend and pickleball becoming a permanent part of the city’s recreation ecosystem.
What to watch for next
- Brooklyn Bridge expansion: The upcoming fourth location could be a major demand driver, especially if it mirrors the visibility and foot traffic of the Central Park and Times Square sites.
- More venue additions: CatchCorner’s model is built for scale. If the CityPickle rollout performs well, it could accelerate additional urban racquet-sport partnerships.
- Community programming: The most successful city courts tend to pair bookings with leagues, clinics, and social play—expect more structured programming as these venues attract new players.
Players looking to reserve court time can do so through CatchCorner’s platform at www.catchcorner.comor via the CatchCorner app on the App Store and Google Play.
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