Inside Ballers, Philly’s Epic New Sports and Social Club

Ballers is a newly opened sports and social club inside the Battery. / Photography by Peter Sherno (unless noted otherwise)

As interest in pickleball and padel continue to soar, Philadelphians now have another place to hone their skills and build community. And this one is super luxe.

Say hello to Ballers, the newly opened sports and social club inside Fishtown’s the Battery and backed by athletes including Andre Agassi and Tyrese Maxey. Though the complex officially debuted in September, it’s celebrating its grand opening this weekend — and ahead of it, we got a look inside the epic venue. Here’s everything Ballers has to offer.

The first thing you’ll notice when you enter is the turf field lined with graffiti-covered walls. The area can be used for soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey, as well as events.

Also on the ground floor is the electric restaurant and bar, plus lounge seating and awesome views of the turf field.

The bar

Must-try menu items include the crispy Brussels sprouts, hot pretzel popovers, chicken paillard, the poutine, and the warm brownie topped with ice cream.

Brussels sprouts and cacio e pepe waffle fries (left); ice cream brownie sundae / Photographs by Laura Brzyski

The second floor brings you to a real showstopper: six championship-style pickleball courts, three padel courts, two squash courts, four golf simulators, and a full-sized putting green with real sand bunkers.

These amenities span the 55,000 square feet of the iconic Turbine Hall, part of the Battery, which was once the largest power plant in the PECO system. Turbine Hall — and the Battery at large — has been given a second life, with what the Ballers team calls an “industrial urban-chic aesthetic.”

Golf simulator and lounge area

The putting green

A squash court

The second floor is also home to a cafe stocked with salads, wraps, juices, protein shakes and similar drinks, and coffee.

The cafe

Exclusive to members is the gym, which is equipped by Technogym, a locker room with an infrared sauna, cold-plunge tank, and showers, and a recovery lounge.

The gym / Photograph by Laura Brzyski

A locker room / Photograph by Ian Kozlik and Dane Mechali

Ballers is the brainchild of David Gutstadt and Amanda Potter, the powerhouse couple behind projects such as Fitler Club and the redesign of The Bellevue and its athletic center, The Sporting Club. The duo — who got married at Ballers last month (epic!) — was inspired by the intersection between sports currently seeing massive interest, like pickleball and padel, and community.

“Racquet sports have always been a passion of mine, so when we saw the opportunity to marry the powerful trend and innovations in urban social sports including pickleball, padel, and golf with our expertise in design and community-building, we went all in on Ballers,” says Gutstadt, who also serves as CEO. “The incredible response to our pop-up last year showed us that people are craving this connection through sports, and we’re excited to show that when paired with unparalleled hospitality, athletics can go beyond just leagues, lessons, or court time.”

The community focus is palpable when you step into the facility — watching people play on the courts or turf field, or in the golf area, or sharing a meal and conversation in the restaurant — but it’s also built into the visitation model. Yes, there are membership options — they start at $120 per month and include perks like exclusive access to the gym, locker rooms, recovery section, advanced booking, and members-only events — but most of Ballers is open to the general public. Non-members can book court, turf, and golf time, as well as dine at the restaurant and bar.

There are also community events, including those happening this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, swing by for free play, discounts on retail and gear, fun activations, and appearances by former Eagle Terrell Owens and pickleball star Connor Garnett.

Find more information about visiting Ballers or becoming a member here.

Ballers is located at 1325 North Beach Street, inside the Battery, in Fishtown.