Kotofit

America’s Only Franchise for Badminton & Pickleball.

The Only Dual-Sport Opportunity

A Letter From the Founder

I grew up on a badminton court. Some of my closest friendships came out of years of showing up to play. So when I relocated, I expected something similar. Instead: hours of driving to reach a court, and once there, courts not worth the trip. No real place to belong, let alone play. I wasn’t the only one. Every serious player I talked to had lived some version of the same story.

That’s the gap I set out to close. In 2022, badminton had no real home in the US, not compared to what I’d seen at clubs abroad, with dedicated courts, professional coaching, and a community that showed up for each other week after week. So, we built Kotofit to be that home.

We opened our first location in Jersey City in 2022 with three courts and a simple bet: give players professional-grade courts, a self-serve experience that respects their time, and a community that knows their name, and they’d keep coming back. They did. As that community grew, members kept asking about pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the country, so we added it. What we found is exactly what we’d hoped: two sports, two communities, sharing one home.

What started as one location has grown into six clubs across New Jersey and New York, including our flagship in Long Island City. But the number that matters most to me isn’t one you’ll find in a brochure. It’s the players who’ve stuck with us since Jersey City, the regulars who know each other by name, the beginners who found a group to grow with. That’s what Kotofit is. Not courts. A community.

We’re proud of what we’ve built, and we’re just getting started. We’re looking for partners who see what we saw: a real gap, a real sport, and a real chance to build a place players show up for, week after week. If that’s you, I’d love to talk.

Suyash Gandhi
Founder & CEO, Kotofit

Market Opportunity

A $10B+ Market with No Dominant Operator

Over 25 million players across badminton and pickleball in the US, and barely any purpose-built, professionally operated venues to serve them. Demand outstrips supply by 15-20x. The window to build a national brand is open right now.

Badminton

10M+

ESTIMATED PLAYERS IN THE US.

The world’s largest racket sport has no U.S. franchise home.

• ONLY ~150 DEDICATED FACILITIES NATIONWIDE
• 700 TOTAL COURTS FOR 10M+ PLAYERS
• 30K+ MORE COURTS NEEDED TO MEET DEMAND
• 80% OF PLAYERS CAN’T FIND A PROPER FACILITY
• MASSIVE, UNSERVED DIASPORA COMMUNITY IN EVERY MAJOR METRO
• NO NATIONAL FRANCHISE OPERATOR EXISTS IN THIS SPACE

Pickleball

15M+

PLAYERS GROWING AT 80%+ CAGR

America’s fastest-growing sport, with an infrastructure gap.

• ONLY 1,500 INDOOR FACILITIES NATIONWIDE
• 25K+ MORE INDOOR COURTS NEEDED
• 80%+ CAGR, DEMAND FAR OUTPACING SUPPLY
• CORPORATE, SOCIAL, AND COMPETITIVE PLAY ALL ACCELERATING
• DEMAND IS PROVEN AND EXPANDING INTO NEW DEMOGRAPHICS
• DEMAND GROWTH IS PROVEN. INFRASTRUCTURE NOT KEEPING UP.

Kotofit is the only franchise operator in America dedicated to both sports under one roof.

25M+ combined players. Two audiences. One facility. One brand.

First-mover advantage in a $10B+ market with no national competitor.

Why Kotofit Stands Out

Industry-Leading

EBITDA & Average Unit Volume

2x the margin of best-in-class fitness chains. Built on a lean, automated operating model that drives strong, durable financial performance without the overhead of traditional sports facilities.

Industry-Leading

Payback Period

Among the fastest payback periods in the franchise industry, significantly less time than comparable fitness and sports franchises which typically require 36+ months to recover initial investment.

60%+ Member Repeat Rate

Above-industry retention driven by community, skill ratings, structured programming, and a consistently premium experience. When players find Kotofit, they stay, and come back.

4.9 Google Rating

Consistent across all four locations. Strong community experience and operational standards drive loyalty, word-of-mouth referrals, and organic membership growth that reduces dependence on paid acquisition.

Why Kotofit, Turnkey Operations

Built on Proprietary Systems

Technology & AI-Based Fully Automated System

• 24/7 ‘Silent Host’ model: round the clock operations, and automated booking, no front-desk team required.
• AI-powered customer communication and real-time dashboards, resulting in fully automated customer service.
• Instant-replay cameras and remote facility monitoring allowing you to manage your club from anywhere

Proven Revenue Model, Two Sports, Multiple Streams

• Two sports, one facility: badminton and pickleball reach separate audiences, driving higher utilization per square foot.
• Diversified revenue: memberships, court rentals, leagues, coaching, clinics, and private events.
• Recurring memberships anchor the revenue floor; corporate and school bookings fill off-peak hours at premium margin.

Proprietary Rating & Matchmaking App (DUBR) driving demand & lead generation

• A skill-based rating system for badminton, the DUPR equivalent, every player earns a live DUBR rating from match outcomes.
• Powers in-app matchmaking, tournament seeding, and league management, with one shared rating identity across all Kotofit venues.
• Rated players return 2x more often than unrated members. No other US badminton operator has a proprietary rating system at this level.

Complete Operations Manual built from years of operation

• Club policy, customer service standards, and operational SOPs for every function, from opening procedures to incident handling.
• Playbooks for community management, programming and coaching, marketing, and corporate partnerships.
• Maintenance schedules, vendor protocols, and onboarding and training guides for staff and independent coaches.

No Competitor Has.

Your Success Is Our Success. Full Stop.

Kotofit is a teachable, system-driven model backed by structured training, clear tools, and ongoing guidance, from Day 1 through long-term growth.

Before You Open

• AI-based location analytics tool to identify and score ideal sites
• End-to-end setup support: construction, material procurement, and facility design
• Approved vendor network with pre-negotiated, discounted pricing on all equipment
• Brand standards kit, signage specifications, and facility configuration guidance
• Pre-opening marketing plan and member acquisition strategy

Launch & Training

• 7-day HQ training program covering operations, tech, community, and marketing
• 3-day on-site grand opening support from a Kotofit team member
• Grand opening marketing playbook and launch campaign templates
• Hands-on experience in a live, operating Kotofit facility before you open

Ongoing Growth

• Dedicated Franchise Business Consultant, weekly calls for your first 90 days
• Quarterly performance coaching and business reviews
• Marketing support: templates, campaign strategy, and digital channel guidance
• Field visits to review performance and uphold brand standards
• Active franchisee community to share learnings, wins, and best practices
• Regular system updates, product improvements, and technology support

Our Ideal Franchisee

Kotofit is built for owner-operators who want to be present in the business, visible in the club, and genuinely connected to their local community. You don’t need to be a professional athlete, but you should care about active living, hospitality, and running a clean, well-organized operation.

You’re likely a strong fit if:

• You have experience in sports, coaching, sales, operations, or entrepreneurship, and genuinely enjoy working with people.
• You’re comfortable building relationships, selling memberships, and networking with local players, families, schools, and organizations.
• You can lead a team, manage schedules, and hold staff and coaches to consistent operational standards.
• You take pride in organized, detail-driven operations, from facility presentation to member communication.
• You’re coachable, willing to follow a proven system, and open to ongoing feedback and guidance from the franchisor.
• You see Kotofit as a long-term community asset, not a short-term investment, and are ready to be the face of the brand in your market.
• You have the financial capacity to invest and the drive to build a thriving local sports community from the ground up.

You don’t need prior franchise ownership or racquet-sport expertise, just the drive to learn the model, follow the playbook, and show up for your members every day.

Your Path to Ownership

Launching a Kotofit club is a collaborative, step-by-step process. Most franchisees can expect around 6-9 months from signing to opening, subject to site, permitting, and build-out timelines.

1. Initial Inquiry & Intro Call

Share your background, review the concept, and have an initial conversation about mutual fit and your target market.

2. Evaluation & Application

Complete a franchise application, confirm financial readiness, and align on your target market and timeline with the Kotofit team.

3. FDD Review & Discovery

Review the Franchise Disclosure Document in full, meet the leadership team, and visit a live operating Kotofit location.

4. Territory Approval & Agreement

Confirm and define your exclusive territory, then sign the Franchise Agreement to officially become a Kotofit franchisee.

5. Site Selection & Build-Out

Use Kotofit’s AI-powered location analytics tool to identify and score your site. Complete design, permits, and full build-out to Kotofit standards with franchisor guidance.

6. Training & Pre-Opening Prep

Complete HQ training (1-2 weeks), hire and train your team, execute your pre-opening marketing plan, and prepare for launch day.

7. Grand Opening & Growth

Open with full on-site franchisor support and focus on building memberships, leagues, and a lasting community in your market.

Collaboration over pressure:

The process is consultative, not sales-driven. Both sides should feel confident before moving forward.

Where Champions Are Built

To get started, fill out the franchise form.

This is not a franchise offering. A franchise offering can be made by us only in a state if we are first registered, excluded, exempted or otherwise qualified to offer franchises in that state, and only if we provide you with an appropriate franchise disclosure document. Follow-up or individualized responses to you that involve either effecting or attempting to effect the sale of a franchise will be made only if we are first in compliance with state registration requirements, or are covered by an applicable state exclusion or exemption.