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Rick is joined by Daren Hornig of CourtsApp.
CourtsApp, the first AI-powered marketing and booking platform built to modernize court marketing and reservations across the red-hot racquet sports industry, has announced its official launch throughout the New York tri-state area.
Founded by New York entrepreneur and real estate developer Daren Hornig and creative executive Kate Daggett, CourtsApp is designed to eliminate the frustration and friction that have long plagued the tennis and pickleball communities, making it now seamless and easy to reserve a court in any racquet and paddle sport.
CourtsApp also helps facilities grow. By making every court discoverable and bookable, the platform turns unused inventory into real revenue and delivers a steady stream of high-intent players to clubs. With seamless integrations with existing court management systems, full control over pricing and rules, CourtsApp gives operators a simple and efficient way to fill courts and expand their reach. CourtsApp provides its software to the facilities for free and makes a commission on the courts it books.
Currently live to players with more than 1,500 courts across 150+ facilities already signed on throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, CourtsApp will expand from Maine to Florida by the first quarter of 2026 before expanding market-by-market as club density increases. Additional play-in markets, including Southern California, Texas, and the Pacific Northwest, are expected to come online throughout 2026.
Clubs such as the John McEnroe Academy’s flagship location at Sportime Randalls Island, Pickleball America, Padel Haus, all Sportime Pickleball locations and more are currently available for players to reserve courts.
“CourtsApp was born from pure frustration,” said Hornig, Chief Executive Officer of CourtsApp and an avid tennis and pickleball player. “For years, me and my friends struggled to find open courts in real time and near where I wanted to play. We wanted a simple, reliable solution that matched how people already book restaurants, travel, or fitness. Now, with CourtsApp, they finally have one.”
Hornig called CourtsApp the “OpenTable for courts. The Expedia of racquet sports,” and added, “Beyond convenience, CourtsApp connects people; helping friends meet to play, helping communities stay active, and making racquet sports more accessible to everyone. It is also a critical marketing tool for facility owners. Most operators lack the funds and expertise to market effectively in today’s complex digital environment, and CourtsApp does this for them and more. Our goal is to get players on the courts and help clubs keep their courts full. It’s really a win-win scenario for all.”
Daggett, CourtsApp’s Chief Marketing Officer, resides in Connecticut and, like Hornig, is among the 25.7 million Americans who played tennis in 2024, according to the most recent statistics reported by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which was an all-time high and a surge of 1.9 million more than 2023. Pickleball has been consistently named the fastest-growing sport in the nation with an estimated 22.7 million players, an increase of more than 45 percent over the previous year. There are more than 68,000 dedicated pickleball courts in the U.S.
“Racquet sports are booming, but the technology that supports them has not kept up,” commented Daggett. “Players expect the same ease they get everywhere else, and clubs need tools that help them grow. CourtsApp brings both sides together in a modern, intuitive experience that gets more people on the court, more often.”
CourtsApp is also forging integrations with the leading court-management systems nationwide, enabling instant court bookings at participating facilities. CourtsApp is continuing to roll out integrations with leading pickleball and racquet-sport technology platforms. One of the first is DUPR, the pickleball rating system used by more than 1.6 million players and 8,000 clubs. This integration will allow players to bring their verified rating directly into the CourtsApp ecosystem and for players to book courts within DUPR.
A Win for Both Players and Clubs
For clubs, CourtsApp functions as a free, performance-based marketing channel. Facilities can join at no cost, with CourtsApp earning a commission on court time bookings.
For players, CourtsApp provides:
Easy search functions across tennis, pickleball, padel facilities, as well as table tennis, squash, badminton and racquetball
Real-time booking confirmations
Map View
Secure payment via Stripe and Apple Pay
A familiar, “OpenTable-style” user experience
Players and clubs can learn more or join the platform at CourtsApp.com and download CourtsApp from the Apple App Store for iOS and Google Play Store for Android.
Also…
A Smarter Match: CourtsApp and DUPR Form Partnership To Power Verified Pickleball Play Everywhere
Local Courts to Access National-Level Ranking Infrastructure, Building a More Connected Pickleball Ecosystem Where Every Match Counts
CourtsApp also announced a strategic partnership with DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating), the global standard for pickleball ratings and verified match data.
Together, the companies are building a more connected ecosystem for racquet sports, one where every match can count toward verified player progress and help clubs attract more engaged, repeat players. DUPR and CourtsApp share a common mission: reduce friction for players and facilities by connecting access, performance, and community in one integrated environment.
“DUPR has become the gold standard for measuring skill in pickleball, and together we’re making that progress visible right where the game happens, on the court,” said Daren Hornig, CourtsApp founder and CEO. “Clubs are the engine of that growth, and as CourtsApp continues expanding from the NY Tristate area into new markets in 2026, our work with more than 150 clubs and 1,500 courts shows how verified play helps clubs boost utilization and revenue without changing how they operate.”
Through this partnership, CourtsApp will integrate DUPR’s universal rating system directly into its platform, enabling players to:
• Connect DUPR accounts through CourtsApp
• Book courts on DUPR, powered by CourtsApp’s real-time availability engine
• Record match results automatically, creating verified rating histories
• Receive enhanced matchmaking and performance insights over time
For racquet sport facilities, the CourtsApp-DUPR collaboration unlocks new opportunities to:
• Seamlessly integrate CourtsApp’s AI-driven marketing and booking tools across 8,000-plus DUPR partner facilities nationwide
• Host DUPR-eligible matches and Open Plays
• Tap into DUPR’s 1.5 million engaged pickleball players to drive visibility and participation
• Leverage data-driven insights to boost pickleball court utilization and player retention
• Drive incremental revenue as DUPR-engaged players seek more opportunities to play and log verified matches
DUPR CEO Tio Machado said that CourtsApp is building the digital infrastructure that helps the sport grow. “We’re excited to align on the shared mission of connecting players and verified play everywhere,” he said.
Hornig added that when CourtsApp evaluates partnerships, the focus is on partnering with the very best companies in their respective spaces. “The alignment with DUPR is a trifecta as they work with facilities and players, which is the exact audience that CourtsApp focuses on, and within the CourtsApp platform we’re able to add DUPR’s rating to our expanding network of players,” he explained.
Integration work is already underway, with new functionality expected to launch in an upcoming product release. The partnership represents a pivotal step toward a unified racquet sport ecosystem that connects access, performance, community, and technology while helping clubs grow with rising demand for verified play.
DUPR announced it was partnering with USA Pickleball as the official ratings system of all USA Pickleball-owned events.
CourtsApp is available for free in the northeastern United States with more than 150 facilities and 1,500 courts onboarded and accepting bookings for tennis, pickleball and padel courts. CourtsApp will extend from Maine to Florida by the first quarter of 2026 before expanding market-by-market as club density increases. Additional play-in markets, including Southern California, Texas, and the Pacific Northwest, are expected to come online throughout 2026.
