Our garbage gym Lifetime Centreville is ripping out the indoor basketball courts and replacing it with all pickleball

[Anonymous]

I have no dog in the pickleball fight but I mentioned this thread to my friend yesterday who works out at Lifetime in Fairfax City and she said the check in desk person was handing people brochures for the Reston gym which she thought was odd at the time and asked if the gym was closing, was told no. They must have those at the front as info for people unhappy about basketball.

I would say the Reston gym is about to get awfully crowded, if they are sending people from 3 or 4 different gyms to Reston instead.

[Anonymous]

You admitted to someone IRL that you post here?

[Anonymous]

Does Sterling still have basketball courts and child care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Sterling still have basketball courts and child care?

They are getting rid of all basketball at Sterling, Fairfax and Centreville. All of those gyms still have childcare (for now), but it sounds like they have designated some less-expensive gyms as Geriatric, Pickleball Centers and those will likely have the senio Arora programming as well. The Potomac gym that went geriatric got rid of chilcare. So the writing's on the wall for childcare at the gyms that are focusing on pickleball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of outdoor basketball courts- why not use those?

I am not a pickleball fan (it's like twice as loud as tennis!) but our outdoor courts are packed.

It sounds like they're not interested in appealing to kids or teens.

Lots of outdoor pickleball courts

You can't play pickleball in severe weather like today or too hot, snowy etc. Indoor is the way to get game

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of outdoor basketball courts- why not use those?

I am not a pickleball fan (it's like twice as loud as tennis!) but our outdoor courts are packed.

It sounds like they're not interested in appealing to kids or teens.

Lots of outdoor pickleball courts

You can't play pickleball in severe weather like today or too hot, snowy etc. Indoor is the way to get game

There is nothing different as far as pickleball and basketball for playing indoors or outdoors (except high level basketball does need a decent surface or people get hurt falling on asphalt). The difference is Lifetime has figured out how to make more money off pickleball then its "open use included in the regular price" basketball courts. It sounds like they are planning on charging a special more expensive membership to be able to reserve courts, and then more fees to play in leagues, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were members of Fairfax lifetime and our dues were $265 last year for two adults one kid.

That's a good price....for a year membership.

that's the monthly rate. that's why people are so surprised Lifetime is bleeding money and trying to rebrand as more of a senior citizen day center.

ding ding ding! But these people die. I guess get all the money you can before they die is the business model? Not bad.

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of drama and work involved with pickle ball so lifetime must really think its worth the cost of renovating and people dropping their memberships. Just think of all the supervising and scheduling of the court use, all day long, plus running the leagues. Takes manpower. Someone playing pickup or working out on a treadmill doesn't involve labor costs.

[Anonymous]

I don’t play pickle ball or basketball so I don’t have a horse in this race, but there’s about to be, or maybe already is, a silver tsunami, so I can see businesses prioritizing the 50+ age group over children, when birth rates are dropping. Older people have the time and the money. The American population is aging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t play pickle ball or basketball so I don’t have a horse in this race, but there’s about to be, or maybe already is, a silver tsunami, so I can see businesses prioritizing the 50+ age group over children, when birth rates are dropping. Older people have the time and the money. The American population is aging.

Especially with how selfish Boomers are. They certainly don't care about kids well-being or giving back to the community or pitching in for a better tomorrow. Thwack thwack thwack thwack.

[Anonymous]

People, hot off the presses. My DD just got back from to the Dulles/Sterling gym and she says they were telling everyone who checked in that the basketball courts weren't going to be available starting in October but that they could go to Reston for basketball, and there was a flier they were giving out with all the Reston amenities. There was an irate dad with a kid waiting for the manager.

Sucks for the Reston crowd and for everyone else who now has to schlep to Reston to use something that used to be right around the corner.

[Anonymous]

Pickle ball is such dumb boomer sport. All these geezers could just go for a walk, but no, they have to drive to the gym, and pollute air on the way there and then also fill the gym with their flatulent twacks.

[Anonymous]

LOL at flatulent twack

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lifetime Reston member and recreation business person. It’s all about programming. More people likely interested in pickleball and most likely, despite PP sample size of just her family, the basketball court was way underutilized.. they are thinking about the ,membership as a whole and the way to tap in to demand.

Also. Don’t c9me to Reston. We don’t need you.

Sounds like its about to be your problem too.

Damn, the Reston gym is so crowded already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lifetime Reston member and recreation business person. It’s all about programming. More people likely interested in pickleball and most likely, despite PP sample size of just her family, the basketball court was way underutilized.. they are thinking about the ,membership as a whole and the way to tap in to demand.

Also. Don’t c9me to Reston. We don’t need you.

Oh honey, Lifetime's whole business plan here is to send the unwashed basketball-playing masses and rock climbing families and kids camp and birthday party people from Dulles, Fairfax and Centreville all to your gym to use your amenities. They must have calculated excess capacity or something.

When you are dismissive of someone else's problem and then it becomes your problem.