On a humid Thursday afternoon in Southern California, a steady thrum of sneakers on hardwood echoes through a high-ceilinged gym. At center court, a referee blows the whistle, and two adult players—clad in black and white jerseys—set up for a jump ball. The scoreboard is lit. The teams are balanced. The game begins, and it feels like the start of something meaningful.
This is not your average gym. It’s PickUp USA Fitness—a basketball-focused franchise that’s reshaping the way America plays the game. At the helm of this movement is Jordan Meinster, a lifelong basketball enthusiast turned entrepreneur, who has built PickUp USA into a national brand with a singular promise: a better way to play.
“Most people don’t realize how fragmented the basketball experience is for adults,” Meinster tells me, leaning forward in his chair. “You show up at an open gym, and you might wait 45 minutes just to get a game in. There’s no structure, no fairness, no officiating. We saw an opportunity to change that.”
The Spark That Lit the Flame
Meinster’s story isn’t one of sudden fame or Silicon Valley fanfare. It’s a tale of bootstrapping, refinement, and sheer tenacity. In 2012, disenchanted by the chaos of adult basketball and inspired by a desire to fuse business with passion, he opened the first PickUp USA Fitness gym in Irwindale, California.
“I didn’t have a trust fund or venture capital,” he says plainly. “I just had this belief that organized, high-quality basketball could be a scalable business—and that there were millions of players like me, underserved by the current options.”
That belief proved prescient. Over the next few years, Meinster and his team iterated on every aspect of the business—from officiated games and training programs to franchisee support systems. By 2016, they were ready to scale. Franchising wasn’t just the next step—it was the step.
“We didn’t want to just be a gym. We wanted to be a movement,” he says.
The Model That Works
PickUp USA Fitness isn’t a conventional fitness brand. It’s a vertically integrated basketball experience, offering adult players organized, officiated pickup games with referees, scorekeeping, and timed intervals. For youth, it offers private and group training, as well as a structured seasonal program called the Youth Development Basketball League (YDL).
“Kids thrive in environments that are fun, consistent, and developmental,” Meinster says. “And adults want to compete in a way that’s fair and efficient. We give both groups exactly what they’re looking for.”
It’s this dual-market focus—youth and adult—that separates PickUp USA from traditional gyms or sports complexes. But even more powerful is its franchise infrastructure.
Each gym follows a proven operational model. Franchisees receive detailed playbooks, training, on-call support, marketing templates, and proprietary systems that leave little to guesswork. From site selection and buildout to social media campaigns and sales tracking, everything is mapped out.
“We’re not just selling a court,” Meinster emphasizes. “We’re helping build a complete business system with elite-level support.”
That support pays off. Franchisees report strong unit economics, streamlined operations, and a brand that resonates deeply with local basketball communities.
A White Space Opportunity
In a $35 billion fitness industry dominated by big-box gyms and boutique concepts, PickUp USA has carved out a niche—what Meinster calls a white space.
“There are thousands of fitness franchises,” he says. “But none are focused on basketball at scale, especially not the way we are. No one else is offering officiated pickup games in a structured environment. That’s our blue ocean.”
Indeed, while competitors like LA Fitness or 24-Hour Fitness offer courts, they lack the structure and consistency that PickUp USA delivers. Youth programs? Often outsourced. Adult leagues? Sporadic at best. Meanwhile, PickUp USA offers the full package—training, competition, and community—all under one roof.
And that’s the secret sauce: structure + support + soul.
Technology as a Catalyst
Meinster isn’t just a basketball purist. He’s also a systems thinker, and much of the brand’s growth can be attributed to its smart use of technology.
From digital onboarding tools and automated marketing funnels to integrated scheduling platforms and financial dashboards, technology powers nearly every part of the franchise model.
“We’ve invested heavily in tech to reduce friction for both customers and franchisees,” Meinster explains. “It allows our owners to spend less time troubleshooting and more time growing their business.”
Technology also plays a role in sustainability. The brand emphasizes LED lighting, energy-efficient HVAC systems, digital waivers to reduce paper, and eco-friendly cleaning supplies—all moves that lower costs while shrinking environmental impact.
“Our goal is to run gyms that are financially strong and environmentally smart,” he adds.
A Mission with Meaning
But at its core, PickUp USA isn’t just about margins or market share. It’s about community.
“In every city we open, we’re creating a space where people feel like they belong,” Meinster says. “Whether you’re a 12-year-old learning how to dribble or a 35-year-old trying to relive your glory days, there’s a place for you in our gyms.”
The Youth Development League, in particular, has become a cornerstone of that mission. Blending competitive play with developmental instruction, it’s designed to help kids build skills, confidence, and sportsmanship in a supportive, structured environment.
“Parents love it because it’s organized and meaningful. Kids love it because it’s fun and helps them grow,” he says.
Challenges, Then and Now
That’s not to say the road has been smooth. Like any franchise system, PickUp USA has faced its share of obstacles—chief among them, buildout costs and occupancy expenses.
“We learned early that keeping startup costs lean is key to franchisee success,” Meinster explains. “We walk every owner through the real estate process, help negotiate leases, source cost-effective vendors, and guide them on financing. It’s hands-on from day one.”
Even after launch, the support continues. PickUp USA helps franchisees analyze every operating line item—utilities, insurance, payroll—looking for efficiency gains that strengthen profitability.
“This is a high-touch franchise system,” Meinster says. “Our success is built on their success.”
What It Takes to Win
So, what separates the successful franchisees from the struggling ones? According to Meinster, it comes down to three things: work ethic, discipline, and passion.
“You don’t need to be a basketball expert, but you do need to care,” he says. “You need to be in the gym, leading your team, and engaging with your community. This is a people business, and the energy you bring will reflect in your results.”
He pauses, then adds: “The best operators love the game. They believe in the mission. And they show up—every single day.”
The Future of Fitness Franchising
As we enter the second half of the 2020s, the franchise landscape is evolving. Consumers are craving more personalization, more community, and more specialization. PickUp USA is poised to meet all three.
“People aren’t just paying for access anymore,” Meinster explains. “They’re paying for experience. And we’ve built an experience that’s authentic, scalable, and deeply relevant to basketball players across the country.”
Franchise investors are also getting savvier. They’re looking for models with operational clarity, brand integrity, and real-time support. PickUp USA offers all three—and then some.
“This isn’t a trend. It’s a sustainable business, backed by a decade of data and real-world execution,” Meinster says confidently.
Next Up: Smarter Growth
The roadmap ahead for PickUp USA is all about smart growth. That means expanding selectively, refining operational benchmarks, and helping each new gym thrive—not just open.
“We’re not trying to be the biggest—we’re trying to be the best,” Meinster says. “It’s not about unit count. It’s about unit performance.”
Plans include deeper franchisee training, enhanced analytics, and new youth programming to deepen customer engagement. There’s also talk of strategic partnerships, athlete endorsements, and potential international expansion—though Meinster is quick to caution that quality will always come before speed.
“Franchising isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon,” he says. “And we’ve trained for this.”
Final Whistle
As our interview winds down, a new group of players enters the gym, greeted by staff with clipboards and smiles. The buzzer sounds, and the next round of games begins. For them, it’s a chance to play. For Meinster, it’s a vision realized—over a decade in the making.
“This is what it’s all about,” he says, motioning to the court. “Basketball has always been more than a game. It’s community. It’s structure. It’s joy. And now, it’s a business that’s changing lives—on both sides of the ball.”
In a world filled with noise and novelty, PickUp USA stands for something simple, powerful, and lasting: a better way to play.
