Pickleball Around the Clock: SPF Opens Chicago’s First Autonomous Club in Irving Park

Chicago’s pickleball boom has found a new home in Irving Park.

SPF, the city’s first and largest pickleball and lifestyle club, has expanded again with the opening of SPF All Day, a 24-hour autonomous facility at 3800 N. Milwaukee Ave. The new venue reflects the club’s broader ambition: to transform pickleball from a recreational pastime into a neighborhood-centered social space where players can gather at any hour.

As the sport continues its rapid rise across the country, SPF has positioned itself at the center of Chicago’s growing pickleball culture, developing spaces designed not just for competition but for connection. The Irving Park location builds on that vision, offering a modern facility where technology and accessibility meet community-focused programming.

SPF All Day introduces a concept still rare in urban recreation: a fully autonomous pickleball club. Players can access the courts 24 hours a day through a digital entry system supported by advanced monitoring and security technology, allowing members to schedule games and play on their own time.

For SPF co-founder Rich Green, the project represents a long-held goal.

“Bringing autonomous technology to a pickleball facility has long been a goal of ours at SPF,” Green said. “The technology we are using in this state-of-the-art facility will help players not only improve their game and get more access to pickleball courts, but it will also allow us to deepen our support of the first responders in our communities who give so much to us every day.”

That community focus extends beyond the courts. In recognition of their service, Chicago first responders will receive complimentary “All Night” passes, granting late-night and early-morning access to the facility.

The Irving Park location will also feature two championship-dimension courts, among the first of their kind in Chicago, and will serve as home to the SPF Training Academy. The academy will be led by local professionals Emir Hamzic and Martin Stanchev and will offer structured instruction for players at every level, from newcomers learning the basics to experienced competitors refining their technique.

The Irving Park opening arrives during a period of steady growth for SPF. The club recently opened a Hyde Park location and plans to launch a West Loop facility in early 2026, part of a broader strategy to create a network of interconnected clubs across the city.

A new all-access membership program will allow players to move freely between SPF locations, reflecting the organization’s goal of building a citywide pickleball community rather than isolated venues.

Additional information about memberships and upcoming locations is available at playspf.com and through SPF’s social media channels.

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