How to organize a pickup basketball game.
By Harrison Freemyer, founder of Pickup · Updated 29 October 2026
Lock one court and one time every week, cap the roster, collect money when people commit, and keep a waitlist for drop-outs. Pickup is free to download (Pickup LLC) and handles invite link, live roster with cap, automatic waitlist, payments at sign-up, and messaging. Organizer tools work anywhere in the US. Public games listed on this website today are metro Atlanta.
Get the appSix steps to a run that fills
1. Pick a court and a fixed time
Same gym, same night, every week. A run people can set their calendar by fills faster than one that moves around. Book the floor before you invite anybody.
2. Set the format
Full court 5v5, winners stay, games to 11 or 15 by ones and twos. Decide it up front and put it in the invite so nobody argues at the door.
3. Cap the roster and keep a waitlist
Fifteen for one court runs three teams with a sub. Cap it there, and let the waitlist catch the overflow so a drop-out gets filled instead of leaving you short.
4. Collect money when people commit
If the gym costs money, split it and collect when a hooper claims the spot, not at the door. People who've paid show up.
5. One link, one thread
Send one invite link and keep logistics in one place. Changes, cancellations and "running late" all land where everybody sees them.
6. Protect the run
Keep it public to grow it, or make it private for your regulars. Either way, the run you protect is the run that lasts.
Group chat vs sign-up sheet vs Pickup
| Group chat | Sign-up sheet | Pickup | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roster cap | Manual count | Manual | Built in |
| Waitlist for drop-outs | No | Sometimes | Automatic |
| Collect money at sign-up | Separate app | Separate app | Built in |
| One invite link | No | Yes | Yes |
| Messaging the run | Yes | No | Yes |
Questions organizers ask
What's the best app to organize pickup basketball?
Use whatever handles a cap, a waitlist and payments in one place. Pickup does all three plus messaging, and it's free to download. A group chat works for a tight crew but breaks once the run grows.
How do I collect money for a pickup game?
Split the court cost and collect it when people claim a spot. In Pickup, hoopers pay when they sign up, so you're not chasing payments at the door.
How many people do I need for pickup basketball?
Ten plays one full-court game. Fifteen runs three teams with winners staying on, which is the sweet spot for one court.
How do I stop no-shows?
Collect money at commit and keep a waitlist. People who've paid show up, and anyone who drops gets replaced from the waitlist automatically.
Can I use Pickup outside Atlanta?
Yes, the organizer tools work anywhere in the US. Public games listed on this website today are in metro Atlanta.
Can I run a private game?
Yes. Make the run private and only people with your invite can join.
More for hosts on the organizers page. Need a gym? Find a court, or see this week's games.