Sports clubs in New York.
15 clubs, and when they meet. Most meet on weekday evenings, around Central Park, Prospect Park, Upper West Side. Most are free to join. The ones without a fixed day are listed below, linked to where they announce. Subscribe to this calendar →
What to expect.
Pickup and drop-in sport in New York: volleyball, basketball, soccer, ultimate, badminton, tennis, pickleball and more. Pickup means you turn up and play; there is no season, no roster and usually no fee beyond a share of the court.
The listing gives the day and time. The group's own page gives the venue for the week and whether numbers are capped, which is worth a glance before you travel.
All 15 sports clubs in New York.
A to Z, in each club's own words. Every one links to the club, and every day and time is the one the club publishes.
Saturday late-morning tennis at Seton Park in Riverdale, year round when the courts are dry. The organiser pairs people by level, and the group is aimed at people still learning.
Saturdays, 11am · The Bronx · Free · meetup.com →Saturday-morning pickup soccer at Cadman Plaza Park with bibs and goals provided. Not for beginners, and no sliding tackles.
Saturdays, time varies · Brooklyn Heights · $5 · meetup.com →Casual Sunday-afternoon ultimate on the lawn by the Picnic House in Prospect Park. Beginners are explicitly welcome and games stay informal.
Sundays, 1pm · Prospect Park · Free · meetup.com →Casual co-ed softball in Central Park on Saturday afternoons from April to September. No experience needed; the emphasis is on good attitudes and not arguing calls.
Saturdays, 4pm · Central Park · Free · meetup.com →Co-ed, no-score pickup soccer with several standing weekly games: early Sunday at Asphalt Green on the Upper East Side, Sunday and Friday mornings at Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Saturday mornings at Queensbridge Park. Games are free or a few dollars to cover permits.
Several games a week: Sun 6:45am Asphalt Green (free), Sun 8am and Fri 7:30am Pier 5 Brooklyn Bridge Park, Sat 9am Queensbridge Park · $7 · meetup.com →Men's indoor pickup basketball on Monday and Wednesday evenings in the high school gym on Center Boulevard in Hunters Point, during the school year. Pay per session, no season commitment.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 7pm · Long Island City · $10 · meetup.com →Sunday-afternoon pickup sport on Randall's Island, usually soccer, frisbee or volleyball, run by a Christian group that prays at the start and end. You do not need to be Christian to play, and games are pitched at beginners and intermediates.
Sundays, time varies · Free · meetup.com →Laid-back weekday-morning pickup, roughly 10v10 on a half field, at Sternberg Park in Williamsburg on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mostly intermediate to advanced players.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:30am · Williamsburg · $3 · meetup.com →A social tennis group that hits early on Sunday mornings at the Brian Watkins Tennis Center in East River Park, then goes for coffee. Rotating-partner doubles days and other sessions are added through the month.
Sundays, time varies · Lower East Side · Free · heylo.com →Sunday-morning casual baseball on Randall's Island for people who want to play without joining a serious team. Two organisers have run it for over a decade; a few dollars per session covers the field.
Sundays, time varies · $5 · meetup.com →Saturday-afternoon badminton and pickleball on the volleyball courts beside the Central Park Bandshell. Nets and spare rackets are provided and there is usually a picnic blanket of snacks.
Saturdays, 12pm · Central Park · Free · meetup.com →Casual co-ed 2v2 and 4v4 sand volleyball in Riverside Park near 103rd Street. Summer play is on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends; it shifts to weekdays in the colder months.
Apr–Sep: Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends; Oct–Mar: weekdays. Dates posted on Meetup · Upper West Side · Free · meetup.com →Sunday-afternoon tennis and pickleball at the Juniper Valley Park courts in Middle Village, Queens, run by the New York Sports Meetup Group. Free and open to all levels.
Sundays, 4pm · Free · meetup.com →Weekend-afternoon pickup soccer on Field 8 of the Parade Ground just south of Prospect Park, all year, rain or shine. Everyone rotates through goal; pitched at intermediate and advanced players.
Saturdays and Sundays, 3pm · Prospect Park · $1 · meetup.com →Riverside Volley: free, low-key volleyball on the sand and asphalt courts at 105th/106th Street in Riverside Park through the warm months. All genders and skill levels; they are strict about honouring RSVPs.
Seasonal (spring to early October) at the Riverside Park 105th St courts; dates posted on Meetup · Upper West Side · Free · meetup.com →
Questions people actually ask.
Do I need to be good?
Most pickup groups post a level, and most say all levels. Where a game is competitive, its listing says so. If in doubt, go once and watch the first game.
Do I need to sign up in advance?
Sometimes. Indoor courts have a cap, and groups that book one often ask you to RSVP on their page. Outdoor pickup almost never does.
What does it cost?
Usually a few dollars towards the court or the field permit, collected on the day. Outdoor games in a public park are typically free.
Every listing links straight to the club. Know a sports club in New York we don’t? Add it.