Author: Sienna Lam, Graphics: Anna Szymoniak
The BRB Bottomline: Pickleball has captured the hearts of Americans and the attention of investors. Since the pandemic, the game has experienced a boom in popularity amongst younger generations, marking its transition from a backyard sport to an activity for the masses. Learn about pickleball’s unique effects on the national sporting landscape with a closer look at America’s new favorite pastime.
From Hollywood A-listers to neighborhood grandmas, everyone is flocking to the pickleball courts. Often described as a blend of ping pong, tennis, and badminton, Pickleball was the brainchild of Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, three fathers who invented the game to keep their restless children occupied and active. The sport, characterized by its accessibility and short learning curve, proved an ideal, low-impact activity for older participants. The rise of pickleball marks a profound transformation in America’s larger sporting landscape and is projected to continue its remarkable growth, posing an abundance of business opportunities for brands, investors, and professional and recreational players alike.
America’s New Favorite Pastime
A New Generation Takes the Court
Dubbed “America’s Fastest growing sport,” pickleball has seen the expansion of its player base grow at a staggering rate of 158.6% over a three-year period. Since 2022, pickleball has amassed an impressive total player base of 36.5 million Americans, with an uptick particularly in younger demographics. As the average age of pickleball players skews younger, the sport’s reputation as being secondary to more mainstream counterparts has gradually faded. Three years ago, players above 55 constituted 19.8% of the player base, the largest age bracket. However, the conditions brought about by the pandemic contributed enormously to pickleball’s appeal, catalyzing a wave of participation amongst younger demographics. In 2023, players aged 18-34 constituted the largest age bracket of pickleball players, at 28.8% of the total player base. With social distancing measures in place, pickleball provided an accessible, safe environment where Americans could interact while staying in shape. Pickleball’s reputation as a sport exclusively for senior citizens began to crumble as younger Americans embraced it and ushered in a new era of popularity.
Graph: The number of pickleball players in the US increased from 3,132,000 to 8,900,000 between 2017 to 2022.
Pickleball’s Allure
While the global pandemic in 2020 had a significant role in pickleball’s rise, the sport also possesses several unique features that have contributed to its explosive growth. But what exactly are these features, and how have they generated a cult-like following amongst a remarkably diverse group of people?
For starters, pickleball’s unique accessibility contributes to its universal appeal. Unlike other racket sports, the short learning curve invites players with minimal prior experience to pick up the rules and flow of the game quickly. In terms of mechanics, the relatively straightforward racket technique and slow speed of the ball reduce the importance of reflexes and hand-eye coordination as key factors to win, allowing those with less athletic ability to participate. Additionally, the smaller dimensions of the court welcome less agile, older participants with hindered mobility to play.
Furthermore, the sport satisfies a diverse set of consumer needs. First, pickleball is not an equipment-intensive sport, and the equipment required is relatively inexpensive. On average, the price of a pickleball racket is less than that of a tennis racket. In addition to its affordability, pickleball can be played on existing tennis courts, reducing the immediate need to invest in additional infrastructure. Moreover, pickleball courts, roughly one-fourth the size of a tennis court, quadruple the number of players able to participate. In contrast, In a competitive tennis setting, a maximum of four players can occupy a court.
Where Rallies Meet Returns
New Facilities to Accommodate Growing Demand
If one thing is certain, it’s that Pickleball is here to stay, and court construction is rapidly underway to keep up with growing demand. The USA Pickleball Annual Growth Report has documented 11,885 existing court locations, which translates to 50,003 individual courts across the nation. However, a large portion of these courts are temporary venues at various locations including tennis clubs, gyms, and local parks. In 2023 alone, $300 million was invested in the development of new pickleball-exclusive facilities.
Despite these expansions, court development in urban areas has faced obstacles in keeping pace with the growing demand for pickleball. The rate of dedicated pickleball courts per 10,000 in highly metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles lags behind national averages by 98%. “Over $900 million of investment” is required to meet future demand, according to Bandon Mackie, co-founder and COO of Pickleheads, an online community for all things pickleball.
“Dinking” Outside the Box
To address the problems posed by the growing demand for pickleball, initiatives have sprouted across the nation to creatively meet the needs of pickleball fanatics. Picklemall, for one, is a startup aiming to revamp bleak shopping malls and storefronts, transforming these spaces into vibrant hubs for pickleball players and resuscitating local economies.
Additionally, the rise of “dink and drink”, or “eatertainment” businesses like Chicken N Pickle and Camp Pickle have begun to emerge nationwide. These venues feature a space that combines a restaurant, sports bar, and pickleball courts, offering players a greater sense of community and avenues for socialization. Currently, there are ten Chicken N Pickle venues nationwide and there are six more that are set to be established by 2025.
A Chicken N Pickle location in Wichita, Kansas
Pickleball’s Retail Revolution
Pickleball’s market appeal has also opened avenues for its expansion and caught the eye of of America’s largest retailers. Adam Franklin, president of Franklin Sports, has been quoted saying that “pickleball is a real unicorn sport…in that you don’t find a sport that comes around that has mass participation appeal as well as mass retail appeal.” The growth of pickleball has been accompanied by concurrent shifts in the retail landscape, offering lucrative opportunities for major retailers and small businesses alike. In 2021, the market for pickleball paddles was roughly $152.8 million and is projected to increase at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 7.7% through 2028. Between June 2022 and June 2023, pickleball equipment sales reached nearly $304 million, marking a 500% increase over three years.
Retailers such as Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods have set aside additional shelf space for pickleball equipment and attire as pickleball’s popularity has carried over into the broader market for athleisure apparel. Since 2020, the market for tennis apparel, which heavily overlaps with pickleball apparel, has increased at a rate of 41%.
In addition to gains for retail giants, pickleball’s popularity has opened opportunities for small business owners to cash in on the sport’s craze and gain market share. Selkirk Sport, which started as a small family-owned business based in Idaho, has become a leading pickleball equipment producer, sponsoring over 100 professional pickleball players. In June of 2023, Selkirk announced their partnership with CityPickle, a pickleball club in Central Park in the heart of New York City. Selkirk Sports is one of many success stories showcasing how businesses have capitalized on pickleball and its potential to build community through the sport.
Pickleball and the Press
Pickleball’s success has also stemmed from its publicity. As the sport has grown, it has captured the attention of celebrity investors, two dozen brand partners, and major broadcasting companies seeking to hop on to the pickleball craze.
With public figures like Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Drake purchasing major League Pickleball (MLP) teams, the sport has gained a reputation as a viable investment opportunity for larger audiences and increased its visibility as a financial commodity.
Star athletes within the world of professional pickleball have also begun to emerge. 17-year-old pickleball athlete Anna Leigh Waters has reached celebrity status, earning endorsements from Fila and Paddletek. When asked about the growing spotlight on pickleball athletes, Connor Pardoe, commissioner of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) tour, commented that “professional players are able to really become celebrities and spotlights, people that are recognizable in the world.”
The rise of new pickleball athletes also coincides with steadily increasing tournament payouts. Currently, there are three professional pickleball tours: The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP), the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), and the MLP. In the 2023 season, the PPA distributed its highest single-season prize pool of $5.5 million amongst 25 tournaments, marking an 83% increase in tournament earnings from the prior year. The positive trajectory of prize pool funds is indicative of the increased attention towards the sport. More lucrative payouts have made pickleball an increasingly viable career path, a trend that will continue to develop as the sport gains more visibility, investors, and sponsorships.
Take-Home Points
- Since its inception in 1965, pickleball has experienced an extraordinary boom in popularity, a change largely attributed to the pandemic.
- The low barriers and costs to entry, as well as the short learning curve, constitute the transcendent reach of pickleball across all generations and skill levels.
- To keep up with growing demand, large investments are being poured into the rapid development of new pickleball facilities.
- The growth of pickleball has been accompanied by concurrent shifts in the retail landscape, offering lucrative opportunities for major retailers and small businesses alike.
- Pickleball has not only captured the attention of a handful of celebrity investors, but prominent brand sponsors and partners, and major broadcasting companies hoping to hop on to the pickleball craze.