As the Olympic Games prepare to draw their curtains, the buzz around the next edition is already heating up. But it’s not just the athletes and records that are capturing attention—it’s the prospect of new sports being added to the Olympic roster. The idea of expanding the Games to include fresh, exciting competitions has fans and experts alike buzzing with anticipation. Amidst all the chatter, ESPN has stirred the pot with its own take on what sports should make the cut.

In a video shared by ESPN on its official Instagram page, the broadcasting company seems voicing for the addition of pickleball as one of the sports in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Led by a picture that reads “Will pickleball be at the 2028 Olympics,” ESPN shared facts revolving around the sport and highlighted it as one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, which is played by people in 60 countries across 6 continents. However, this support from ESPN does not seem to be well-digested by fans.

As soon as the post gained traction, several sports enthusiasts joined in to express their disagreement with the content. Slamming the broadcasting giant, fans claimed that such additions could lower the importance of a mega tournament like the Olympics. This comes at a time when the experts in the sports are hopeful about its future.

“I know for a fact that the IOC is very interested in pickleball,” said Seymour Rifkin, president of the World Pickleball Federation, per ESPN. “That is an absolute fact. The IOC, like any big international business, is interested in thriving and continuing to be the epitome event in sports.” However, despite the optimism, sports enthusiasts are portraying reluctance. 

‘Stop with this BS ’ – Fans lash out at ESPN’s support for pickleball

As soon as the post went viral, fans started fuming in the comments section. Taking to Instagram, one user wrote, “No it’s js for people that are too lazy to learn tennis.” Pickleball involves using a solid rectangular “paddle” to hit a plastic ball with holes in it over a 36-inch high net. A pickleball court looks a bit like a tennis court but is about a third of the size. And the tennis enthusiasts’ despise for pickleball is not new.

In September 2022, the Brooklyn-based group Club Leftist Tennis launched an anti-pickleball lobbying campaign. Taking to their Twitter back then, the organization wrote, “Reminder: pickleball is an astroturfed, venture capital-backed parasite on public space.” Meanwhile, the series of backlashes continued. 

Responding to the post, one user wrote, “Noooo stop with this BS 💩.” For the unversed, pickleball is not the only sport to be receiving such flak from the audience. The inclusion of break dancing in the Paris Olympics witnessed huge criticism from followers of the Olympic games. This has made the organizers ponder upon continuing the event in the next editions of the Summer Olympics. More users joined in the fray to slam ESPN’s take.

One user wrote, “The Olympic is supposed to be for world class athletes. Pickleball is dominated by washed up former college tennis players. It’s also a terrible watch. It shouldn’t be anywhere near the Olympics but so much money has been invested into forcing it down audiences throat I fear it will be in LA 28.” The capital investment for pickleball has been growing steadily.

In June this year, The Avenue Sports Fund announced that it would make a significant minority investment in CityPickle, the urban home for pickleball. Through the investment, CityPickle would be able to expand the locations of its permanent, indoor pickleball club concept in addition to strategic activations at iconic landmarks in metropolitan areas. With the sport quickly reaching out to the Urban population, its inclusion and eventual acceptance would not be a surprise for many. 

Another user responded sarcastically and wrote, “So will Backyard astronomy and lawn mowing,” highlighting their perspective on the irrelevance of the game. Interestingly, the flak is opposite to the love that the sport garners in the United States. There are at least 13.6 million players in the U.S., according to a 2024 report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, who participate in the sport. The pandemic proved to be a boon further, as the sport recorded a 223.5% participation rate increase since 2020. 

One more user took a jibe and wrote, “Pickleball or rock, paper, scissors.” Remember, Novak Djokovic had also spoken against the growth of the sport in the past. “On a club level, tennis is endangered,” he said. “If we don’t do something about it, globally or collectively, paddle, pickleball in the States, they’re gonna convert all the tennis clubs into paddle and pickleball. Because it’s more economical.”

As the Olympic games bid adieu for four years, it would be interesting to note the changes that it brings along with it in Los Angeles. Will pickleball be a part of the change? Only time will tell.