Despite Lionel Messi’s Madness in Miami, LeBron James and Tom Brady Endorsed New Sport Attracts the Highest No. of Athletes in US

Every year, the sporting world continues to expand with its wide variety of events. Most of it comes from the urgency of people to try something new. Enter pickleball with all its magnificence which is taking over the country. Although Lionel Messi dominated the charts in the USA right now with his blockbuster Inter Miami move, this new sport is making inroads. The sport has lured individuals from various corners of the country to give it a shot. Due to that, recent data suggests a need for courts and facilities for people to play the sport. 

Initial reports suggest they need around $900 million in construction costs to satisfy the current and future demand for the sport. Thus, pickleball has taken over the country by storm. No wonder LeBron James and Tom Brady endorse the sport by seeing its potential. 

LeBron James and Tom Brady’s endorsement proves fruitful

According to Sportico, they accumulated the data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) research. They entered into a collaboration with the digital platform Pickleheads to delve into the sport’s popularity. The outcome surprised them, as it would take around $902 million to build the 25,784 courts to satisfy the demand of the people. Those numbers are just staggering. Contrary to popular belief, mega-cities such as New York and Los Angeles do not have extensive world-class amenities. 

The study shows 98% below the national average for dedicated courts per 10,000 people in these cities. SFIA CEO Tom Cove detailed the impact of the sport in a recent statement. Cove mentioned, “Pickleball is not just for old people or those in country clubs. It has this breadth, and as a result we have to get it available in the widest range, from schools to parks and recreation and public facilities.” If one looks at the data, one can see a sharp increase in the interest of the sport. 

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The SFIA reports around 8.9 million participants who took up the sport last year. It is a 158% increase from 2019, and the average age for interested people is 35. The South Atlantic, including Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, saw around 1.9 million pickleball players. The Pacific section ranked second with 1.5 million, while East North Central ranked third on the list, with 1.4 million people taking up the sport. 

Lionel Messi should try pickleball!

With Lionel Messi living the high life, he seems to enjoy his life outside the soccer pitch. The Argentinean remains on a high after the World Cup victory and looks to spend the rest of his career in the USA. Thus, trying out pickleball will probably be on his bucket list, following the rapid popularity of the sport. James and Brady, renowned sports figures, have made financial contributions to lower league sports, facilitating its development. 

Once that is completed, investors would look to take the sport to the next level, and, who knows, one can see a Major pickleball league in the future! Such is the growth of the sport that other athletes try it out. Michael Phelps stands out as one of the prominent names. Thus, are you ready for some pickleball action?

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