“Can’t Get Enough”: American Sports Landscape Shaken as Up and Coming Game Becomes the Next Big Thing

Pickleball fever continues to take the United States by storm. Studies reveal that last year a whopping 36 million people across the U.S. played pickleball. One of the major factors behind its multifold growth is that the sport is inexpensive and quite easy to understand. In fact, this is reflected in various data which suggest that last year alone, 14% of Americans played pickleball at least once. If one were to break down the sport in simple terms, it is a combination of badminton, tennis, and table tennis.

Last month’s National Senior Games highlighted that the sport is a hit even among older people. Putting up a video through their social media account, the National Senior Games that took place in Pittsburg shed light on the sport’s rapid growth.

Pickleball continues to attract the United States

This year’s National Senior Games in Pittsburg witnessed more than 11,000 athletes taking part. The event takes place annually to celebrate sports and activeness for older people. All athletes are usually 50 or more than 50 and take part in a host of sports, ranging from basketball to shuffleboard and pickleball. The reel posted from the event’s official Instagram account displayed a sea of participants, all playing the same sport – pickleball – and this was complemented by the reel’s caption, “Happy National Pickleball Day! The Pickleball competition at the National Senior Games last month was so large it took up two halls and registration maxed out at 1,600 athletes. Everyone can’t get enough of this sport!”

Pickleball is gradually becoming the next big thing, and the sport is now attracting big sponsors like Skechers, Holland America, and Caravana. According to a CNBC report, Tom Webb, who is the chief marketing officer for the Association of Pickleball Professionals, said: “When you look at participation rates alongside golf, and basketball and tennis. … I don’t think anybody would have thought a year ago that pickleball would be right up there with those more traditional sports.” Pickleball has experienced an overhaul in a short time with sports stars Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and even LeBron James, all investing in it with the aim of creating professional teams. Pickleball’s rising popularity is also coming at a cost to other similar sports.

Is tennis in trouble?

With its newfound fame, pickleball is forcing tennis courts to be transformed into pickleball courts. Recently, the Santa Monica Tennis Center recently shook hands with the future by investing a staggering $250,000 in a cutting-edge facility exclusively tailored for pickleball. Similarly, in Florida, real estate developers have embarked on a remarkable venture that underlines the growing popularity of pickleball. Their colossal $180 million investment has yielded the creation of The Pickleball Club, a 15-court sanctuary designed to cater exclusively to lovers of the sport. What is even more impressive is that they already believe they can get a membership of 600 individuals.

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In fact, as compared to last year, players who are interested in the sport are already up by 30%. Sponsorship is also up by 25% from last year. All these signs point that pickleball is on its way to slowly becoming the most popular sport in the U.S. However, it remains to be seen if the sport can survive for years to come or if it’s just part of the hype.

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