Footwear Insight

16 • Footwear Insight ~ July/August 2023 footwearinsight.com Pickle Power Brands Are Hitting Winners with Footwear for the Fast-Growing Sport of Pickleball. By Suzanne Blecher & Cara Griffin B eginners and experienced players alike have been flocking to the pickleball court. e sport's participation has increased by 158.6% over the last three years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Players of all ages are picking up paddles, and learning — or perfecting — their game. When it comes to footwear, there are an increasing number of options. While some beginners may grab a pair of running shoes for the game, a court shoe is a much better choice. And a pickleball-specific shoe is best of all for most. For retailers new to selling court shoes, Bryan Poerner, president & CEO, Diadora US, recommends making sure retail staff is able to speak about "why a court shoe is important for their customer rather than just playing pickleball in a running shoe." He notes, "Different shoes have different purposes — Court shoes are built for side-to-side motion and are able to provide support that a running shoe just won't be able to." Here, footwear brands give us a look at some of the top pickleball footwear offerings on the market, and share insight on what consumers need in their pickleball footwear. n "Pickleball consumers and pros spend hours on-court playing the game they love, so comfort and stability for the short, quick movements demanded are so important to both professional and recreational players. When designing and developing our pickleball performance footwear, we keep our sponsored professional players at the forefront of the process, creating shoes for the players by the players. Some of the feedback we got from Anna Leigh Waters, the No. 1 female player in the world, is the added wear and tear that pickleball has on the forefoot area. Getting this feedback early in the process of our designs was critical in the development of our newest performance pickleball shoe, the Volley Burst. By adding our unique FILA exclusive Evergrind traction material to key pivot points around the shoe, the Volley Burst equips consumers with the extra support and comfort to play at their highest level." —Lauren Mallon, senior director of marketing/strategic partnerships - tennis & pickleball, FILA "To start, most are in search of a product that is safe and sure- footed. Comfort, a lightweight design, and breathability are also key components. Performance features designed specifically for pickleball including stability, support, traction, and durability are also equally as important as style to today's players." —Greg Smith, VP of product development and merchandising, Skechers "A large majority of pickleball consumers are looking for a dedicated product and that's what we set out to accomplish with the Trofeo PKL. We worked closely with world top 10 player omas Wilson to develop an outsole pattern that was more conducive to the movements of a Pickleball player. We placed overlays in strategic spots to increase durability in the heavy drag areas while being able to reduce weight where overlays were unnecessary." —Bryan Poerner, president & CEO, Diadora US "Every day from players we hear that they want comfortable and lightweight shoes, that have the right level of stability and support, to power performance for long hours on the court." —Rashid Khan, managing director, Acacia Sports "Consumers are looking for a shoe that is lightweight, comfortable, and provides proper support for the lateral movement in pickleball. Our Jet Mach 3 meets all of these needs." —Kristina Brandner, marketing coordinator, Babolat WHAT ARE SHOPPERS LOOKING FOR IN A PICKLEBALL SHOE? ATHLETIC PICKLEBALL

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