sportstyle

THWACK! sportstylemag.com • sportstyle July/August 2024 • 25 F or what began as a whimsical game invented by three vacationers on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, in 1965, pickleball has managed to ascend to undreamed of heights, with much of the growth occur- ring relatively recently. In fact, pickleball has been America's fastest-growing sport for three consecutive years, having increased 51.8 percent from 2022 to 2023, and an incredible 223.5 per- cent since 2020, according to SFIA 's 2024 Topline Participation Report. e research also found that pickleball, with 13.6 million participants, is now nearly the size of outdoor soccer (14.1 million participants). However, those numbers pale in com- parison to figures released in the updated 2023 Association of Pickleball Players (APP) Pickleball Participation Report which states that 48.3 million American adults played the game during the 12 months ending in March 2023. e study also finds that the average age of pickleball players is 34.8, con- siderably younger than previously assumed, highlighting the growth of the sport among those ages 18-44. For skeptics who need more convincing, here are a few more pickleball facts. • ere are currently 13,969 pickleball courts in the U.S., according to the APP. • SFIA estimates that roughly 25,000 courts at a projected cost of nearly $1 billion would need to be built to meet the demand for pickleball in the U.S. • The pickleball paddle market size was estimated at $152.8 million in 2021, and is forecasted to grow at 7.7 percent CAGR through 2028. • Good news for run specialty retailers: in 2023, 26 percent of pickleball players also participated in Running/Jogging, 17.5 percent participated in trail running, 39.3 percent ran on a treadmill, and 36.6 percent walked for fitness, according to SFIA. With stellar numbers like these, it's no wonder that pickleball mania continues to grip players and manufacturers, as well as retailers both within and outside the sporting goods industry. At this juncture, the end of the runway is nowhere in sight. "e sport has grown so rapidly because of ease of access," says Tom Webb, CMO, Association of Pickleball Players. "ere's a low cost of entry, you can get quite good very quickly, and there's a low barrier to feeling a sense of accomplishment with the sport. Seventy-six percent of all pickleball players play to have fun. It's a very social game and people are smiling. Pickleball is not driven by the pro game. It came to mass consciousness during the pandemic and was fueled by amateur players—especially mixed doubles which lends itself to a team element. e sport is driven by clubs and enthusiasts from the grassroots up, rather than from organizations down." Webb continues, "ere is a huge oppor- tunity coming to retailers who embrace the pickleball market because there are millions of players who want to play in well-organized and well-structured pickleball leagues and competitions." For example, he mentions that in Louisville, KY, a pickleball hot spot, there are 240 courts for 600,000 players. "If I was a retailer in the area, it tells me there's a huge audience to play the sport. e caveat is that you have to know the sport and understand what pickleball players want and need." Even three years ago, pickleball products were tough to find, Webb recounts. "Now, there are dedicated pickleball sections in all sorts of retailers, and the sport is being em- braced by retailers of all sizes. e sheer force of numbers—20 percent of Americans—is driving demand." The Growing Retail Landscape In the general sporting goods market, retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods are helping to bring pickleball to a wide, active audience. Part of Dick's strategy is to part- ner with established pickleball brands and players. In July, WHP Global, owner of the Lotto brand, introduced Lotto's first U.S. pickleball collection with Dick's Sporting Goods. e offering includes a variety of paddles retail priced from $150 to $250, as well as footwear ranging from $70 to $150. In addition to carrying a wide range of pickleball products from top names in the sport such as Joola, Selkirk and Onix, Dick's has also forged partnerships with up-and- coming brands such as Nettie Pickleball Co., a Cincinnati-based business founded by Catherine Baxter during the pandemic. PICKLEBALL'S (MOSTLY) JOYFUL NOISE CONTINUES TO ATTRACT PARTICIPANTS, VENDORS & RETAILERS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. BY JUDY LEAND

• Cover