Team Insight

from) U.S. shores. e Sports Center in Nassau, Bahamas, which operates three sporting goods stores and two swim and surf shops, jumped into pickleball in the past year. "We started with paddles and then added balls and backyard sets," says manager James Nylund. "We mostly serve entry-level players at the moment, because the sport isn't very big here yet. But it's slowly growing and it has po- tential. It's just starting to catch on with locals." The Growing Retail Landscape A lot of the competition for team dealers will certainly come from the general sporting goods market, where retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods are already helping to bring pickleball to a wide audience. Part of Dick's strategy is to partner 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 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. "When I went to buy my own gear, every- thing I found was either stylistically dated, looked pretty cheap or was super expensive," states Baxter. "I wanted a paddle that played really well and could win, but also one that looked like the game felt to me — vibrant and joyful. I was looking for a brand that spoke to the things that I love most about pickleball. "How many sports can you play with your grandparents — and they roast you on the court?" Meanwhile, Target is also in on the pickleball action. Besides offering entry- and mid-level products from the likes of Franklin Sports, Gamma Sports, Selkirk, Joola and Head, in April the retailer launched a limited-time pickleball collection in partnership with tennis and lifestyle brand Prince. The Prince for Target collection – which is also a nod to the fashion-forward athleisure movement – boasts nearly 80 apparel, accessory and sporting goods items starting at $9.99 with most items selling for less than $50. Key pieces include retro-inspired track suits and pleated skirts and dresses, all in bright colors and patterns that match pickleball paddles and accessories. Of course, with their expertise in shoe fitting and their individualized service, specialty sporting goods retailers such as running stores are in a uniquely advantageous position to capitalize on pickleball's soaring popularity. "Specialty retailers, especially running shops, have great relationships with customers and there is a highly developed degree of trust," Webb explains. Toward this end, Boca Raton, FL-based Runner's Edge/Tennis Anyone?/It'sOwlTime. com (the latter being an online store for offi- cially licensed Florida Atlantic University gear) is intent on providing top-notch pickleball products and services. "More people are coming in," says Christine DiVito, CFO and buyer. "People who started playing pickleball one-and-a-half to two years ago have either tried it and not continued, or have picked up the sport and are now looking for more advanced product. ey want to up their game." DiVito recalls that two years ago people poured into the store looking to try pickleball. "We couldn't keep up with demand, especially for entry-level paddles. Now, sales of casual paddles have tapered off and higher-tech paddles are in demand because people want to upgrade. e growth curve leveled off—we're selling fewer paddles, but they're more technical and expensive, going as high as $280 now." She confirms that the sweet spot for paddles is about $150, and the most popular price range is $129 to $199. "People love the Joola C2, and it's a top seller especially since the price teaminsightmag.com September/October 2024 ~ Team Insight • 25 Runner's Edge/Tennis Anyone? has made a big investment in pickleball due to demand from its tennis-playing and running clientele.

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