Rise of Pickleball in the US
Pickleball. Some might call it knockoff tennis, but to others, it’s a way of life. Regardless, there's no denying that Pickleball has been on the rise lately. Its popularity has increased by over 40% from 2019 to 2021, and it shows no signs of slowing down. We’re at the point where even basketball courts are being remade into pickleball courts, which 5 years ago would have been crazy to imagine. Why has this sport become so popular lately? Well it’s a combination of the sport being cheap, not requiring much skill, although people can play competitively, and it is tons of fun to play.
Some might think that this sport is just for the people who can no longer play tennis, but that’s actually not the case. The vast majority of casual players are under 55, and the fastest growing age group are people under 24. What makes this sport so great for casual play is the fact that anyone can play it!. Much like tennis, pickleball has a lot of longevity to it; you see people playing this sport in their seventies, which isn’t very common for other sports. Most racquet sports have a steep learning curve. Picture tennis. There are balls flying at well over 70mph, all over the court. But pickleball is played with a plastic wiffle-like ball, which goes slower, and doesn’t bounce as high. The rackets are small and easy to manage, and while serves in tennis are overhand, which can cause the ball to go well over 100mps, the serves in pickleball are underhand, much slower and easier to return. The courts are smaller than tennis, so players don’t have to cover a lot of ground, and most people play doubles, further limiting the space one needs to run.
Pickleball is also very accessible. There are over 38,000 pickleball courts all over the country, and people can also play on tennis courts. For people looking to get a workout, pickleball serves as a fun way to burn calories. In one study, researchers found that pickleball qualifies as a moderate intensity sport, putting it up there with yoga and hiking. During Covid, pickleball provided an easy way to burn calories and hang out with friends, all while maintaining social distance.
