What started as a low-impact, high-excitement pastime mainly enjoyed by retirees has consumed an entire nation almost overnight. Created in 1965 by Congressman Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell while bored on vacation, pickleball, for those of you who don’t know, is a hybrid of tennis, ping pong, and badminton that is played with a racket or paddle. In just three years, the sport’s participation grew by 223.5%, making it the fastest-growing sport in America with a total of 48.3 million American players, nearly 19% of the adult population, my family and myself included. Its appeal is undeniable. Pickleball is low-impact, affordable, and accessible to players of any age or skill level.
As I write this, there are currently 13,969 pickleball courts in the U.S. Towns across America are converting underused tennis courts, basketball courts, and even parking lots into pickleball sanctuaries. Some, the “pickleheads,” welcome this transformation, but others do not.
If you live near a pickleball court like I do, chances are you’ve heard the sound–pop-pop-pop—which is an externality of the sport. Residents in many neighborhoods have lodged complaints, describing the noise as disruptive, signed petitions, and in some extreme cases, called the police, sued the parks, clubs, and homeowner associations that have courts, imposed court curfews, or placed soundproofing measures. New paddles and balls designed to lessen the noise have also been introduced and become popular among players.
However, the noise isn’t the only problem people have with pickleball’s growing popularity. Tennis players feel displaced as their courts are destroyed to accommodate a sport that requires less space and infrastructure. This November, residents of Upper Arlington, Ohio, sought to place a measure on the ballot to let voters decide whether the city should stop converting tennis courts at Northam Park into pickleball courts. This effort comes in response to the city council's decision to transform three of the park's 12 clay tennis courts into six pickleball courts.
Whether you’re a “picklehead” or a pickle hater, pickleball is here to stay. In fact, it will only grow. In 2022, the pickleball paddle market was estimated to be $152.8 million and is predicted to grow at a 7.8% compound annual growth rate through 2028, possibly reaching a $317.94 million value in 2031. There’s no denying that pickleball has become more than a passing trend. It has become a cultural phenomenon, reshaping neighborhoods and the dynamics of sports across America. So, even if you can't stand it, stay out of the kitchen.