Is Pickleball Just A Fad?


Recently I received a comment stating that "pickleball was just a fad," and it will pass.

Do you think that's true?

I actually strongly disagree with that comment!

Here are my reasons that pickleball is not just a fad.

 1. Growth - For the past 5 years, pickleball has been and continues to be the fastest growing sport in the United States. 

 2. Demographics - Pickleball is played by people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. It was once thought of as an old person sport. However, the fastest growing age group playing pickleball today is the 18 - 34 year old group.  

 3. Institutional support and investment - Pickleball is now being played in schools across our country. There are colleges and universities that have started pickleball teams. Several major universities have recently announced multi-million dollar construction projects to build new pickleball facilities on their campuses. Businesses such as Chicken and Pickle, The Kitchen, and others are building pickleball facilities in cities across the country. Even the Olympics are looking at adding pickleball to either the 2028 or 2032 Olympic Games.

 4. Celebrity and brand involvement - Brands like Skechers, Adidas, Franklin, Joola, and others have recently developed pickleball shoes and paddles as well as sponsorships of professional players. Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, and Gary Vee are among some of the professional athletes or celebrities who have invested in pickleball teams in Major League Pickleball. 

 5. Television rights and advertisers - ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS have all begun televising certain pickleball tournaments. Pickleball TV has also started and broadcasts all center court PPA and MLP matches. Along with television comes advertising. And with the massive growth of the sport, there is no shortage of advertisers. The marketing agencies representing those businesses know trends when they see them, and they are quick to pour money into ads reaching the large audiences interested in pickleball today.

 6. Low barrier to entry - Pickleball doesn't cost much to get started, and most cities have public courts that are free to use. Even with the minimal skill of beginners, games can still be fun, so players want to play often. 

 7.  Societal integration - Now, hotels and cruise lines are adding pickleball courts for their guests to use. Planned housing communities are including pickleball courts in their amentities. Vacation planners organize pickleball trips which include coaching clinics. Many of these trips are sold out for 18 months ahead. 

 8.  Social interaction - Pickleball is a very social sport. Many players rotate in to play others in open play at public courts. Other players band together in groups and reserve paid courts for several hours in order to play each other. Many people have made new friends through pickleball.

 9.  Fitness and exercise - It has been shown that people burn 38% more calories playing pickleball than running for the same time period. Studies are also showing less heart and cardiovascular diseases in people who play pickleball regularly.  

Certainly there are other reasons, but that is a big list.

Does it sound like pickleball is "just a fad?"

Fads fade. 

Pickleball has been around since the 1960s.

The number of people playing pickleball has exploded in the last 5 years.

There are now professional pickleball players and governing bodies such as the PPA, MLP, and USA Pickleball.

Pickleball is not a fad

It is here to stay.

And as we often say, "Pickleball is not just a sport. It's a way of life!"



Ben Holt

​CEO, Pickleball Living