Is Pickleball a Game Changer for American Retailers?

There's no preserved food here; instead, pickleball is a paddle sport played on a small court that combines aspects of tennis, Ping-Pong, and badminton. Invented by three dads in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington, the first pickleball court was completed in 1967 and led to the official commercialization of the sport in 1972, according to Sportico.

Renewed interest in the game began sometime between 2018 and 2019, and its recent surge in popularity saw players nearly double to 8.9 million in the U.S. in 2022. As a result, retailers are racing to fill the demand for clothing and gear related to this rejuvenated game.

Business Insider reports that pickleball is "America's hottest sport" and is taking residence in many abandoned retail buildings. For the U.S. to keep up with the demand for play, "we'll need to build thousands of new courts — 25,784, to be exact — in the coming years." The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, along with the pickleball group Pickleheads, also shared a report that "found the average player is 35 years old, but the sport is also a hit with Gen Z and seniors."

Now, it appears that the pickleball craze in the U.S. is "ushering in major shifts in the retail landscape," according to the Washington Post. For example, "running stores are stocking up on pickleball shoes. Walmart has tripled its shelf space for paddles, balls and other merchandise. Start-ups like Picklemall are turning ailing malls into indoor courts."

Even Franklin Sports, a major provider of pro baseball batting gloves, "now counts pickleball as its fastest-growing product line." The company has started featuring pickleball on its website, including on the homepage and as the only sport on the site's header other than baseball.

This recent popularity continues to capitalize on consumers whose lifestyles converge with their physical activities. For many, it quickly became apparent that these specially designed athletic clothes and shoes are both comfortable and attractive. Much in the same vein as basketball and yoga clothing, many consumers end up buying outdoor and indoor pickleball performance apparel and merging it with their daily fashion styles. The Washington Post shared how "Kristen Classi-Zummo started noticing heightened interest in racket-wear, a reflection of what she calls our new 'hybrid lifestyle.'"

Additionally, pickleball outfits like "moisture-wicking tennis skirts and racerback tank dresses" are easy to transition from workout attire to streetwear, and they're "big sellers for brands like Lululemon and Nike. Retailers as diverse as Abercrombie & Fitch and Tory Burch carry their own variations."

Indoor pickleball courts are also popping up all over the nation at an accelerated pace. Many major cities have announced new development projects to support the sport, including:

• Dartmouth area in Massachusetts
• Auburn-Opelika region in Alabama (with a full court combined with a Dink and Volley Pickleball store)
• Twin Cities in Minnesota
• The Presidio Area in San Francisco
• New York City
• Seattle, Washington
• St. Petersburg, Florida
• Madison, Wisconsin

Although still trailing behind tennis in retail sales, pickleball just might take the lead one day, while hopefully not souring the mouths of tennis purists in the process.