Photo: Canva
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.
Discussion Questions
Do you think pickleball will continue to grow or will it start to plateau as a fad? In what other ways can sports and retail continue converging for consumers?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
DeAnn Campbell
Head of Retail Insights, AAG Consulting Group
Lisa Taylor
Director of Retail Consulting U.S., Thought Provoking Consulting (TPC)
When Target is offering pickleball bats under its Hearth & Hand own-brand, you know the sport has become mainstream! Pickleball looks set to stay, at least for quite some time, so it’s obvious that retailers will cash in on demand by selling products. The conversion of old retail spaces into pickleball facilities is interesting as it speaks to the need to be creative about abandoned space and to create mixed use in malls to draw in foot traffic.
“Game changer”…may be a bit hyperbolic It doesn’t take up space compared to tennis. There are surely many benefits to pickleball. These old legs may be able to keep up. Senior communities are adding courts.
The discussion suggests retailers are acting appropriately in responding. I suggest time is an issue. What sport do I give up to fit pickleball in? While pickleball will bring in old folk like me because it is relatively easy to participate, others will switch sports.
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.’” I think Kristen has been missing what people are wearing for quite a while. The streets of NYC have been filled with “hybrid clothing”.
The “product life cycle” concept distinguishes between fads and longer-lasting trends. Pickleball certainly looks sustainable, given the widespread participation, the capital investments and even the coverage on sports cable networks. Any retailer in the business of selling sporting goods, athletic shoes and activewear should have jumped on the pickleball trend already and should continue to build it out. (And, meanwhile, keep an eye out for the next sports trend, whether it’s cornhole or shuffleboard…seriously!)
There is no doubt that pickleball will continue to grow and I believe it has staying power. Pickleball is a great sport for our aging population and is now attracting younger generations. Pickleball has many advantages over tennis, including less stress on your body, easier to learn and become proficient and less expensive equipment. Many tennis players are transitioning to pickleball and they can use their existing apparel and shoes. Any retailer that sells sporting goods and apparel, can’t ignore this sport as it has great revenue potential.
Pickleball is serving up an infusion of new energy for an important consumer demographic — too old to learn tennis, but the right age to have money to spend. Retailers haven’t seen fresh enthusiasm for a new sport for years, so it’s a much needed shot in the arm to attract new customers and new revenue.
As long as our society continues to age, this sport will continue to grow.
I didn’t think much about Pickleball until I played with some friends, and it’s caught my attention. For the 35+ crowd, it’s a perfect blend of fitness and social activity that caters to a wider audience than tennis or golf. The physical stress on body joints is moderate, and the games move quickly. All of this points toward a movement that will continue to grow, particularly among the 40-60 yr olds. For those abandoned strip malls and old, tired big boxes, watch out for the next Pickleball court & bar combo that is coming your way soon!
What about rethinking the concept of the anchor store at the mall? If vacant stores can become pickleball courts, nearby restaurants and bars will benefit.
Pickleball is here to stay. While the quoted average age is 35, there is a real seniors’ niche enjoying this sport. There is an opportunity for retailers to target this group with equipment, clothing, health (supplements, nutrition, etc.) & courts, designed to meet their pickleball needs. I’m always reminded “there are riches in niches.”
Pickleball is just starting to grow. I have been involved with the sport of the last five years and it has just begun to get real notice. The sport has a lot of things going for it.
Pickleball is just beginning to really get noticed.
Agreed! Anytime you can span generations and remove barriers to entry (low cost, no experience required, utilization of spaces you already have) and integrate that with opportunities to be social, you have a winner on your hands. Whether it is a trend or has staying power will depend on the sports ability to continually bring in younger generations on an ongoing basis.
If you’ve played pickleball, then you know it’s an easy sport to learn and play. People who aren’t that athletic can still enjoy the sport. I see this as a similar sport to racquetball, which “exploded” in popularity in the 70’s and early 80’s. It was easy to learn and play. The difference in pickleball is you don’t have to build a building with courts. You can put a pickleball court on the parking lot of a mall, inside empty stores, etc. The cost is minimal. We’ll see pickleball racquets and balls sold everywhere, from convenience stores to drug stores, etc.
Right now, the main thing slowing Pickleball expansion is the constant tug of war for available tennis court usage or neighborhood complaints about noise. So indoor facilities and dedicated courts can’t get completed fast enough.
Retailers need to be on trend with this social sport. Pickleball will grow over the long-haul because several people can play together and it makes room for varied skill levels. It’s also a social sport, lending itself to drinks and eats following.