We’ve all been there: vacationing with the family when the kids miraculously become bored. We do our best to figure out what it’ll take to quell their whining if only to allow us to enjoy the limited time we get to relax. About the time we’re almost at the breaking point, we tell them, “Figure it out!”
And that is exactly how the fastest-growing sport in America was born.
The year was 1965. Three friends – Barney McCallum, Bill Bell and Joel Pritchard (the latter of which would later serve in Congress and as Washington State’s Lieutenant Governor) were vacationing at Pritchard’s summer home. After returning from a round of golf one afternoon, they were greeted by a bored family. First, they attempted to get a game of badminton going, but couldn’t find the shuttlecock. It was at that point that the men threw their hands in the air and challenged their kids to design a game of their own.
After a while, the adults joined in and began experimenting on the badminton court. They played around with different balls and rackets that included table tennis paddles. The net was lowered to right about hip level to accommodate harder striking of the ball. At first, the ball of choice was a Wiffle ball until one of the kids suggested a practice baseball which was stronger and able to withstand harder hits. As they started to really get a sense that they were on to something, the men ran to a shed on the property and pieced together larger, stronger experimental paddles until they achieved a design that they all agreed was the best.
Some disagreement exists as to the origin of the name “Pickleball”. Some believe that the name was derived from the Pritchard’s family dog, Pickles. The Pritchards contend that the dog came along long after they’d already settled on the name and that the dog was named after the sport and not vice versa. Joan Pritchard, Joel’s wife, said that name originated from her assertion that the sport reminded her of the “Pickle Boat”, a reference to a boat in crew that was manned with oarsmen left over from other boats. To this day, the true origin of the name has yet to be proven beyond a doubt and likely never will be.
The first true, outdoor Pickleball court was built in 1967 by Joel Pritchard’s friend Bob O’Brian. It was around that time that O’Brian’s neighbors began to take notice, and often times his property would be full of neighbors and friends engaged in friendly competition. Interest in the sport began to spread as snowbirds vacationing from southern states brought the sport back home with them. By the early 70’s, the sport had spread to Hawaii, Florida, California, Arizona and New Mexico. By 1972, Pickle Ball, Inc. (established in 1968 by Pritchard and three friends) had reported its first annual earnings report. In 1976, the first official Pickleball Championship was held at Tukwila, WA. In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (now USA Pickleball) was established, and the first official rulebook was published. By 1990, Pickleball was an established sport in all fifty states.
Fast-forward to 2023 where a report by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association listed Pickleball as having grown 85% year-by-year and a staggering 160% over three years! The same report illustrates that 9 million people were playing Pickleball in 2022 and the number of new players that same year had increased by a factor of two from the previous year.
It’s no secret that Pickleball has seen a meteoric rise in popularity. Interest in the sport has caught the eye of eager investors with familiar names. LeBron James (one of the biggest names in the NBA), Drew Brees (Superbowl Champion former NFL Quarterback), and Larry Ellison (co-founder of the software giant Oracle) are all heavily invested in the sport and their presence and visibility have only served to further attention to the sport. In May of 2024, CNBC reported that the number of outdoor Pickleball courts in major cities has risen 650% in the past seven years, with more than three-thousand courts across 100 of the most populated cities in America. An estimated 900 million dollars in infrastructure is necessary to accommodate the demand.
But what forces are responsible for triggering this rapid growth in popularity over the last few years? The true answer is that it’s been a perfect storm of a few different factors.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to the need for a way to stay physically active while also keeping distanced from one-another. While Pickleball is a social, team sport, it also affords the distancing necessary to have avoided spreading of the virus while other team sports were off-limits. This was perhaps the most momentum-building factor in the meteoric rise of the sport in the 2020’s.
Next, it has to be considered that the bar of entry into the sport is somewhat lower than that of other sports. Since Pickleball has no minimum or maximum age, is not segregated into age groups and has smaller courts that allow for more social interaction, it affords the opportunity for people from all walks of life to engage in social interactions that might not normally exist. The inclusion of both kids and grandparents alike makes the sport unlike any other before it.
On top of all of that, the sport is chock full of health benefits. Pickleball is a full-body workout that helps with cardiovascular health, balance, coordination, flexibility and agility. Some studies suggest that it can improve memory and thought processing speed, which is another reason the sport has become so popular among an aging crowd. It’s also less straining on the body, which means that older folks who may have played more physically demanding sports in their youth, can get the same thrill without aggravating physical limitations such as hip, shoulder, knee or other joint issues.
Lastly, it’s perfect for Parks and Recreation Departments. Meeting the demands for the sport has caused many Parks and Rec departments are repurposing unused tennis courts to support Pickleball. Because it’s a sport that allows for either indoor or outdoor play, these departments are able to offer more recreational offerings. The popularity and increased facilities usage facilitates the demand for more tax revenue for these departments, and as a result, public parks and facilities are seeing dramatic improvements nationwide.
Whatever the reason you play, Pickleball sets from TKG Sports are designed to elevate your game to the next level. We use only the highest-quality materials in our paddles like advanced carbon fiber and thermoformed construction to craft paddles with a thickness is catered to players searching for a balance of power and finesse.
We know you have options when it comes to your Pickleball needs, but we really do think that you’ll love a Pickleball Set from TKG Sports. We don’t just manufacture these sets. We’re all active participants in the sport and wouldn’t sell any product that we haven’t or wouldn’t use ourselves. So give us a try and fuel your passion for Pickleball!