Pickleball, a relatively new paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and pingpong, is fast becoming a popular sport in America. The sport has grown by 158.6% over the last three years with nearly 37 million people playing it in 2022. The growth has been so exponential that the pioneer of major professional leagues thinks it will easily be in the top five sports in viewership in the next five years. While it’s primarily been a participation sport, professionalization of the game is now seeing the rise of its first major pro tournament with the $1 million Pickleball Slam set to air on ESPN.
Pickleball’s Rise to Fame
Pickleball, created in 1965 by three dads on Bainbridge Island, Washington, has quickly gained widespread attention among players of all ages. It’s an easy sport to pick up but difficult to master, making pickleball one of the fastest-growing sports in America. The game is played on a court that’s half the size of a tennis court and uses paddles instead of rackets, and players play games up to 11 points rather than the usual 21 points in badminton.
The sport gained much attention recently when Central Park’s Wollman Rink was converted into 14 pickleball courts earlier this year. Several other high-profile figures have also shown interest in pickleball including LeBron James, Heidi Klum and Patrick Mahomes who have made investments in pickleball franchises.
Pickleball Goes Professional
On Sunday at noon ET, four legendary tennis players will compete for $1 million dollars at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood as part of “The Pickleball Slam.” Tennis superstars Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Michael Chang, and Andy Roddick, who have a combined 17 Grand Slam singles titles and 10 Slam titles in doubles, will showcase their skills.
The Pickleball Slam, which is produced by InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, features two singles matches followed by a doubles match featuring the four champions. The event is the largest payout in pickleball history and serves as an example of the sport’s rapid growth spurred on by the increasing interest and investments of major brands and celebrities. The inaugural event is set to broadcast on ESPN, marking the sport’s first national television coverage.
Professionalization of Pickleball
While pickleball has a massive following in America, it’s still considered a relatively new sport with no formal professional league structure. As such, there has been skepticism from some sports figures like retired American tennis star Andy Roddick on whether it can be professionalized as a spectator sport or not.
On the other hand, Steve Kuhn, Major League Pickleball founder, sees huge potential for growth and confidence that pickleball will easily become a top five sport within the next five years. David Levy, co-CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences – which launched Pickleball Slam – believes partnering with giants like ESPN, raising money for charity makes it more likely for pickleball to grow.
As pickleball continues to gain traction and popularity among players and spectators alike, it seems like only a matter of time before professional leagues establish themselves – rewarding players who demonstrate exceptional skill levels with payouts comparable to other multimillion-dollar sports.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
