Court Craze Continues

Summer is peak season for pickleball, and the newly popular sport—which was invented in 1965—continues to gain strength as the fastest-growing participation sport in the U.S. It follows that commercial partnerships centered on the activity remain top of mind as well, from sponsorships and promotions, to logoed paddles, to designer-driven pickleball collections featuring apparel, footwear, and gear, among other initiatives. 

Here are three emerging trends within this space to keep an eye on: 

• Retail exclusives. This month Dick’s paired with high-end Italian sporting goods brand Lotto, owned by WHP Global, for the brand’s first pickleball collection in the U.S., endorsed by pro pickleballer Pablo Tellez. Products include performance paddles and footwear. In April, Target paired with tennis-lifestyle brand Prince for a limited-time assortment of close to 80 items, mostly under $50. The range includes apparel and accessories, such as track suits and pleated skirts, and gear including paddles, pickleballs, fanny packs, and duffle bags. Walmart got into the pickleball space in 2023, but in a promotional manner, pairing with Break the Love to offer customers complementary access to pickleball courts; the partnership also included a curated collection of pickleball gear available online and co-branded giveaways, among other elements.

• Pickles. Pickleball has nothing to do with pickles, but it has given pickle brands many opportunities to expand awareness through the sport, such as through sponsorships and branded paddles. Lately, their presence has been expanding into fashion and gear, too. This month, B&G Foods paired with leather goods label Made by Alex for a racquet bag reminiscent of a B&G pickle jar, along with a complementary pouch. The partners promoted the fact that both companies have deep roots in New York City. And in May, Conagra’s Vlasic Pickles brand—which is a title sponsor of USA Pickleball’s Vlasic Classic tournaments—introduced new pickleball products for on- and off-court use from three collaborators: a collection of “Think Pickle” bags, backpacks, and cooler bags, along with sweatshirts, track jackets, skorts, and bucket hats from designer accessories brand Think Royln; a cross-body bag, paddle, hat, visor, and towel from Sprints; and insulated water bottles from Tervis. The items feature design elements including the Vlasic stork mascot and branded pickle jar. 

• Spirits. Courtside bars, both permanent and pop-up, are on the rise at hotel and private pickleball courts and at pro events, as is the presence of alcohol brands as sponsors and/or suppliers. Major League Pickleball worked with The Botanist Islay Dry Gin as the official gin partner of the league, allowing fans to enjoy its products at matches. It joined other sponsors such as Michelob Ultra. On the non-alcoholic end of the spectrum, the Association of Pickleball Players named Partake Brewing as its official partner, with the initiative including a Partake Community Hero Award given to a worthy recipient in each community that hosts an APP event in 2024. With the popularity of collaborative alcoholic beverages these days, it stands to reason that this trend will extend at some point to pickleball-themed alcoholic beverages available to consumers. 

Statistics from various researchers document the sport’s fast growth. At the beginning of this year, USA Pickleball’s Annual Growth Report documented 11,885 places to play pickleball (with 50,003 courts) in the U.S., with more than 1,000 new locations added in the previous year. The organization saw its membership increase by 15% in 2023, to 78,766. 

The 2023 Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s Topline Participation Report, released in August 2023, found there were 8.9 million U.S. pickleball players, up 85.7% since the previous year, making it the fastest-growing participation sport in the U.S., of 124 tracked, for the third straight year. Total growth over that period was 158.6%.  

The Association of Pickleball Players estimated in March 2023 that 48.3 million adults in the U.S., or nearly 19% of the population, had played pickleball at least once in the last 12 months, an increase of 35% in players since August 2022, when the percentage who had played was 14%. APP’s research also showed that the average age of pickleball players is 34.8 years, younger than previously assumed. Those growth trajectories continue into 2024.

It’s no wonder that the sport continues to see expansion into new business areas through promotional, licensing, and collaboration deals.