Why should my club pay attention to pickleball?

Where can I play without being a member? Can I find a playing partner with whom I can already play rallies? And do I have to buy expensive equipment straight away? As high as the entry barriers are in tennis, they are just as low in pickleball. There is a reason why pickleball is repeatedly the fastest-growing sport in the USA and is also gaining popularity internationally. Due to the hard plastic ball and the rackets, the game is easy to learn and is particularly attractive to beginners. Addiction guaranteed! Beginner's rackets are available for as little as 20 euros, and a set of pickleball balls is often available for around 5 to 15 euros - a reasonable initial investment.

The game's characteristics allow (on paper) more unbalanced game constellations without sacrificing fun. Rules, such as the so-called non-volley zone in front of the net, limit the possibility of smashing the ball directly, which can often lead to a one-sided advantage in games with considerable differences in playing strength. The smaller court also makes pickleball more accessible to players who may not have the speed or endurance for larger courts. Tactical play and accuracy become more important than pure strength, paving the way for a greater mix of genders, ages, and skill levels.

In many places in the USA, clubs are converting tennis courts into pickleball courts. From a business point of view, this seems logical at first: instead of one court, I can rent out two pickleball courts. As the courts are smaller and pickleball is often played in doubles, more players come together in the same area, which can also positively affect the club's social dynamics and the interaction between members. Pickleball can be played both indoors and outdoors. However, due to the more wind-prone ball, indoor facilities have been established in many places in the USA, which are also open in summer. A new way to better utilize indoor tennis facilities in the summer season?

The fact that major apparel brands such as Nike and Adidas are getting into pickleball shows the potential of the sport. Pickleball is considered a future market, mainly due to its rapid growth and increasing popularity across different age groups and demographics. And yet pickleball is a young sport: around 40% of pickleball players in the US are between the ages of 25-34. Considering the demographic structures of German tennis clubs, this should be a reason to look at this trend. Compared to other sports, the equipment and court requirements for pickleball are relatively low, providing clubs with a cost-effective opportunity to diversify their existing offering and address target groups that were previously very difficult or impossible to reach with a pure focus on tennis.