Pickleball has been on the rise for years and showing no signs of stopping. The difference between when I first entered the game in 2016 and today is that it’s rising on the professional level just as fast, if not faster, than the recreational level.
There is some debate about whether pickleball will truly make it as a sport.
I say, with enough support and the right people investing in it, the sky's the limit, but here are some reasons why some remain doubtful about pickleball truly being a sport - and a spectator sport at that.
It seemed like an interesting topic to investigate...
Does it Lack Prestige?
The name is probably what really drives this point home. Pickleball is not tennis, so why try to be it?
The PPA Masters tournament is played on an all-green surface - with white lines - and all-white apparel is required by the athletes, giving this tournament a very Wimbledon feel to it.
But is that the direction pickleball is meant to go? Typically, we’re a social and rowdy crowd and it’s okay if the crowd cheers during a point, right? I think it’s got to be decided what type of crowd we’re looking to capture but more and more I do see and experience a quiet audience.
The way I see it, pickleball is still trying to find its identity and with so many hats in the ring it’s pretty hard to know which route it’s going to go because everyone has their own vision and opinion of its growth.
That said, the governing bodies of tennis did attempt to make its sport more accessible but unfortunately, look at how many empty cities run “free” tennis courts we see sit empty, or how many tennis facilities in the USA are converting to pickleball clubs.
Tennis is a sport that requires guidance and nurturing (almost hand-holding) by the pros due to how technical it is. Pickleball is not that kind of sport, it’s very easy to learn but those who want to get better know that it’s hard to master.
To even further argue the side of “pickleball is more of a game than a sport”, the Topgolf Concept in pickleball has taken off.
So, for the longest time, I had no clue what Topgolf even is - a sports entertainment company bringing golf to the average Joe.
Pretty much, the way I see it, golf is a prestigious sport and not easily accessible as compared to a sport like basketball. Where I am, it’s hard to book a tee-off time at the city golf courses, the rates are somewhat high and all other courses are private.
There’s typically a dress code to play golf and in general, the equipment is expensive.
Due to how much land is required for the sport and the expenses of maintaining a course, it’s no wonder golf can be pricey for most people to participate in. Topgolf has taken the driving range to the next level.
They use technology like microchipped golf balls, offer games like target practice, and have a fully stocked bar and music.
Well, before the PPA Masters became a tour stop, came Chicken ‘n Pickle, a restaurant and pickleball duo, which has the essence of the Topgolf concept.
It’s essentially an activity entertainment business with a top-rated kitchen and bar attached to it. The original Chicken ‘n Pickle is in Kansas City, MO, which I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to visit, back in 2019.
This location has 6 covered courts, with large garage doors which connect the outdoors to these indoor courts. There was ping pong and cornhole, music and amazing food, and of course, a fully stocked bar.
They are constantly expanding, with 7 established locations and 8 new ones about to open, which is fun and exciting for the sport and clearly shows how popular this concept of fun and games truly is.
What’s especially great about this company is that they attach pros to their locations. For example, top-rated players such as Lucy Kovalova and Matt Wright are the pros of the Whicita location.
It doesn’t appear that the company is franchising which is incredibly impressive that they’re set to open 8 locations pretty soon.
Is pickleball a spectator sport?
I remember “back in the day” it was a “no” from people. The argument has been that the only audience at tournaments are the players themselves.
I would agree that was the case and probably will continue to be the case at most amateur sports, but now that there are professional pickleball tours it seems that more and more events are drawing in non-playing crowds (and no, it’s probably not all family members supporting the players although I have thought about that before).
One thing that I think makes pickleball so unique is that even though there are professional tours and tournaments, they also host amateur events simultaneously.
At the most recent PPA Tour which took place in San Clemente, CA, 1,280 players were registered, and the PPA Texas Open which occurred the weekend before San Clemente had 1,485 registrants.
That’s a lot of players. Just for comparison's sake, a good participant turnout in Ontario is around 200-300 people.
But that said, as the skill gap between high-level and lower-level players increases, the intrigue to witness high-level play is also increasing.
The spectators who are not participants are starting to turn up to these events simply for the love of the game. At the pro level, players have been accumulating a fan base, with the help of PPA, APP, and MLP (Major League Pickleball).
In 2028, Los Angeles will host the Olympic Summer Games and many advocates and ambassadors of pickleball are pushing hard for our silly sport to be a demonstrated sport at these games.
Should that actually happen then pickleball no doubt will yet again hit another level of popularity.
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