--- title: Pickleball is sweeping the nation, and creating a full-blown gold rush - The Hustle description: Pickleball has spiked in popularity throughout the pandemic, with 4.2m people playing the sport in 2020, a 21% increase YoY. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/727631087-jpg.webp --- # Pickleball is sweeping the nation, and creating a full-blown gold rush ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: December 16, 2021 Updated: October 11, 2023 *Photo by Raychel Brightman/Newsday RM via Getty Images* ![Pickleball is sweeping the nation, and creating a full-blown gold rush](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/727631087-jpg.webp?width=595&height=400&name=727631087-jpg.webp) Once upon a time, pickleball was reserved for high school gym class. These days, the tennis/ping-pong/badminton hybrid is experiencing a renaissance that has [catapulted](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-10/move-over-tennis-and-golf-networks-and-brands-are-cashing-in-on-pickleball?sref=3Ac2yX40) the sport to the big leagues, per *Bloomberg*. #### **A number of factors have led to the pickleball explosion** For the unfamiliar, pickleball is played with a square paddle that’s slightly larger than a ping-pong paddle on a court ~⅓ the size of a tennis court. The balls are plastic with scattered holes, similar to a wiffle ball. The game’s simple rules and slower pace make it easier to master than tennis, offering players a solid workout with lower injury risk. This helped the sport build steam among retirees in the Sunbelt — but it’s quickly grown beyond them. In 2020, **~4.2m** people played pickleball, a 21% increase YoY. #### **Business is booming** This influx of interest has the pickleball economy hitting on all angles, including: - **Events:** The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) held 16 tournaments in 2021, 2x the 2019 total — and grew prize money from $500k to **$2.5m**. - **Media:** Fox Sports signed an agreement with the PPA to air pickleball tournaments nationally, while other tournaments have been featured on CBS Sports Network, Tennis Channel, and ESPN3. - **Sponsorships:** The PPA has signed on Hyundai and Guaranteed Rate, among other corporate sponsors. Adam Franklin, president of Franklin Sports, maker of a popular ball called the X-40, calls the sport “a bit of a unicorn business.” #### **Looking to join the pickleverse?** New courts are popping up at public parks and schools across the country — and if you want to study up, you can choose from a wide selection of [podcasts](https://open.spotify.com/show/5lWf0YQ50MfSpi15ePZjkM), [books](https://www.pickleballportal.com/guides/best-selling-pickleball-books/), and even [magazines](https://inpickleball.com/). The best thing about it? There’s no such thing as being [too old](https://usapickleball.org/news/video-100-year-old-man-plays-pickleball/) for pickleball. 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