• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Pickleball Popularity Soars

PPA-Pickleball
PPA/Design: Alex Brooks

The pandemic has become a time to pick up new hobbies, and pickleball is reaping the benefits.

The paddle sport — which has nothing to do with pickles — saw around 4.2 million players in 2020, a 21% year-over-year increase according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

It’s the “fastest-growing sport in America” per the Economist, and Franklin Sports president Adam Franklin thinks it could be growing even faster than predicted, based on the company’s pickleball-related sales.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if by 2030 we saw 20 to 30 million active players,” Franklin told Bloomberg.

Commissioner of the Professional Pickleball Association Connor Pardo estimates the sport will become “as big or bigger than tennis.”

  • The PPA entered a deal with Fox Sports to broadcast pickleball events. 
  • The Tennis Channel, ESPN3, and CBS Sports Network also air games.
  • Last month, Hyundai became the PPA’s first car partnership.

Pickleball Earnings

The PPA hosted 16 tournaments this year, double the amount it hosted in 2019 — the tour’s first year. Prize money has grown to more than $2.5 million slated for next year, compared to the $500,000 up for grabs in 2019.

The total purse for the USA National Championship — which ends Tuesday — is $90,000. Ben Johns, the world’s best pickleball player, makes around $250,000 each year.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

US Open Set Attendance Record, Men’s Final Ratings Surged 82%

Attendance and television viewership of the tennis major again reach historic levels.

Ken Rosenthal: I Apologized to Photog After Knocking Him Over

Rosenthal backpedaled into the photographer to avoid a Gatorade shower.
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.

College Football Enters Week 3 Up 21% in TV Ratings

Total college football viewership across all networks is up big.

Featured Today

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
September 11, 2025

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
Jun 13, 2018; Moscow, Russia; A general view of a beer stand inside of Luschniki Stadium one day prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Saudi Arabia Says No Alcohol at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol anywhere during the 2034 World Cup.
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Wildly Successful Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
January 13, 2025

Gavin Newsom Reveals Status of 2028 Olympics As Los Angeles Wildfires Roar

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.
August 1, 2024

Saudi Arabia Submits Bold World Cup Bid That Includes a Cliffside Arena

The Saudis are proposing a new stadium in a futuristic city called Neom.
John John Florence (USA) surfs in men’s round two competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach.
July 29, 2024

Olympic Surfers Won’t Get Their Full Paris Moment

‘We’re kind of separate off on our own little thing over here.’
Teahupo'o Tahiti Surfing
July 26, 2024

Olympic Surfing Crashes on Tahiti Like a Wave

For Teahupo‘o’s locals, the Olympics are a mixed blessing.