• Loading stock data...
Friday, February 7, 2025

Pickleball Soars to 37M Players in U.S.

  • About 14% of Americans played at least once between August 2021 and August 2022.
  • Over 8.5 million people played more than eight times during that same span.
Players face off in a pickleball match.
Andy Abeyta / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pickleball is coming off of its best year yet. 

The sport, which exploded in popularity during the pandemic, saw more than 36.5 million people in the U.S. play between August 2021 and August 2022, according to a report by the Association of Pickleball Professionals. Before the report, around 5 million people played pickleball.

  • About 14% of Americans played at least once between August 2021 and August 2022. 
  • Over 8.5 million people played more than eight times during that same span.

Major League Pickleball will look to capitalize on the growth in 2023 with a new format and schedule. The league will hold events in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Southern California.

The 2023 MLP season will have $5 million in prize money and payouts up for grabs.

Star-Studded League 

Pickleball’s popularity has drawn the interest of investors and the world’s best athletes. 

In 2022, LRMR Ventures, the family office of LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter, purchased an MLP team. The purchasing group also included NBA stars Draymond Green and Kevin Love, investment firm SC Holdings, Relevent Sports Group co-owner and CEO Daniel Sillman, and SpringHill Company CMO Paul Rivera.

LeBron-James-Draymond-Green-Kevin-Love

NBA Stars Buying Major League Pickleball Team

LeBron James and others buying a Major League Pickleball team.
September 28, 2022

Tom Brady and six-time tennis Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters purchased an expansion MLP team that will begin play in 2023. Thirty Five Ventures, the investment firm founded by Kevin Durant, also has an expansion franchise.

Editor’s note: SC Holdings is an investor in Front Office Sports.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Maverick Carter

Singapore, Saudi PIF Among Investors in Int’l Basketball League

The league is advised by Maverick Carter, a longtime friend of LeBron James.
exclusive

Greg Olsen: Fox Relationship Is Positive, but ‘My Aspirations Have Not Changed’

Olsen stood by his Fox colleagues but said his “aspirations have not changed.”

NFL Set to Announce Dublin 2025 Game Featuring Steelers

The NFL will likely play seven international games in 2025
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; From left Case Keenum, Austin Ekeler, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Lloyd Howell and Jason McCourty during the NFLPA press conference in advance of Super Bowl LIX at the New Orleans Convention Center.

NFLPA Takes Aggressive Stance in Prelude to CBA Talks

NFLPA strongly opposes an 18-game season, setting up early CBA drama.

Featured Today

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.
Feb 3, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears mascot dances on the court during a stoppage in play in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Haas Pavilion.
January 31, 2025

The Toll of Bicoastal Travel on New ACC Members Cal and Stanford

Cal and Stanford face missed flights, chaotic sleep schedules, and academic demands.
January 28, 2025

It’s Starting to Pay to Be Good at Cornhole

American Cornhole League players made $7.7 million in 2024.

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

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
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.
August 30, 2024

Premier League Transfer Spending Has Already Topped $2 Billion As Deadline Looms

Saudi Pro League teams haven’t yet matched their English counterparts.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
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.