Pickleball Industry Stats and Trends

The global Pickleball industry is a multi billion dollar industry that continues to grow over time. Chances are, you play or know someone that plays pickleball. As of 2023 there are 10,724 places to play pickleball in North America with over 44,094 courts. Over 36 million Americans play pickleball. 

Pickleball has grown 159% in 3 years, making it an extremely lucrative industry. Still, like any market, the pickleball industry is evolving with new trends, buying habits and various brands entering the market. 

Here’s where the pickleball industry stands today and what the future might hold. 

History of the Pickleball Industry

The pickleball industry is still relatively new. Pickleball was invented in 1965 by Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State and Bill Bell, successful businessman. However, it wasn’t until 2015 before 10,000 courts were made with 2 million pickleball players. Years later, after the covid lockdown, pickleball started to spread like wildfire. It was named “America’s fastest growing sport” in 2023 with over 36 million players and 14,000+ courts. 

For decades the shift in the pickleball industry occurred incrementally. Early on, the market was dominated by a handful of companies including Pickle ball Inc and  Pro-Lite Sports. Later brands such as Onix, Selkirk, and Franklin started producing pickleball paddles. According to the USAPA, in 2023 there are over 2,276 USAPA approved pickleball paddles. 

How much is the Pickleball Industry worth?

The Pickleball industry was valued at a staggering $65.64 Billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to a market value of $155.4 Billion by 2033-an annual growth rate of 9%. 

Making up a large portion of this market is the United States. The North American market alone was worth $26.25 Billion or 40% of the entire industry. A rising demand to be outside after 2019 is a key contributor to rapid growth along with a low cost to enter the space. The global shift to e-commerce has also pushed online pickleball stores to forefront the pickleball industry. 

Companies like Life time Pickleball (A pickleball court manufacturing company) have seen demand skyrocket 673% in just 17 months. As interest in the sport continues to grow, companies continue to emerge in this space and invest in such a lucrative industry. 

Changes in the pickleball industry

The global pickleball industry has seen many changes in recent years. In 1965 the first ever pickleball paddle was a modified wooden ping pong paddle. Shortly thereafter the first composite paddle was manufactured using materials found in a Boeing airplane floor panel. 

Since then, companies have been releasing more and more technologies into their pickleball paddles. For example, Selkirk released “Selkirk Labs Project 002” , the first spin technology to produce incredibly high spin RPM. Onix released its patented “ThermoFused” technology to perfect paddle molds. Lastly, Prokennex introduced its new Kinetic technology using micro-bearings and Newtonian physics to transfer ball energy into its kinetic chambers. Needless to say, the technology in pickleball paddles is rapidly advancing. 

Who are the largest Pickleball manufacturers?

Below is a list of the leading manufacturers that sell Pickleball Equipment relative to each other. Head is by far and away the largest brand that has entered the pickleball space. Excluding Head, which is known for its tennis equipment, Selkirk leads the way in pickleball sales. 

Why Pickleball will continue to grow.

The nationwide pickleball craze has created a need for more and more courts and supporting facilities and investors are drooling over the opportunity. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, there is $900 million in construction costs needed to satisfy the current demand (25,784 additional courts). Tennis courts are quickly being turned into pickleball courts across the country. 

Investors such as Mia Schipani Co-founder of “Pickleball America ” recognize the opportunities and are building the largest Pickleball court with over 80,000 sqft in a Stamford, CT mall. The sports popularity has attracted the likes of Tom Brady, Lebron James, Selena Gomez, Emma Watson, Michael Phelps, Drew Bree’s, Will Ferrell, Kevin Love, Gary V, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Serena Williams, Jamie Foxx, The Kardashians, and Kevin Durant. 

Pickleball has a sports league

Just like Baseball, Soccer, Football and other sports, Pickleball has its own major league. There are two Pickleball leagues competing for the best players around the country; Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour). The PPA Tour league contains 16 teams, while the MLP contains 24. The league owners include hedge fund billionaire Tom Dundun along with celebrities like Draymond Green, Kevin Love, Drew Bree’s, Tom Brady, James Blake, and Lebron James. Anheuser-Busch also has part ownership in the league. Recently the two leagues agreed to unify as one MLP organization backed by a $50 million investment to grow the sport. 

Key Stats:

• There are 36.5 million pickleball players in the United States alone. 
• Nearly 14% of Americans played pickleball at least once in 2022.
• Pro pickleball players make on average $96,000/yr.
• Males make up over 60% of pickleball participants.
• 2,000+ pickleball events are hosted every year.
• A pickleball lasts 100 games
• Pickleball has a 85% retention rate among new players
• 28.8% of players are age 18-34
• 10,724 places to play pickleball with 44,094 courts
• There are 212 certified pickleball referees
• 2,276 USAPA approved pickleball paddles on the market. 525 new paddles were added in 2022 alone.
• USAPA has over 70,000 members.
• The average age of a pickleball player is 38.1 yrs old.
• California has the most pickleball locations with 794. 
• The average price of a pickleball ball set is $19.59 with the market valued at $62.8 Million.
• The average price of a pickleball paddle is $63.86 with the market valued at $881.65 Million.
• The average pickleball brand sells 2,301 paddles a month and 1,606 balls per month.
• 78% of pickleball paddles are purchased on Amazon opposed to direct from the brand.