Pickleball — a combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong — surged in popularity over the past two years. But the sport's rapid rise is much more than a pandemic-fueled fad.
State of play: Pickleball participation grew by 21.3% between 2019 and 2020, prompting the Economist to declare it "the fastest growing sport in America." 4.2 million Americans now play at least once a year.
What they're saying: "Pickleball is the only sport where my whole family — from my kids to my parents — can play together and have an absolute blast," says Dave Fleming, 54, a senior pickleball pro.
How to play: Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island (near Seattle) by three dads, including future Rep. Joel Pritchard.
Between the lines: While tennis remains a country club tradition, pickleball's low-profile and relative ease makes it more accessible — a sport that almost anyone can pickup fairly quickly.
Of note: Pickleball hasn't fully shaken the elitist image often associated with racquet sports. It's become popular in the Hamptons and is, naturally, all the rage in Hollywood.
What's next: The world's best pickleball player, Ben Johns, makes roughly $250,000 a year, but most pros can't sustain a living (next month's USA National Championships has a total purse of $90,000).
🎥 Watch: How to play pickleball
Correction: This story was updated to include a more accurate definition of "the kitchen."
