Pickleball Participation Surges: APP 2023 Report Reveals Explosive Growth
The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) has released the 2023 APP Pickleball Participation Report, a study conducted by YouGov on behalf of the APP, which shows that pickleball has experienced a much higher growth rate than previously thought in the 12 months from August 2021 to August 2022. The report reveals that 14% of American adults (36.5 million people) played pickleball at least once in the past year, and nearly 8.5 million people played pickleball eight times or more. Additionally, 45% of the 36.5 million total players said they plan to play pickleball more often in the coming six months.[0]
Tom Webb, Chief Marketing Officer of the APP, commented: “The first of what will be our annual APP Participation Report clearly shows that Pickleball is not only America’s fastest-growing sport, it is growing much faster than anyone really thought. Now, pickleball has to be viewed as one of America’s favorite sports.”
The SFIA's 2022 report on pickleball also revealed that the sport grew to include 4.8 million players in the United States in 2021, following a 21.3% jump in 2020.
The APP serves professional, elite, amateur and recreational players in the fastest growing sport in the USA, and the 2023 APP Tour slate consists of 16 tournament stops, in addition to International and Collegiate Series events.[1] It also supports youth initiatives through its Next Gen Series.
Pickleball is an easy game to learn, fast-paced, social and appeals to all ages and physical abilities.[2] It is played with a paddle, a wiffle ball and a net and requires hand-eye coordination.[3] It can be played on a tennis court or a badminton-sized court with no walls or fencing.[4] There is a no-volley zone, known as “the kitchen,” on either side of the net.[2]
Pickleball is offered at many places, such as community centers, sports centers, and designated facilities.[5] It is available on Mondays from 6-8:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Clinics such as Pickleball 101 and Pickleball 202 are provided to help people learn the game and improve their skills.[6]
0. “Major League Pickleball tournament at Bell Bank Park Jan. 26-29 …” www.citysuntimes.com, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.citysuntimes.com/local-events/major-league-pickleball-tournament-at-bell-bank-park-jan-26-29/article_7edb43c2-9d81-11ed-877c-f72079bd9523.html
1. “2023 APP PICKLEBALL PARTICIPATION REPORT REVEALS 36.5 …” www.onfocus.news, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.onfocus.news/2023-app-pickleball-participation-report-reveals-36-5-million-adult-americans-played-pickleball-in-2022/
2. “The Rise of Pickleball | Moffly Media” mofflylifestylemedia.com, 28 Jan. 2023, https://mofflylifestylemedia.com/the-rise-of-pickleball/
3. “Pickleball continues to grow as a sport | News | lincolntimesnews.com” www.lincolntimesnews.com, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.lincolntimesnews.com/news/pickleball-continues-to-grow-as-a-sport/article_1f6c79e4-984d-11ed-b642-df206017d0c0.html
4. “Pickleball pilot program sparks excitement in Milpitas | The Milpitas …” milpitasbeat.com, 28 Jan. 2023, https://milpitasbeat.com/pickleball-pilot-program-sparks-excitement-in-milpitas/
5. “Pickleball Is Picking Up: Instructors Say It's Healthy for Both Mind …” www.jewishtimes.com, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.jewishtimes.com/pickleball-is-picking-up-instructors-say-its-healthy-for-both-mind-and-body/
6. “Major League Pickleball tournament starts Thursday in Mesa” www.abc15.com, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.abc15.com/sports/major-league-pickleball-tournament-comes-to-mesas-bell-bank-park