Will pickleball be as fun to watch as it is to play?

NEW YORK – At parks, gyms and

sports clubs across the United States,

millions of people are playing pickleball, with the sport’s explosive growth leading to battles with tennis players over court space, a push for developers to create new courts and professional athletes such as LeBron James hungry to invest in the professional game.

It is hard to determine precisely how many people have flocked to pickleball – by some accounts, as many as 4.8 million people in the US are playing, and some say that figure is more than 36 million. To be clear – people love pickleball.

Now investors and executives within the sport must figure out how to convince recreational enthusiasts that professional pickleball is worth watching on television and paying to see in person.

As professional tournaments in 2023 get under way, those in the pro ranks must persuade those who do not already follow professional pickleball that the sport’s most popular players – such as Anna Leigh Waters, Ben Johns and Lee Whitwell – are just as fun to watch as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka.

Whitwell, 48, was initially reluctant to watch or play the game after growing up playing tennis.

She said: “As a tennis purist, I refused. I thought it was an old-person sport and not a real sport.”

Then, in 2017, Whitwell said a friend bribed her with a case of beer to give pickleball a try. Within about a year of playing for the first time, she started playing the sport professionally.

Those who follow pickleball are deeply familiar with Whitwell, Johns and Waters. They might tune in to live streaming on YouTube or ESPN+ to watch them play. Some even buy tickets to go see them at tournaments across the country.

But outside of the pickleball world, Stu Upson, outgoing chief executive officer of USA Pickleball, said those names were not well known.

“If we can have a Roger or Serena of pickleball, when people are watching pickleball and they know who they are, whether they play the game or not, that would be huge,” Upson said. “But that takes a long time to develop.”

Pickleball executives and investors are aiming to persuade those who play casually to become invested enough to follow the pros.

Steve Kuhn, founder of Major League Pickleball, has been pushing the slogan “40 by 30”, for his goal to have 40 million people playing the sport by 2030.

“If this is the most-played sport in America, it might not be the most-watched sport in America, but it will be up there,” Kuhn said.

Pickleball’s low barrier for entry is what draws many to play the sport.

The gear is not particularly expensive, it is relatively easy to learn and players do not need to be especially strong, tall or fast.

“How many sports are there where grandparents can play with their grandkids?” said Chuck Menke, chief marketing officer of USA Pickleball.

The sport is already showcasing examples that make success look attainable. Anna, 16, considered to be one of the best players in the sport, plays women’s doubles with her mother Leigh Waters, 43.

“It’s one of these sports where you can actually go out and see success early on,” said Lisa Delpy Neirotti, a professor of sports management at George Washington University.

But that low barrier for entry could be what makes watching it on TV less appealing.

Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College who has served as a consultant for sports leagues and teams, said that one issue pickleball faces as a spectator sport “is that it doesn’t move very fast”.

“We like things that display physical acumen, where the stars can do things that we can’t do, and I think that pickleball is less amenable to that kind of an appreciation,” Zimbalist said.

About three to four pickleball courts can fit on one tennis court, which means shorter serves and less room to sprint for a ball. The court size may make strategy less visible, especially for new audiences or fans with a casual interest.

The smaller court size also makes it harder to follow a player’s tactics or “anticipate the build-up”, Zimbalist said.

“I think that suggests that the television future is limited, no matter how many people play it,” he said.

Also, the pro leagues will face external challenges from leagues such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer and Women’s National Basketball Association.

Connor Pardoe, CEO of the Professional Pickleball Association, said one of his goals for the organisation was to try to convince spectators that pro pickleball players “are at the top of the game”.

“Trying to show that it’s not just a silly game that you play in the backyard but is a real professional thing,” he said. “That’s our challenge.” NYTIMES