Pickleball has become a viral craze sweeping the nation and the world, with an estimated 36 million people playing. The sport's unfathomable growth can be attributed to a number of factors.
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00:00 Pickleball went from being a sport for the elderly to a pop culture phenomenon.
00:04 Here's how.
00:05 [MUSIC]
00:09 Pickleball has experienced explosive growth over the past few years.
00:13 The Association of Pickleball Players conducted a survey in early 2021 and
00:18 found there were around 5 million people playing.
00:22 A more recent survey that stretched into 2022 found there were 36 million
00:27 people picking up pickleball paddles.
00:29 But many are wondering why and
00:31 how the sport became so popular in such a short span of time.
00:35 Pickleball's origins can be traced back to 1965, when three friends in Washington
00:40 were trying to play badminton but couldn't find a full set of rackets.
00:44 Instead, they improvised with ping pong paddles in a perforated plastic ball.
00:48 And after showing friends and family, the game began to spread.
00:52 Though it was originally based off of badminton,
00:54 pickleball became known as an easier version of tennis.
00:57 And was more geared towards older players as a slower alternative.
01:01 The mainstream popularity of pickleball in recent years comes from a number of
01:04 key factors.
01:05 As people were social distancing during the pandemic,
01:08 they were looking for new ways to be outside and active.
01:11 Pickleball offered a unique way to do both of these,
01:14 with the added benefit of paddles to avoid direct contact.
01:17 Another aspect that aided in pickleball's growth is simple, the ease of play.
01:21 While it was originally thought of as a sport for the elderly,
01:24 this also meant the sport is easy to learn and easy to play.
01:27 Not to mention, consumer quality pickleball equipment is relatively cheap,
01:31 with a starter set on Amazon costing around 30 bucks.
01:34 Since its explosive growth,
01:36 pickleball has become especially popular among influencers and celebrities.
01:40 YouTuber David Dobrik even hosted a celebrity pickleball tournament in August.
01:45 And professional athletes such as LeBron James and
01:48 Tom Brady are investing in professional pickleball teams.
01:51 Not to mention, huge brands such as Skechers and
01:54 Carvana are pouring even more money and attention into the sport.
01:58 So if you're looking for a sport that's easy to play, cheap to get into, and fun,
02:03 it may be time to go pick up a paddle.