Behind Why 36 Million People Are Playing Pickleball

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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.

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