60 years of pickleball: From backyard game to global sensation

In 1965, a sport called Pickleball was born on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, USA. Initially, this sport was just a backyard game invented by several fathers to kill their children's summer vacation time. However, who would have thought that this sport, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, has become one of the most popular sports in the world after 60 years of development.

Early Development: From Classroom to Community
For the first few decades, pickleball spread primarily in the Northwestern United States, especially in school physical education classes. In 1972, Pickle-Ball, Inc. was founded to produce pickleball equipment in order to promote the emerging sport. In 1975, the National Observer first wrote about pickleball, followed by Tennis Magazine in 1976 with an article about America's newest racket sport. That spring, the first known pickleball tournament was held at the South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington. In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA) was founded and released the first official rulebook, laying the foundation for the standardization of the sport. By 1990, pickleball was played in all 50 states.

2000-2010: Popularity among Older People
In the 21st century, pickleball began to gain popularity in retirement communities in the United States, especially in Arizona and Florida. Many people who were exposed to pickleball in their youth brought the sport to their new place of residence after retirement. They promoted the popularity of pickleball among the elderly by marking lines on local tennis courts and organizing competitions. In 2001, pickleball was introduced to the Arizona Senior Olympics, which attracted 100 players and was the largest event at the time. By 2003, there were 39 known competition locations in North America, located in 10 states and 3 Canadian provinces, with a total of 150 separate courts.

2010-2015: Nationwide Expansion
Over time, the appeal of pickleball has expanded beyond retirement communities, attracting participants of all ages. In 2013, the first championship was held in Utah, with a prize of more than $45,000, marking the official entry of pickleball into the competitive sports arena. In the same year, the national championship of pickleball attracted more than 700 players, showing the great potential of this sport.

2015-2020: The rise of professionalism
In 2016, the first U.S. Open Pickleball Championship was held in Naples, Florida, and the game was broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network for the first time, further enhancing the popularity of pickleball. In the same year, pickleball was included in the Indian National Games, marking the growing international influence of the sport. At the same time, professional events have sprung up like mushrooms after rain. PPA (Professional Pickleball Association, 2017), APP (Association of Pickleball Professionals, 2019) and "Major League Pickleball" (MLP, 2021) were established one after another. In 2018, the U.S. Pickleball National Championship moved to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, with more than 2,200 participants. The event was broadcast live on ESPN3 for more than 17 hours and attracted more than 1.5 million viewers.

2020 to Present: Global Craze and Rapid Expansion
During the COVID-19 pandemic, pickleball has experienced explosive growth around the world due to its suitability for social distancing. According to a report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the number of people participating in pickleball in 2023 is nearly twice that of 2022, an increase of 158.6% since 2021. It is estimated that in 2024, there will be tens of millions of pickleball enthusiasts in the United States, and most of the players are young people aged 25 to 34. The open source bilingual pickleball textbook "Learn to Play Pickleball" is used in many clubs and colleges at home and abroad, and has been widely praised, becoming the best tutorial for getting started with pickleball.

In China, pickleball is also beginning to emerge. In 2023 and 2024, many pickleball competitions and training activities were held across the country, attracting many enthusiasts to participate. A large number of pickleball clubs and associations have emerged in various provinces and cities. In addition, China has become a major region for pickleball production, with about 300 pickleball-related companies, mainly producing balls, rackets, nets and other equipment, showing a rapid growth trend.

Future Outlook: From Community to World
With the establishment of the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF), the sport is moving towards a more professional and international direction. GPF is committed to promoting pickleball around the world and developing unified rules and standards, with the goal of incorporating pickleball into the Olympic Games.

In China, with the holding of competitions and initial market exploration, pickleball is expected to occupy a place in the Chinese and Asian markets due to its easy-to-learn, interesting and fun features, and become a widely popular sport after table tennis and badminton.

From a simple backyard game to a global sport, the development of pickleball has proved its unique charm and broad prospects. Both young and old can find fun and challenges in this sport. It can be predicted that pickleball will occupy a more important position in the future sports landscape.