Pickleball

12/16/2024 |  USA Pickleball Announces $3.6 Million Impact for National Championships (SportsTravel) USA Pickleball has announced the numbers behind the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships, which includes $3.6 million in estimated economic impact during the November 9–17 event at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona.

12/13/2024 |  The Evolution of Pickleball Facilities from Boutique Clubs to Massive Competition Venues (Athletic Business) It might be difficult to believe, but the international sensation that is pickleball finds its origins in a DIY project. After playing golf one summer Saturday in 1965, Joel Pritchard, a congressman from Washington state, and his friend Bill Bell returned to Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island to find their families sitting around with nothing to do. Pritchard’s property had an old badminton court, so Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and couldn’t find a full set of rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball.

12/12/2024 |  PickleRage at Avenues Walk to Host Grand Opening (SGB UPDATE) PickleRage, the indoor pickleball club franchise, will host a grand opening for PickleRage at Avenues Walk in Jacksonville, FL, from January 3-4, 2025, which will include a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.
“Jacksonville’s enthusiasm for pickleball is unmatched, and we’re excited to provide a state-of-the-art facility where players can connect, compete and thrive,” said David Smith, COO of PickleRage. “This grand opening is our way of welcoming the community and sharing the joy of pickleball with everyone.”

11/27/2024 |  Boston Pickle Club to Open Second Facility in Norwell (SGB UPDATE) The Boston Pickle Club plans to open a second indoor pickleball facility in Norwell for the South Shore community next month. This is the company’s second indoor club. The first location is in Boston’s Hyde Park.
The 28,000-square-foot facility has ten indoor pickleball courts with the same court surfaces used on the Carvana and PPA Tours. Co-founded by South African racquet professionals Johan du Randt and Stephen Mitchell and fintech entrepreneur Steven Hauck, the trio founded Boston Pickle Club to “create a network of linked clubs that are the ultimate destination for pickleball aficionados in Eastern New England.”

11/27/2024 |  USA Pickleball Serves Accepting “Grow the Game” Grant Applications (SportsTravel) USA Pickleball Serves, the charitable arm of USA Pickleball, has opened its Grow the Game grant program which is focused on investing in supporting community organizations and schools nationwide to grow the game.
Grow the Game grant has two rounds of open applications. Round one started on November 14 and closes December 12. Grant recipients will be announced on January 16, 2025. Round two will open July 8 and close August 5 with recipients announced September 9.