by Kelly Campbell
It feels like every day there’s a new headline promoting pickleball’s many health benefits, and we love that pickleball is good for our bodies and brains while also being incredibly fun to play with some friends and a few drinks.
Pickleball’s popularity is at an all-time high. One unanticipated effect of the pickleball boom in both professional and recreationally settings is pickleball’s growing connection with the alcohol industry, which seems to counter pickleball’s overall wellness and health benefit claims.
Is pickleball drinking culture negating pickleball’s health benefits––or is it the best of both worlds for a balanced lifestyle? Could pickleball’s recreational (and alcohol-friendly) reputation halt its growth as a legitimate professional sport or provide more advancement opportunities? Read on for more.
Pickleball’s Health Benefits Keep Scoring
By now, we all know (and love) the health benefits we experience as pickleballers: increased strength, greater cardiovascular endurance, and improved balance and coordination. The list goes on.
We’re learning more about how much pickleball loves us and our bodies back. Dinking enhances our lives, prevents injuries, and boosts our mental health.
These are some of the most recent studies highlighting new ways pickleball is beneficial:
Men’s Health Ultimate Pickleball Workout
In February, Men’s Health released an all-skill strength program for pickleballers. In it, they highlighted how pickleball has profound health benefits, referencing a 2022 study that says “pickleball doubles increased players’ caloric expenditure by 36 percent, their perceived exertion by 44 percent, and their “enjoyment levels” by 150 percent”, compared to walking. MH also outlines specific functional areas that pickleball targets: rotation, lateral movement, explosivity, and unilateral training. They highlight that it’s just as important to train for pickleball as other sports because although pickleball is low-impact, it can be an intense workout.
Pickleball for Traumatic Brain Injury Rehab
Earlier this year, the Houston Chronicle published an article about a man who has found success with pickleball as rehab for a TBI. Ben Bliek suffered an injury that left him unable to walk. With the TIRR Memorial Hermann and Chicken n Pickle adaptive pickleball program, he began to play pickleball and continues to play every month. Pickleball is becoming an increasingly common intervention across hospitals nationwide to aid in recovery and rehabilitation related to brain injuries because it is easy to learn, low-impact, and low-risk.
Surprising Pickleball Brain Benefits––Proprioceptive Training:
In a podcast with Mind Body Green, neurophysiologist and Neuro Athletics founder Louisa Nicola spoke about how pickleball offers unique benefits because it is a type of proprioceptive training. Proprioceptive training focuses on the body’s awareness of space in movement. This training enhances stability, balance, and coordination. Nicola notes that pickleball incorporates all senses, such as touch, light, and sound, improving cognitive function and reducing the risk for dementia, mobility and cognitive decline, and fall risk.
Cocktails on the Court: Pickleball’s Growing Connection to Alcohol Industry
Thanks to pickleball’s wild popularity, influence from celebrities, and just being fun, many play the game purely for recreation and without even thinking about health and wellness. That’s where alcohol typically comes in. In some contexts, people consider pickleball more of a yard game than a true sport, often to be paired with alcoholic beverages.
It’s interesting to note that while pickleball’s popularity (and alcohol connection by association) is growing, alcohol’s reputation is suffering. Recent studies have shown that no level of alcohol is safe for consumption, and the WHO classifies alcohol as a group one carcinogen. This news has increased the popularity of month-long sober trends like Dry January and Sober October. As society grapples with an increased awareness of adverse effects associated with alcohol assumption, the “sober-curious” lifestyle, one in which people (without alcohol use disorder) experiment with reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, is becoming increasingly common.
So, if pickleball is so great for us and our health, why has it become so intertwined with the alcohol industry, perhaps more so than other sports?
Pickleball certainly isn’t the first sport with a connection to the alcohol industry, but pickleball’s drinking culture is particularly vibrant.
One answer for the pickleball-drinking connection is simple: pickleball is a great marketing opportunity for alcohol companies. Pickleball is a buzzword today, and alcohol companies know that. By blending celebrity influence with pro pickleball sponsorships and partnerships, they can market their product to a vast demographic.
These are just some examples that encourage us to associate pickleball with fun and booze:
- Michelob Ultra’s Star-Studded Super Bowl Ad
- Vizzy Hard Seltzer Sponsors PPA Tour with Deep Eddy vodka, FitVine wine, Miller Lite
- Major League Pickleball Official Sponsors: Blue Note Bourbon, Botanist Gin, Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
- Margaritaville USAPA Nationals sponsorship
- Association of Pickleball Players beer sponsor: Fat Tire Beer
Outside of marketing initiatives and pro partnerships, a whole sector of the pickleball space is dedicated to developing pickleball as a fun activity and social outlet rather than an intense sport. Indoor pickleball entertainment facilities with bars, party games, and live music are popping up across the U.S.. Places like Chicken N Pickle and City Pickle emphasize pickleball as a fun, social outlet that pairs well with drinks and friends.
The main thing that pickleball and alcohol have in common is fun. In this context, they work hand-in-hand to cure boredom and encourage people to get out and be social.
Dinkin’ and Drinkin’: Pickleball Combines the Best of Both Worlds?
Knowing the adverse effects of drinking and with pickleball in such a delicate place of growth in the professional space, we should think about what we’re promoting as a community and where pickleball is headed in the long term.
Of course, even though we want to promote healthy lifestyles to players, and it’s crucial to understand that excess drinking can inhibit athletic growth and negatively affect your skills, one thing is true: picking up a paddle in one hand with a beer in the other is better than not picking up a paddle at all.
We want pickleball to flourish as a serious professional sport, not just a bar game. But pickleball might just be the best of both worlds. Perhaps pickleball can exist as a hybrid in the sports and recreational spaces; serious athletes should be aware of the negative effects of alcohol on performance, but those with pure entertainment in mind can be more flexible. Pickleball’s customizable intensity, transportability, and easy-to-learn rules and mechanics work in its favor to truly cater to every type of player.
These are some ways pickleball’s drinking culture could be positive for pickleball growth and longevity:
- Increased demand for pickleball-themed bars and entertainment facilities, which provides opportunities for aspiring pickleball business owners.
- Professional pickleball athletes and associations have more opportunities for sponsorships and partnerships via alcohol brands, which leads to more money funneling into pickleball.
- Large marketing budgets and campaigns involving pickleball can increase the sport’s exposure.
- Encourages people to be active in social settings, which is better than just sitting at a bar.
- Increases pickleball participation by non-athletes and people who don’t enjoy “working out” traditionally.
- Allows pickleball to cater to a much wider audience and decreases the barrier to entry (for adults)
Whether you’re planning to go pro or just like to play on the weekends casually, we encourage all players to drink and dink responsibly to avoid injury and keep pickleball spaces fun, safe, and inclusive.
Sources
Recent Comments