by Kelly Campbell
One of the best and most well-known pickleball characteristics is its accessibility. It’s simple: grab a ball and a paddle and start dinking. But is pickleball’s popularity explosion and increased demand changing the game as we know it?
Even though you can still get started with the basics, there are now seemingly unlimited options for pickleball gear, apparel, and equipment. From high-end paddles with steep price tags to pickleball-specific shoes instead of regular sneakers, it’s clear that the game and culture are evolving. When it comes to professional pickleball, ticket prices are suddenly steep, as are a lot of tournament dues nowadays.
The pickleball market is projected to hit $4.4 billion by 2033. Part of the reason for the boom is pickleball’s inherent inclusivity, which prompts a huge demand for pickleball-related merchandise, more pickleball equipment options, and more people wanting to become professional players. With that, the pressure is on to have the latest and greatest pickleball items, and price tags are creeping up.
Are these new, expensive pickleball products and expensive ticket prices a natural part of pickleball development as it becomes a core US sport? Does the plethora of pickleball choices actually impact performance, or are these expensive accessories making the sport more elite and exclusive, similar to tennis and golf? Read on for more.
Paddle Battle: Prices Increase as Pickleball Business Booms
Pickleball business is booming.
In tandem with the pickleball popularity explosion, the pickleball market size has grown dramatically. Google Trends estimates that pickleball interest has increased by about 550% over the past 5 years. The pickleball paddle market was estimated at $152.8 million in 2022, and high-end paddles capped out at around $200. Now, we’re seeing paddles that cost upwards of $300-400.
The Global Pickleball Market is expected to continue with a CAGR of 11.3% through 2033m from $1.5 billion in 2023 to $4.4 billion in 2033. Seeing the dramatic success of the pickleball market, with popularity growth, it makes sense that brands and businesses want to capitalize on the demand. But with so many choices, a lot of brand competition, celebrity endorsements, and investments in new technology, the marketing puts pressure on passionate players to spend a lot of money on pickleball. Avid pickleballers want to ensure they’re doing everything they can to play at their best, and that they’re not behind on trends and developments.
While we know there’s a likely difference in quality between a $30 and $200 pickleball paddle, where do we draw the line? Is there really a difference between a $200 paddle and a $400 paddle?
Just look at how many paddle options Pickleball Central offers on its website!
Back in the day, we used to use limited equipment in general, but often general sports sneakers and attire. Now, there are unlimited products that claim to be engineered specifically for pickleball. Here are some interesting pickleball-specific equipment finds that have hit shelves as part of the pickleball craze:
- ASICS Women’s Pickleball Shoes – $85
- OS1st Pickleball No-Show Court Socks – $15.99
- Franklin Pickleball Gloves – $19.99
- Pickleball Backpack – $89
- Stack Pickleball Apparel – $38+
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the influx of pickleball products, we encourage you to do your research before buying the most expensive paddle or investing in new gadgets. Many paddle differences in the upper price range have negligible differences, so don’t feel pressured to immediately level up if you already have solid equipment.
Professional Pickleball: Ticket Sales and Tournament Exclusivity
Especially at the competitive level, our wallets have been hurting compared to a few years ago.
One Reddit user commented on the ticket price jump for a recent PPA tournament, claiming that this year’s courtside tickets were $100 while last year’s were $40. While many PPA tickets still fall under $50, there is an overall higher demand, and therefore a higher price tag than before. The good news is that there’s a lot more pickleball coverage on TV, with major tournaments being broadcast on ESPN, CBS, and more, so even if you can’t make it to an event in person, you can watch your favorite players on TV.
The price to play in tournaments has also increased. Gone are the days when tournaments were free or had a free or few-dollar entry fee. Now, players could pay up to $300, depending on the event. A lot goes into these numbers. One reason for the steeper pricing is that there are way more players than ever, which takes up more resources. With an increased demand, tournaments need to be held at larger, more expensive venues with more refs, security, etc. Also, as pickleball gains more professional legitimacy, pricing is catching up to be on par with other professional US sports.
High ticket prices and tournament fees create a barrier to entry for a lot of picklers in what was previously an inclusive environment. Pickleball should be open to everyone – not just those who can afford high tournament and ticket fees. Keeping prices manageable will encourage a greater pool of pickleball talent to get involved with the sport professionally.
Dollars for Dinks: Is pickleball the new tennis or golf?
Tennis and golf are often categorized as luxury sports, particularly popular among the wealthy and elite. The cost of equipment is high overall, there are barriers to entry for tennis and golf clubs, dress codes are usually in place while playing, and high standards of conduct are highly enforced.
Between the expensive gear and exclusive clubs, it’s clear that golf and tennis both started as sports for the wealthy elite. Even though demographics have begun to shift, they still wear a high-end reputation and aren’t quite as accessible as other US sports.
As we witness changes in the pickleball community, particularly with increased tournament dues, higher ticket prices, and increased pressure to buy expensive, pickleball-specific gear, we wonder if our favorite sport is making a shift to becoming more elite and exclusive as well.
Pickleball has never been considered an expensive sport. While we’ve witnessed our own demographic shifts throughout the pickleball popularity boom, pickleball has always been available to anyone who wants to play. You can play pickleball with a DIY backyard court and a few inexpensive paddles, find a local club or league, or invest in your pickleball passion with expensive paddles and intense competition. Pickleball is popular in physical education classes at school, equipment can be purchased cheaply and in bulk, and you only need a few things to get started. There are options for everyone, and every step is customizable.
While we still feel strongly that pickleball is an inclusive sport that can be played in a budget-friendly way at all levels, we can’t deny that things are changing as the sport becomes more popular. Whether this stems from genuine improvement in quality or is part of a marketing scheme capitalizing on pickleball demand, we can’t say for sure. High-end pickleball paddle prices have gone up, and for the first time, we have access to pickleball-specific sneakers and clothing brands that didn’t even exist a few years ago.
It’s great that pickleball has grown enough to even have such high-end, developed equipment and pickleball apparel, rather than reworked tennis outfits and athletic sneakers. It goes to show how far we’ve come. But there’s a dangerous side to these developments, and we wonder if pickleball with a high price tag will deter new players from getting involved.
With increased ticket and equipment prices, do you think pickleball spending is getting out of hand? Or is it all a necessary part of pickleball’s growth? Let us know what you think.
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