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The War for Pickleball
How the fastest-growing sport is becoming divided
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. Partly driven by the pandemic, it has gained immense popularity in recent years.
In 2021, pickleball grew to 4.8 million players in the US. This is a 14.8% growth from 2020, after seeing a 21.3% growth from 2019.
All this growth has enticed big money and competition.
This has led to a struggle — there are three competing pickleball leagues in the US currently battling it out to be the top and only option.
Brief History
Pickleball was invented in the 1960s to entertain a bored teenager on vacation. Frank Pritchard, the bored teenager, and his father, Joel Pritchard, along with a few other friends, created the game.
Frank's mother, Joanne, was the one to give the sport its name.
Pickleball became a popular pastime played for fun at the summer location they vacationed at. Eventually, it spread out to the greater Washington State area.
The game became prevalent in schools and retirement communities. By 2016, the US Amateur pickleball Association included 17,000 members.
