Over the past several years, the sport of pickleball has become immensely popular, with new leagues and courts opening all over the country. Along with that rise in popularity has come a tremendous increase in sales of pickleball-related merchandise. Since 2020, sales of pickleball equipment has increased nearly 500 percent, to over $300 million per year, with many major retailers making new room in their stores to sell paddles and balls. In addition to sales of equipment, there has also been a dramatic increase in sales of athletic clothing to pickleball players. Major clothing manufacturers such as Nike and Lululemon are now producing shorts, skirts, and shoes that players can wear both on and off the court. Sales of tennis apparel, which includes pickleball attire, increased 15 percent in the last year, to over $340 million. Even the real estate market has seen benefits from growth in pickleball’s popularity, with old malls and retail stores being converted into pickleball courts.
With the rise of professional leagues and star players, experts expect the sport to continue growing over the next several years. While the sport is tremendously popular in the US, it is just beginning to grow in popularity worldwide.
Discussion Questions:
- Discuss how growth in pickleball’s popularity affects the equilibrium price and quantity of athletic clothing.
- Until recently, many retailers devoted very little of their shelf space to pickleball-related merchandise. Why might stores be hesitant to add more shelf space for a particular item?
Source| Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/04/pickleball-craze-is-big-score-business/; Unsplash: Photo by Laura Tang on Unsplash