Undoubtedly at the height of its cultural power, pickleball continues to present multiple business opportunities for those who choose to seek it. This multigenerational sport, which originated in Washington State in the 1960s, saw a major boom just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, inviting participants of all ages who weren’t too busy making a sourdough starter to pick up a paddle and give it a whack.
To learn more about this growing sport, we talked with Brandon Mackie, an entrepreneur and avid tennis player who is spearheading the pickleball fandom with his new startup, Pickleheads, with an aim to connect pickleball players across the world.
“My love for both pickleball and starting new businesses all just kinda came together,” says Mackie. “The sport sort of remained in the senior communities like Florida and Arizona for decades but, as far as we could tell, during the pandemic was the single largest catalyst for the sport.”
A deeper dive into the pickleball boom reveals which businesses are taking advantage of the growing popularity of the sport. “It’s insane how many paddle companies we’re seeing right now, well into the hundreds,” says Mackie. “Facilities, too. Places all over the country that offer food and have nice locker rooms.”
Mackie went on to discuss the absence of apps and websites that highlight the pickleball experience, which is why he started Pickleheads, stating how every day their inbox is filled with player inquiries asking where to play and who they can play with. However, what about those who wish to capitalize on the business side of the sport?
“It’s sort of a free-for-all right now, the ‘wild west’,” says Mackie. “It (the pickleball market) appeared overnight and is one of the largest sports in the country, depending on the data you believe. There’s just a lot of businesses trying to figure it out.”
While there are plenty of new businesses trying to take advantage, Mackie also touched on businesses that have pivoted to this new market. “Any company that has an existing sports equipment manufacturing infrastructure,” says Mackie. “Companies like Franklin, Wilson, Prokennex, companies that had a real strong presence in tennis and had the manufacturing capacity to take this on. Almost everyone of those brands has come into this space for things like shoes, paddles, balls and, according to Franklin, has seen much success with pickleball being their primary growth driver in recent years.”
Mackie also mentioned the challenges some players might face, specifically as it pertains to Vancouver and southwest Washington.
“The universal truth of pickleball is that there’s way more people playing right now then there are courts, a major supply and demand imbalance,” Mackie says. “It’s a healthy tension with players and places like parks and rec but I think there is progress. People do have this assumption that because it was invented in Washington State that it would be the mecca and have courts everywhere, and it’s not the case. Parks will need to play a role as will country clubs, gyms, etc.”
Per Mackie, there are only about six total dedicated courts in Vancouver, a city of close to 200,000 people, hinting at the major opportunities that could come with building pickleball specific infrastructures, a sport that seemingly has no plans to slow down.
