Is pickleball good for the economy? It sure looks that way, at least in the short term. In a recent study, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association found it will require $902 million to build the 25,784 pickleball courts needed to satisfy current demand. As we all know, participation in pickleball soared during the pandemic. As interest in indoor team sports understandably waned, some outdoor sports exploded. Since 2019 participation in golf and tennis is up 57% and 33% respectively. Participation in pickleball has risen an astounding 157%. These numbers are not dissimilar to what we have experienced at The Landings Club.
The association study puts the cost per court at approximately $36,000, but that number is misleading. For instance, that price probably does not include the cost of lights, nets, and fencing, which probably push the per-court cost to $50,000 or more and the overall investment to well over one billion dollars. Whichever number you believe, that’s a lot of money spent supporting America’s hottest new sports answer to Furbies and Pet Rocks.
So, is it good for the economy? Consider the facts. That kind of construction requires an increase in spending for labor and materials. There are auxiliary needs: fences, nets, shade coverings, tables and chairs, not to mention dedicated pros, paddles, shoes and the newest pickleball fashions. Pickleball has, in a relatively short period, become a multibillion-dollar phenomenon with little indication that the recent growth trend will abate anytime soon.
Contractors and organizations supplying the all-important accoutrement like nets, are not the only ones capitalizing from the pickleball boom. Next time you see an orthopedic surgeon tell him you’re playing pickleball and watch him salivate like Pavlov’s dog. It is estimated that over $500 billion will be spent fixing pickleball injuries this year.
According to CNN, from 2010-2019, eighty-six percent of emergency department visits due to pickleball injuries occurred in people over 60 years old. Around sixty percent of pickleball injuries are sprains, strains and fractures. Twenty percent are contusions, abrasions, or internal injuries; and fewer than ten percent are lacerations or dislocations. Analysts estimate that there will be around 67,000 emergency room visits, 366,000 outpatient visits and 9,000 outpatient surgeries related to pickleball injuries this year.
That said, it’s difficult to convince Landings Club picklers to take it easy on the courts. After all, the community may well boast the largest concentration of aging Type-A personalities in the country. As young Spartan warriors were told as they marched off to war: “Come back with your shield - or on it.”
On a separate subject, be sure to check the courts sports calendar for upcoming events. The fall league begins in early October followed by the Special Pops tournament and club championships. The deadline to sign up for the fall league has passed, but don’t forget the other opportunities to earn your place in the record books. Even if you don’t play in tournaments, come to Franklin Creek and support those who do.