Pickleball fever shows no signs of slowing in North Texas
What started as a children's yard game in the 1960s has become the fastest-growing sport in the country. With 19.8 million known participants, pickleball is taking the professional sports world by storm.
But despite its massive growth, some critics believe it's a fad — a claim passionate pickleball fans of all ages push back on.
"It's called pickle fever, if you're looking for a word," Major League Pickleball Commissioner Samin Odhwani told CBS News Texas in July at MLP's mid-summer tour stop in Carrollton. "We've coined it. It's 100% a thing."
Major League Pickleball is one of the two main pickleball professional leagues operating in the U.S. More than 100 players across 22 teams. Two of those teams are in Texas: the Dallas Flash and the Austin-based Texas Ranchers.
Pickleball has been fast-growing across the country for years. Odhwani believes part of the reason it's so popular is because of how easy it is to play.
Thousands of fans from across the state packed into Carrollton's Pickler Universe for the MLP mid-summer tour stop in July. And it's not the only pickleball event that's drawn big crowds locally in the past 12 months. More than 57,000 people attended The Pickleball World Championships in Farmers Branch last year. The event accounted for $15.7 million in local economic impact, according to an economic impact study by the city. The event is returning to Farmers Branch in November.
Odhwani calls the passionate pickleball fandom "crazy" to witness.
"When was the last time you saw a sport emerge on the landscape or the zeitgeist of culture like pickleball has?" Odhwani asked.
More than a fad?
To pro players like Ben Johns, this game is more than a passing fad.
"It's so enjoyable of a sport and brings too many different kinds of people together," Johns told CBS News Texas after a win in July.
Johns is the number one-ranked pickleball player in the world. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Mad Drops and is one of the sport's first millionaires. At 26 years old, he's become the face of the movement.
"My hope is that it grows internationally," Johns said. "The U.S. is doing phenomenal in terms of growth, and I think more countries internationally are enjoying it. And if we can do that, there is no reason why the whole world can't be playing."
Even though the excitement and enthusiasm for this game are real, the academics studying and monitoring this explosive boom are still wondering if pickleball can scale and sustain like other major sports have.
Dr. David Rylander, Chair of the Department of Management & Marketing at Texas Women's University, said he believes scalability is there because it's become more of a global sport, not just an American one. But he said people in the industry still need to figure out the business model.
"They have to figure out how can we get some big contracts with networks," Rylander said. "Then get more people beyond players who play pickleball to have an interest in watching pickleball. That will be a big key in terms of scaling the sport."
CBS network has already started airing the MLP tournaments. The league reports sponsor deals have doubled from last year, and ticket sales are up by 50%.
"It's been growing so quickly," said Dallas Flash player and former pro tennis player, Tyra Black. "Even the last year, it's gone so crazy."
While recreational play grows and courts pop up in cities across the U.S., some are hoping that growth spreads to college campuses.
The enthusiasm is shared by pro flayers and fans alike. And for the skeptics, the die-hards have some advice:
"Give it a day," said Matthew Kramm, a fan who drove from San Antonio to Carrollton to watch July's tournament. "Just one day, and you'll change your mind."