Pickleball is booming strongly in China, becoming a new sport – entertainment phenomenon. With the rapid development, the world's most populous country reserved 100 million players in the coming years, along with the plan to build at least 10,000 fields across the country.
In the last 2 years, Pickleball has become a craze in many big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou.
Initially, this subject was well received by middle -aged and elderly people thanks to its easy -to -play, little injury. However, gradually, Pickleball spreads to young people, office workers, even students, creating a large community.
According to data from the Chinese sports industry, the sales of rackets, balls and pickleball accessories has increased by 6 times compared to the previous year, showing the huge demand of the market.
E -commerce platforms such as Taobao, JD.com and Pinduoduo recorded the “pickleball” search amount, while many domestic and foreign sports brands quickly participated in this segment.
The Chinese government also grasped the trend when putting pickleball into community sports programs. Many parks, residential areas and public sports centers have started to install the playground, making Pickleball more accessible to all classes.
Local media also called this “new national sport” thanks to its rapid and low cost popularity.
However, the speedy development of pickleball also posed challenges. The issue of management of yard standards, tools and coach training is becoming a great concern. Some experts believe that in order to achieve the goal of 100 million players, China needs a methodical strategy instead of just running after the trend.
Despite concerns, Pickleball is still the “hottest” trend in sports and entertainment in China today.
If this growth rate is maintained, the ambition of 100 million players can completely become a reality, and turn China to the largest Pickleball market in the world.