Is 2026 the Year of Pickleball?
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Courtesy of Sodalemon
Rob Barnes was selling airsoft equipment out of his dad's basement when he first picked up a pickleball paddle. That was 2009. By 2014, he and his brother Mike had quit college and started building paddles by hand. Last year, Selkirk Sport fulfilled 1,000 orders a day from an 87,000-square-foot warehouse, projecting $100 million in revenue in 2026. Meanwhile, Emma Watson was photographed playing pickleball at Cannes. "It's the best therapy I never paid for," she said. Two people, two entry points, one sport taking over life.
24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025, up 22.8% year-over-year and 171.8% over three years, the fastest-growing sport in the US for three consecutive years. Even 24-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic has warned that tennis is endangered by its rise. In India, over 100,000 active players are now competing across 1,200+ courts. The participation numbers are just the start.
Backyard Pickleball Courts Are a Real Estate Feature
Zillow's 2026 Home Trends Report flags backyard pickleball courts as a rising premium home feature, alongside pools and home gyms, and mentions of pickleball courts in listings were up 25%. "Buyers want these features," Zillow's home trends expert Amanda Pendleton has said, "and even in today's affordability-stretched market, they're willing to pay more to have them."
600 Brands Are Vying for Attention
When Selkirk launched, the brothers competed with five to ten brands. Today, there are roughly 600. "We see pickleball more like golf," Mike Barnes said, "]you need to be an endemic brand that's really focused." That focus delivered 1,900% revenue growth since 2019 and a $30 million institutional investment.
193 new manufacturers entered the pickleball ecosystem in 2025 alone
Selkirk grew from 16 employees in 2019 to 230 by January 2026
Drew Brees is an ambassador for OWL Sport. Jamie Foxx co-founded his own paddle brand and hosts 400-person pickleball events at his Los Angeles compound. The sport has become an investment vehicle as much as a pastime.
From the Court to Everyday Wardrobes
Centerline Athletics, built specifically for pickleball, posted 437% year-over-year growth and landed shelf space at Nordstrom.
Sodalemon, a global activewear platform, has seen the same shift drive demand for its performance athleisure line; pieces designed to move from the court to brunch without a wardrobe change. "We're seeing customers treat activewear less as performance gear and more as everyday clothing," says Jaylin, Founder of Sodalemon. "Pickleball players are on the court, then at brunch, then running errands; they want to look the part the whole time."
Jessie James Decker, who built her fashion label Kittenish into a lifestyle brand, holds an equity stake in Celebrity Pickleball Bash, affirming that pickleball is no longer just played; it is worn.
The Easiest Sport to Start Is Also the Hardest One to Leave Behind
With minimal gear and rules that take minutes to learn, pickleball has the lowest barrier to entry of any active hobby in the American market. The numbers back that up:
People do not plan to get into pickleball. They fall into it. And then they never quite leave. Zac Efron was spotted mid-rally with a professional player in Austin in early 2026. Jamie Foxx plays twice a day. No campaigns, no announcements, just two more people who picked up a paddle and never put it down.
A Decade of Dominance: What’s Left to Reshape?
Within a decade, the sport has reshaped the home, the closet, the high-growth investment market, and the celebrity calendar. The next phase is already visible. More leagues, more structured tournaments, and more capital are flowing into what was once a backyard pastime.
The question is no longer whether pickleball grows. It is which parts of the American sports economy it replaces.
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