The Pickleball market size is estimated at $304 million. Picture Credit: Brendan Sapp.

Pickleball Australia memberships have skyrocketed by 300 per cent in the past year, as the pickle-themed sport continues to grow by 1,000 new players every six weeks.

Pickleball, a paddle sport combining elements of badminton, tennis, and ping-pong, has grown from 3000 players in early 2023 to 12,000 current members across 160 clubs nationwide.

Memberships continue to grow despite no major promotion or marketing around the sport, Pickleball Australia Association executive officer Brendan Lee said.

WA’s Western Vipers team was formed in 2023. Picture Credit: Michael Russ.

“The biggest barrier we face at the moment is having enough venues for people to actually play the sport,” Mr Lee said.

Mr Lee credited the sport’s success to it’s simplicity, suggesting many new players are able to compete in tournaments just a few weeks after starting.

Pickleball was invented in the US in 1965 by a group of dads who wanted to keep their kids entertained during school holidays. 

There are now 36.5 million ‘picklers’ worldwide, despite the game not being recognised as an official sport by the Global Association of International Sports Federations.

The National Pickleball League (NPL) is the biggest tournament in Australia, with its inaugural season currently underway. 

Across Australia and New Zealand, there are 108 players from 18 teams competing in the league for more than $100,000 in cash prizes, including WA team, Western Vipers.

Western Vipers player Michael Russ said the tournament was important in bringing visibility and legitimacy to Pickleball.

“The team faced strong opposition but managed to secure several impressive victories,” Mr Russ said.

“Our best result was in Auckland, where we managed to finish 5th overall.”

In Pickleball, games are played to 11 points, with the winning team needing a 2-point lead to secure the match.

Tournaments typically follow a knockout or round-robin format, with three tournaments being played each season. 

The NPL season one finale is set to take place in June at Melbourne’s pickle-themed Pickleball venue ‘The Jar’.

Teams are set to be entirely redrafted before the commencement of season two on August 17th.