Pickleball’s rapid rise reshapes Houston’s recreation scene From the cover
How we got here
What’s new
The history of pickleball The sport has been evolving with new leagues and tournaments since 1965.
The number of pickleball leagues, tournaments and players has risen over the past few decades, according to the USA Pickleball. Still, it wasn’t until the pandemic that the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, one of the leading trade associations for the industry, named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America. Pickleball has seen a 223% increase in participa- tion from 2020 to 2024, according to recent data from the association. In 2025 and 2026, experts project annual growth rates between 15–20% as the sport continues to expand. Business owner and pickleball player Jason Mok said he noticed the game’s rapid rise to popularity and decided to act on it. In March 2024, he opened PKL Social on Washington Avenue, which boasts several pickleball courts and open play options. “Just like everyone, we kind of felt there was an opportunity back in 2022, 2023,” Mok said. “We were already in the food and beverage industry, and we just kind of leaned really hard into the little sports bar, social and then pickleball [industry].” In 2025, several pickleball courts opened across the area, including private clubs, public courts and those with a combination of dining and recreation. For example, Drop Shots HTX opened in June with a full bar, indoor courts and an arcade. Other businesses that have opened in 2025 include Pickle Mania and Rallies Pickleball Club. However, Kaplan said that the rise of the sport has led to issues where growth is outpacing demand. “In 2023, there were 20 indoor courts in two pri- vately owned facilities,” he said. “Jump to December 2025, and Houston has more pickleball facilities than any city in the nation.”
With nearly 60 facilities and more on the way, Houston leads the nation as a hotspot for pickleball. The city has the highest number of pickleball courts in the country, according to Pickleheads, a community of players that tracks over 23,500 courts in 9,400 cities. Houston has also hosted professional pickleball tournaments at Memorial Park and is home to the Houston Hammers, the first nationally-recognized professional team in the city. Pickleball players attribute the sport’s exponential growth to multiple factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the smaller court size and its multigenerational appeal. However, Michael Kaplan, president of the Houston Pickleball Association, attributes the sport’s popularity to another reason—childlike discovery. “When you’re little … you’re just so pure and unadulterated, and you see something new, it’s like the greatest thing in the world,” Kaplan said. “This is what [pickleball] does to people because it’s fun, it’s social, it can be competitive and it’s inclusive.” Top U.S. cities for pickleball facilities A newly released report ranked Houston as the city with the most pickleball facilities, with New York City and Austin close behind.
1965
1 Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell create a new game to entertain their families. 2 The first permanent pickleball court was built at Joel and Joan Pritchard’s home in Magnolia Bluff, Seattle. 3 The United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA) was founded, and the first rulebook was published.
1
1967
2
1970
4 USAPA rebranded as USA Pickleball.
1980
5 USA Pickleball reached 50,000 members and experienced the largest single growth year to date for the organization. 6 The Sports & Fitness Industry Association named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America for the second consecutive year. 7 Pickleball saw a total of 8.9 million players in the United States, an increase from 4.8 million in 2022. 8 USA Pickleball National Championships featured wheelchair pickleball as a competitive division for the first time, and the year ended with 15,910 pickleball courts nationwide.
1984
3
1990
2020 2021 2022 2023
6 5 4 7
Houston
59
New York City
58
2026
8
52
Austin Seattle
50
47
San Diego
2030
SOURCE: PICKLEHEADS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: USA PICKLEBALL/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Pickleball on the rise Over the past few years, Houston has seen a rise in the number of private facilities and clubs opening, as well as outdoor bars adding courts for customers to use.
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Mok echoed Kaplan’s statement, saying that while he doesn’t think the sport is going any- where, private pickleball establishments without other offerings may struggle to stay open. “The sport itself has plenty of trajectory to go, but the clubs that haven’t built nice, consistent programming and community are the ones that probably aren’t doing as well,” he said. Mok said that’s why it was important to him to offer more than just the game. PKL Social has several outdoor patios for gatherings, large TVs for watching sporting events, golf simulators and an extensive food and beverage menu.
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1 Pumpkin Park 2 Jaycee Park 3 Cleveland Park 4 Halbert Park 8 The Briar Club 9 Life Time 10 PKL Social 11 Pickle Lab 12 Solarium
5 Fondé Community Center 6 West Gray Recreation Center 7 Montie Beach Park
45
13
STUDEWOOD ST.
10
10
3
15
5
6
610
13 Elite Pickleball Club 14 Drop Shots HTX 15 The Houstonian Club 16 Life Time - Galleria
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12
ER RD.
16
8
11
9
59
69
288
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SOURCE: PICKLEHEADS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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