As pickleball is the fastest growing sport for two years in a row, having more than 4.8 million players nationwide, the demand for courts and playtime continues to increase.

Many pickleball enthusiasts and investors are working to help solve that problem by purchasing real estate that would provide indoor court space, including unused space at shopping malls to increase shopping traffici to these entertainment areas.

We spoke to CNN about this topic as reported by Parija Kavilanz. Read the full article on CNN.com.

There are multiple pickleball entertainment complexes in the works and we are excited to continue to watch this sport skyrocket and players to get more court time.

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Malls are an ideal setting for the game, said Laura Gainor of USA Pickleball, the national governing body of hte sport. “It is a Pickleball player’s dream, because it’s a big indoor space and you can play the sport year-round,” she said. 

A Pickleball court is one-fourth the size of a tennis court. “You can fit six or even 12 courts in an empty department store space,” she said. “And these courts can be permanent or temporary. It only takes a couple of minutes to set up a court and to dismantle it.”

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Follow @PickleballintheSun as we continue to spotlight many of these venues as they are announced! See you on the courts.

Todd Plummer reports for The New York Times how companies are looking to cash in as the sport continues to gain popularity.

“While pickleball has largely been enjoyed in the privacy of retirement communities, country clubs and the homes of the Hollywood elite in recent years, the sport is transitioning to the mainstream with the emergence of its own media ecosystem.” 

Read the full story on NYTimes.com. 

Launching soon by the founder of Vossberg Gainor… PickleballintheSun.com!

Your source for the best pickleball destinations and experiences! Visit PickleballintheSun.com to learn more and to subscribe to be the first to know.

A little story about how it got started…

Two years ago was the beginning of the pickleball lifestyle for founder, Laura Vossberg Gainor. Launching a marketing agency with USA Pickleball as its first client, Vossberg Gainor picked up a paddle and quickly saw the opportunities the sport would bring to connect people and brands through a like-minded community, social and competitive pickleball events, and provide a healthy lifestyle when everyone needed it the most.

Pickleball became the fastest growing sport in the nation. Vossberg Gainor transitioned her agency to be the first pickleball marketing agency, solely working with the unique pickleball marketing niche, helping clients engage with the 4.2 million pickleball player audience, and growing.

With an entrepreneurial spirit while playing pickleball daily herself, and publishing some of the top Pickleball-related stories from around the U.S. with USA Pickleball and Pickleball Magazine, she again wanted to create something that provided a one-stop source for enthusiasts to find the best pickleball destinations and experiences.

And that is what “Pickleball in the Sun” will provide!

Your source for the best pickleball destinations and experiences in the U.S. and beyond. From relaxing poolside in a tropical destination after a morning on the courts, to sight-seeing in the sunny and snowy mountains and warming up indoors at a local pickleball complex, to choosing your family vacation around your addiction of traveling to participate in a competitive tournament or up your game by signing up for a pro-led clinic.

So go ahead, get ready to pack your paddle in your suitcase, visit PickleballintheSun.com and subscribe to our email list so that you’re the first to know where you can get your “Pickleball in the Sun!”

A huge highlight since launching Vossberg Gainor two years ago is having the opportunity to help coordinate a feature on The TODAY Show for USA Pickleball and Pickleball Magazine! 

The six minute feature perfectly showcased why we all love America’s fastest growing sport, as the full crew competed in a friendly pickleball tournament. 

Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager each expressed what they love most about the sport, with Savannah stating, “I like a sport where you could do it barefoot while holding a rosé.” Savannah also stating that it was Jenna that introduced her to pickleball and now they’re both hooked.

Watch the full feature and be sure to follow @USAPickleball and @Pickleball.Magazine for more pickleball action! 

The Drill on JAX Sports Radio talked all things pickleball as we stopped by to promote this weekend’s upcoming tournament, the Florida Georgia Pickleball Classic!

Tony Cutwright, founder of the tournament, shares how the event benefits the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, the St. Augustine business community and pickleball enthusiasts as more than 450 players visit St. Augustine to participate for their chance at earning a medal.

Laura Gainor, founder of Vossberg Gainor and Media Relations Director for USA Pickleball, teaches Dan Hicken and Jeff Prosser the basics of how to play the fastest growing sport in America, where to play pickleball and gratitude to the benefiting charity, the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, as they help local families tackling childhood cancer.

As players participate in the tournament this weekend they will also be supporting families like those of Gainor’s neighbor, Finn Halloran, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor one year ago at the age of 3. The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund provides support to families like Finn’s as they undergo extensive cancer treatments to be there to help with day-to-day financial expenses and emotional support, so the families can focus on getting the best treatment possible.

Listen to the Pickleball feature on The Drill below!

For more information about the Florida Georgia Pickleball Classic hosted in St. Augustine Florida October 29th-31st, visit FloridaGeorgiaPickleball.com and follow them on social media: @FloridaGeorgiaPickelball.

Visit TCJayFund.org for more details about the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund.

Listen to Wednesdays full show from The Drill below and learn more about 1010 XL 92.5 on 1010XL.com.