Pickleball national championships is the real dill for Dallas suburb

It may seem hard to take seriously a sport in which one of the best shots is called a dink.

But before you poke fun at pickleball, consider that in a few months it could add $10 million to the Dallas-area economy.

That preliminary figure seems hopeful until you consider the way pickleball interest has surged everywhere lately. The estimated impact was given to us last week by the Dallas Sports Commission, which helped snag the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships, to be held Nov. 6-12 at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch.

We’re glad to see this event coming to the Dallas area and hope organizers have a good plan for managing the estimated 25,000 spectators and 3,500 players in a tightly packed residential area.

Years ago, pickleball — a mix between tennis, badminton and pingpong — was mostly popular among senior citizens. It’s easy to learn, is played on a small court, and can be fun for people of all, let’s say, athletic ability.

But if you’ve driven past any pickleball court lately, you know it’s caught on with all age groups, and now it’s the fastest growing sport in the nation. There are an estimated 8.9 million pickleball players this year, up from 4.8 million in 2022, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

It’s also become highly competitive and lucrative. Among the sports celebrities investing in pro teams are Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, former NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tom Brady, NBA players LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Model Heidi Klum and actress Eva Longoria are also investing in teams, as is motivational speaker Brene Brown.

Dallas billionaire Tom Dundon, lead investor in the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association, had a lot to do with why the national championships were moved here from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California. He and officials with USA Pickleball, owners of the tournament, hope that the more central location in Texas will increase interest in the championships on both coasts. The PPA is handling operations and logistics planning for the event.

Meanwhile, Brookhaven, owned by the national country club owner Invited, is busy getting the 66-year-old club in shape. And Farmers Branch officials are working to figure out the tricky questions of parking and potential spikes in crime. Economic Development director Allison Cook said the city expects a big boost in hotel occupancy taxes from not only hotel rooms, but also potentially short-term rentals of homes in the area.

Pickleball, with its odd “thwack” sound as the paddle hits the ball, might be the butt of jokes from some, including more than a few tennis devotees. But “picklers,” as they’re called, are a proud lot and aren’t taking it. A recent Washington Post opinion piece headlined “Pickleball is the worst” garnered so much sour response that the paper printed many of the readers’ rants a week later.

Love it or not, pickleball is coming to the Dallas area in a big way this fall. That will be a boon for local businesses, and we’re glad we’ve speared it.