The Power of Niche Brands: Pickleball Spotlight

Pickleball’s explosion is packing courts and reshaping retailer shelves. 

The number of people engaging in the sport has skyrocketed for four straight years, and the apparel story is ringing a similar bell. 

If you run a golf shop, resort boutique, or tennis club store, this is your moment to capture real, incremental revenue with products people are swarming to. 

The Growth Story At a Glance

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for the fourth year in a row. In 2024, 19.8M Americans played the sport, which amounted to a 45.8% increase year-over-year and a 311% increase over the three years prior. 

And more people playing pickleball means more people buying pickleball apparel and equipment. 

In 2023, the North American pickleball apparel and equipment market generated about $1.1 billion. By 2030, that number is expected to grow to about $3.1 billion. 

When you have new and emerging brands like J. Pritchard and Avi Athletics, as well as giant brands like Nike entering the space, you know that this industry is in it for the long haul. 

Why This Matters for Apparel Brands

From skirts and court dresses to joggers and lightweight layers, pickleball style sits at the crossroads of athletic, social, and lifestyle. Players want breathable, move-ready pieces that look good at doubles and at dinner. 

That “wear anywhere” versatility lifts average selling price for your product and broadens your customer base beyond golfers and tennis players.

Notably, because the sport is still fairly new, and more and more new people are getting into it, many customers still want to go into retail shops to touch and try on products. Use this fact to build stronger relationships for your retailers, letting them know that these product lines are ones that people will want to go to the physical store for. 

There’s also heavy crossover among pickleball players and golfers, and the age range of people playing pickleball spans a pretty wide gamut. 

Merchandising Playbook for Green-grass, Resort, and Club Shops

1. Build Easy Bundles
   Create easy-grab kits that remove friction for newbies. Think of combinations like a paddle, balls, grip, and a court-ready outfit. Add a hydration or sunscreen upsell to round out the ticket.
2. Outfit for the event economy
   Corporate socials and couples nights are booming. Stage coordinated his/hers looks, lightweight layers, and post-play pieces (joggers, dresses, court-to-patio tops). Make sure to make easily visible signage for your store that showcases these looks. 
3. Lean into fit & feel
   This is a touch-and-try category. Set a try-on zone with mirrors, a size-run of bestsellers, and staff fit cards (inseam, pockets for balls, compression notes). You’ll convert more first-timers and reduce returns.
4. Own the crossover
   Place pickleball apparel near golf and tennis to catch the same shopper. Call it out: “Already play golf? Your new favorite doubles kit is 10 steps away.” The demographic overlap is real, so merchandise like it.
5. Feature the brands shoppers recognize
   Anchor the wall with the established brands entering pickleball, then complement with new and emerging brands for differentiation. Big logos attract; specialty textures, SPF, and stretch keep the sale.
6. Tell the performance story
   Tag benefits shoppers care about: SPF/UPF, 4-way stretch, ball-pocket solutions, quick-dry, odor control. Clear benefit badging means faster decisions and higher units per transaction.

Don’t Miss Out on the Benefits Pickleball Can Bring

Pickleball is a lifestyle sport with repeatable apparel demand, strong crossover traffic from golf and tennis, and a growing events ecosystem that sends customers to your door ready to buy. 

Merchandised correctly, pickleball can be an anchor category and a reliable driver for your store year round. 

Check out how RepSpark can help your pickleball brand optimize your wholesale here. And check out what other pickleball brands are already using RepSpark here.