In an eye-opening revelation, the world of pickleball stands at a fascinating crossroads. Despite a staggering 36.5 million players diving into the sport in 2023, there’s still a massive gap between those who play it recreationally and those who watch the pros.
Why, with such immense grassroots participation, does pro pickleball struggle to captivate a wider audience?
Key issues we've heard:
🔹 Viewer disinterest in prolonged dinking rallies
🔹 Underestimation of the sport's complexity
🔹 Fragmentation in streaming services
🔹 The absence of localized, community-based teams
Here lies the real question...
What can pickleball do better to help bridge the gap between the professional and recreational games?
Here are some of your suggestions:
🔹 Travis Rettenmaier believes a pickleball equivalent to the shot clock where the point is ended within 20-30 seconds would avoid extended dinking rallies
🔹 More of a focus on nighttime streaming of pro matches would accommodate more peoples' schedules
🔹 Keeping a centralized location for all major matches – just one viewing platform – would make it easier for the uninitiated to tune in
We're curious to hear your take: what do you think is the biggest impedance to growing pro pickleball viewership?
This segment is proudly brought to you by The Dink Pickleball Newsletter.
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