For those who thought pickleball was a trendy, flash-in-the-pan racket, think again. Its growth continues to surge.
While outdoor courts dot many Lake County communities — and more are being sought — the move to year-round indoor pickleball locations is just beginning. Waukegan will be one of the first in Illinois to have a private indoor facility for “pickleheads,” players of the 60-year-old game which was invented in a backyard in Washington State.
According to this year’s Sports & Fitness Industry Participation Report, for the fourth consecutive year, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. SFI data shows that in 2024, 19.8 million Americans participated in pickleball. That’s a 45.8% increase from the 2023 figure, and an impressive 311% increase from 2022.
Pickleball has eclipsed outdoor soccer and baseball in terms of participants. More people play the game than do another racquet sport, tennis. Those folks are pushing to convert tennis courts for use by pickleball players, something that has caused friction between the two racquet factions.
I admit I have been one of the doubters when it comes to the long-haul popularity of pickleball. Like racquetball, I predicted Americans would get over pickleball just as indoor facilities were being built. Many of those indoor racquetball sites were repurposed as the sport hit the wall and interest in it waned in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Doesn’t seem to be the case for pickleball, especially with the announcement of a Pickleball Kingdom location slated for the Fountain Square entertainment zone on Waukegan’s far West Side, near The Temporary casino. Arizona-based Pickleball Kingdom plans to open its first Illinois facility at 699 Lakehurst Road, currently a vacant warehouse-type, 36,000-square-foot building. A slightly smaller, second indoor facility is planned for west suburban North Aurora in Kane County.
The company plans 14 indoor courts, according to Steve Sadin’s Sept. 2 front-page story in The News-Sun. Introducing high-tech innovations to the game, television screens will be at every court keeping score, and mid-court cameras will provide instant replay to determine if the Wiffle ball used in the game is in or out of play.
An estimated 36.5 million Americans have played pickleball at least once. The sport combines portions of badminton, tennis and ping pong, and now has recreational leagues and professional circuits complete with sponsors.
The sport has its own athletic wear and gear lines. Pro pickleheads chase upward of $100,000 in prize money on the tournament trails.
A pickleball tourney was held late last month in Highland Park, at Danny Cunniff Park, just north of Route 22, where the Park District of Highland Park oversees 16 dedicated courts. The tournament, the Association of Pickleball Players Chicago Open, drew about 600 pro and amateur players.
At last count, there are more than 10,700 dedicated pickleball courts in the U.S. Public parks and private developers, like Pickleball Kingdom, have invested an estimated $150 million in new and upgraded pickleball facilities nationwide. Last year, a new pickleball court was built every day in the U.S.
Those numbers continue to explode as the long-range popularity of pickleball has grown rapidly since it really took off during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic. One reason is that the average age of players is decreasing.
Starting as a fun pursuit for older Americans and retirees, as of 2025 the average age of a pickleball player is now 35 years old and trending younger annually, according to one of the sport’s many publications. More than 70% of pickleball players are currently between 18 and 44.
Besides Highland Park, a number of communities, like Gurnee, Lake Bluff, Libertyville and Vernon Hills offer private and public pickleball courts. Some of the Gurnee courts are inside the FitNation Park District facility off Dilley’s Road.
The Waukegan Park District has courts at several locations, with the main one at Bevier Park. There are indoor courts at The Fieldhouse at Hinkston Park off Grand Avenue.
Investments like Pickleball Kingdom, “bring fresh energy, attract visitors, strengthen our local economy and spark new opportunities … while giving residents and visitors another great reason to enjoy and be proud of our city,” Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham said in Sadin’s story.
Organizers say Pickleball Kingdom intends to offer a free lesson for anyone who has not played the game before, along with memberships for unlimited play. The proposed facility will also have lockers
For true aficionados of the game, there will be a mezzanine with seating so spectators can watch the games. That alone means the game is catching on with casual sports fans.
Soon, the sportsbook at the nearby Temporary casino could take bets on outcomes of matches. Talk about a racket.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
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