Pranav Kohli at the Global Business Summit 2025.
Pickleball is experiencing a massive rise in popularity, and the primary reason behind it is the inclusive nature of the sport. With inclusivity at its core, pickleball has welcomed players of all backgrounds, believes Pranav Kohli (CEO and Founder of PWR) at ET Now Global Business Summit 2025.
"One of the key things about pickleball is that it transcends gender, socio-economic backgrounds, body type, and age. So anybody can play pickleball," Kohli explained.
Sharing a personal anecdote, he added, "So if you look at me, I'm today 160 kgs. When I started pickleball, I was 186. So somebody of my body type could get on a court, which, again, I can't do with any other sport."
The sport's accessibility is another significant factor. "Anybody can play the sport. It's easy, you know, hand-eye coordination allows for that movement. And then also it's less intimidating for women," he noted.
Kohli discussed pickleball's inclusivity, which also brings families together. "It's one of those sports where men and women can play together. So, practically, my daughter, my wife, my father, and I can all be on a court and enjoy a competitive game of pickleball. So it's very inclusive," he said.
The relatively low cost of infrastructure is another advantage. "Accessibility is a key factor. The cost of infrastructure is, you know, it's not very high, it's fractional. In one tennis court, for example, you can fit four pickleball courts from a sizing perspective," he pointed out before adding, "And to create it is also not expensive."
Beyond infrastructure, changing consumer behaviour also plays a role. "So I think all of these factors collectively are, you know, fuelling the growth, but also consumer behaviour across the globe is changing as well, specifically when it comes to sports. So when it comes to sports, a lot of participation is happening in new age sports," he observed.
Explaining how the COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to pickleball's rise, Kohli said, "And what has happened is across the globe, everybody is, you know, during COVID, look for a new hobby category. And that's why, you know, Peloton grew from a cycling perspective," he explained. "Nobody knew indoor cycling could be so big, right?
"And pickleball is one of those sports which caught the fancy of a lot of people because of its inclusive nature. And that's how the sport has grown," he concluded.
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