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Pickleball is growing; that’s an undeniable fact. The need is there, the players are enthusiastic and as a result, more parks, clubs, HOAs and recreational complexes are putting in courts to satisfy the demand (and to host drop-in play, leagues and eventually, tournaments at all levels).
But in today’s landlocked world, that sometimes means sacrificing existing sports facilities, forcing players to share space – or building new pickleball courts hurriedly, without taking into considerataion issues such as light, parking and sound pollution. In the past, that has led to complaints; however, say industry experts, the tide is turning, thanks to growing awareness. Some of the recent developments include the following:
Noise Considerations: Sound engineers have their hands full these days. The Acoustical Society of America, for example, notes, “Pickleball Legal Consultant is a job title that likely did not exist a decade ago, but as pickleball courts infiltrate neighborhoods … communities take issue with the resulting influx of noise.”
In many places, homeowners have retained the services of acoustic engineers to monitor not just the decibel level of the game but the pitch of the sound (two different aspects of acoustics).
Good Noise News: USA Pickleball has announced its “quiet products” category of sports equipment, meant to make the sounds of the game less bothersome. The organization also recommends conducting a thorough acoustic analysis early in the planning stages of a pickleball facility, and advocates for a better understanding of what materials may be needed to make a facility acceptable to the local community.
More Good News: It’s becoming a challenge – in a good way. Two individuals at Temple University’s College of Engineering, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Haijun Liu and international PhD candidate Subhrodeep Ray, have taken up the charge and have created their own solution to pickleball noise: a transparent sound barrier, consisting of a perforated front panel and a solid back panel with an air gap between the two. The new creation solves the problems created by some sound break equipment:
“Broadband absorption materials are too bulky, so they are unable to be hung on existing fencing,” notes the article. “Reflective sound barriers create an echo effect, making a noisier court for players, and ultimately creating more sound that will eventually spill out from the top of the uncovered courts.”
There were other concerns as well, said the duo. “Nobody wants to open their window or come out in their backyard and see a huge black curtain,” explained Ray. In addition to its less than desirable appearance, nontransparent sound barriers pose another issue.
"In a rec center, they don’t want to have material that’s not transparent,” Liu adds. "You can’t see what’s going on in the court. It’s a safety concern."
They said the unique combination of cost, safety and aesthetics made acrylic plastic the ideal material for their product. More testing will be needed but so far, the results are promising; in the lab, the product is demonstrating a rate of 90 percent sound absorption when the sound wave hits the panels perpendicularly.
Increased Awareness of Facility Use: While it’s admittedly easy for enthusiasts of one sport to say an existing facility for another sport (or even a non-sports area, like a parking lot) is underused or unused, savvy planners are starting to realize that having a usage survey (conducted by an impartial party) is key.
Learning who uses facilities (and when) is the first step toward creating a workable plan for design, construction and scheduling. Additionally, it may be necessary, such as in the case of parks, to widen the net in terms of usage. Examples might be making outreach to local high schools to see if the student tennis team is (or will be) using the tennis courts, or if basketball courts will be used for phys-ed classes.
Additionally, sports social clubs and leagues may have standing arrangements to use existing facilities during specific seasons, something that may not be evident when the usage survey is conducted. In all cases, a thorough understanding of user groups is necessary.
Better Planning for Tennis and Pickleball Courts: The U.S. Tennis Association has long fought the battle against having its courts replaced by pickleball facilities, and it has been posting some big numbers to show why courts should be kept just for tennis. The sport, which gained players during the pandemic, has continued its growth, hitting 25.7 million players in 2024.
The USTA has created what it hopes is a template for both sports. The document can be downloaded at this link. Here is a quick look at what it advises (in order of preference); the document also contains images of various types of facilities for reference:
Option #1: Sport-Specific Sites
The ideal solution, says USTA, is the development and/or expansion of sport-specific public sites. (In other words, there should be separate tennis facilities and pickleball facilities.) Facilities can be offered either as one central complex (but with different courts for each sport) or as two separate facilities.
Option #2: Non-Traditional Spaces
In the event that sport-specific sites are not possible, both tennis and pickleball can be played by creating courts for each in non-traditional spaces. USTA advised looking for hard surface areas that could possibly be converted, such as a concrete slab, multi-sport court sites and/or vacant parking lot locations. (As always, conduct a usage survey first.)
A court contractor can be brought in to measure the space, and to mark it with lines, as well as, if possible, to color-coat it for sports use. Pop-up nets for tennis, as well as pop-up nets for pickleball, can be obtained affordably online; a search will yield multiple possibilities.
(Note: When contemplating any type of conversion affiliated with public facility infrastructure, safety must be at the forefront of all considerations. Further, local ordinances should be reviewed to ensure accessing the space for play is allowed.)
Option #3: Shared Use Of Courts
In the event that sport-specific sites and non-traditional spaces are not possible and in the interest of equitable offerings for both tennis and pickleball, destinations can still allow both sports to be played by having blended lines applied. (Note: Blended lines is the USTA’s term for multiple playing lines on any one surface.)
This recommendation is useful for sites with one or two tennis courts. For sites with three or more tennis courts, every effort should be made to utilize Options #1 or #2 because of the sustained growth and increasing public demand for both sports.
Diagrams can be found on the online document, illustrating how lines can be added to courts to facilitate play. Whenever possible, use the services of a skilled court-specific contractor to apply lines. Hand-applied lines, whether in chalk, paint, magic marker or tape, are generally discouraged.
All the logistics of court construction and renovation are positive; however, there is additional good news that is making headlines.
Pickleball is Getting Younger: While at one point, pickleball was viewed as a retiree-centric sport, the sport is aging in reverse; in fact, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the age group with the most participants, 2.3 million people, is actually the 25–34 demographic.
The demand for youth pickleball lessons is also increasing, as is the number (and diversification) of youth categories in tournaments. And with good reason: Pros are getting younger as well; the top female professional player, Anna Leigh Waters, is 16 years old. (The top men's player, Ben Johns, is 24.)
Economic Impact for Both Sports Continues to Grow: Both tennis and pickleball create significant impact on communities; in fact, SDM's awards program, Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism, has featured events in both sports.
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