History of Pickleball in Timeline

Pickleball is a racket sport played with paddles and a perforated plastic ball over a net. It can be played indoors or outdoors with two or four players. The game involves hitting the ball back and forth until one side fails to return it or violates a rule. Invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, as a backyard game for kids, pickleball gained popularity and was named the official state sport of Washington in 2022.

1965: Invention of Pickleball

In 1965, Pickleball was invented as a children's backyard game on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, United States.

1965: Game Creation

In 1965, the game of pickleball was created on Bainbridge Island, Washington, at the summer home of Joel Pritchard.

1967: Construction of first dedicated outdoor pickleball court

In 1967, the first dedicated outdoor pickleball court was constructed at Bob O'Brian's residence.

February 1968: Formation of Pickle Ball, Inc.

In February 1968, Pritchard, along with others, formed Pickle Ball, Inc. to promote and sell the sport.

1972: Pickle Ball, Inc. files its first annual report

In 1972, Pickle Ball, Inc. filed its first annual report and trademarked the name Pickle-ball.

July 1976: First formal pickleball tournament

In July 1976, the first formal pickleball tournament, billed as "The World's First Pickleball Championship" by Joel Pritchard, was held at the Southcenter Athletic Club and mentioned in Tennis magazine.

1984: Formation of the United States Amateur Pickleball Association and First Official Rulebook

In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (U.S.A.P.A.), now known as USA Pickleball or USAP, was formed. In the same year they published the first official rulebook for the sport, and held their first organized tournament, the National Doubles Championships, in Tacoma, Washington.

1984: USA Pickleball Becomes De Facto Governing Body

In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (now USA Pickleball) became the de facto governing body for all pickleball and published the first official rule book.

1984: Publication of the original rulebook

In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association published the first official rulebook for pickleball.

2001: Pickleball included in Arizona Senior Olympics

In 2001, pickleball was included as a demonstration sport in the Arizona Senior Olympics (ASO) with 100 participants.

2003: Pickleball Played at World Senior Games

Since 2003 pickleball has been played at the World Senior Games, held annually in St. George, Utah.

2008: Pickleball included in United States Senior Olympics

In 2008, pickleball was included in the United States Senior Olympics.

November 2009: First USA Pickleball National Championships

In November 2009, USA Pickleball held its first regular USA Pickleball National Championships in Buckeye, Arizona.

2010: Establishment of International Federation of Pickleball (IFP)

In 2010, USA Pickleball helped establish the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP), now the International Pickleball Federation (IPF), to serve as a worldwide governing body.

2013: Pickleball Played at National Senior Games

Pickleball was first played at the National Senior Games, in the United States, in 2013.

2016: Pickle Ball, Inc. purchased by PickleballCentral.com

In 2016, Pickle Ball, Inc. was purchased by PickleballCentral.com, operating under Olla, LLC.

2016: Inaugural U.S. Open Pickleball Championships

In 2016, the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships was first held at the East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida.

2016: Wheelchair Pickleball Officially Recognized

Wheelchair pickleball, sometimes called adaptive pickleball or para pickleball, was officially recognized as a competitive form of pickleball by USA Pickleball in 2016, with modified rules incorporated throughout the Official Rulebook.

2017: Pickleball Hall of Fame Established

In 2017, the Pickleball Hall of Fame was established by Seymore Rifkind.

2018: Establishment of World Pickleball Federation (WPF)

In 2018, a second international governing body, the World Pickleball Federation (WPF), was established, challenging the IPF.

2019: Professional pickleball tournaments begin

In 2019, professional tournaments began when two professional tours were formed independently: The Association of Pickleball Professionals (now the Association of Pickleball Players) was established and sanctioned by USA Pickleball and The Pickleball Professionals Association was also established, but did not seek sanctioning by the USAP.

2019: Formation of Pro Pickleball Tours

In 2019, two pro pickleball tours were independently formed: the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA).

2019: Establishment of Professional Pickleball Tours

In 2019, two professional tours were established in the United States.

September 2020: Pickleball Ban in Portland Metropolitan Area Park

In September 2020, a park in the Portland metropolitan area instituted a ban on pickleball, despite having just installed new pickleball courts five months earlier, due to noise complaints from residents.

2020: Cancellation of National Championships due to COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, the USA Pickleball National Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which ironically drove more people to the sport.

June 2021: Resident Complains About Pickleball Noise

In June 2021, at a West Linn City Council meeting, a resident complained about the noise from pickleball courts causing family discord and stress.

September 2021: USA Pickleball establishes its own Hall of Fame

In September 2021, USA Pickleball established its own hall of fame named the USA Pickleball Hall of Fame and Museum.

2021: Establishment of Major League Pickleball

In 2021, Major League Pickleball was established, attracting investors such as LeBron James and Drew Brees, which increased the sport's visibility.

2021: Bill Proposed to Make Pickleball Official Sport of Washington State

In 2021, State Senator John Lovick proposed a bill making pickleball the official sport of Washington state.

2021: Formation of Major League Pickleball (MLP)

In 2021, a professional pickleball league, Major League Pickleball (MLP), was formed.

2021: Fastest-growing sport in the United States

In 2021, pickleball was named the fastest-growing sport in the United States by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

March 28, 2022: Pickleball Officially Named State Sport of Washington

On March 28, 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington, and the legislation was signed by Governor Jay Inslee on the original Pritchard family court.

July 2022: Pickleball Accepted as Demonstration Sport at Maccabiah Games

In July 2022, pickleball was accepted as a demonstration sport at the Maccabiah Games, marking the first time it appeared at an event sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

October 10, 2022: Longest Pickleball Volley Rally

On October 10, 2022, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti set the Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball volley rally, consisting of 10,532 consecutive shots, lasting 2 hours and 44 seconds.

2022: Fracture injuries Associated with Pickleball

According to recent analyses by the insurance industry, fracture injuries associated with the sport reportedly experienced a 90-fold increase from 2002 to 2022, with a majority of injuries among players aged 60 to 69.

2022: USA Pickleball Withdraws from IPF

In 2022, USA Pickleball and several other member nations withdrew from the International Pickleball Federation (IPF).

2022: Formation of National Pickleball League of Champions Pros (NPL)

In 2022, a senior professional league, the National Pickleball League of Champions Pros (NPL), was formed.

2022: Sports Illustrated Article on Olympic Inclusion

In 2022, an article by Sports Illustrated concluded that pickleball would not likely be seen at the Olympics before 2032.

2022: Competitive College Pickleball Begins

In 2022, competitive college pickleball began in the United States when DUPR held their first DUPR Collegiate National Championship.

2022: Pickleball becomes official state sport of Washington

In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington.

2022: Investment needed for court infrastructure

The 2022 SFIA report estimates that approximately 900 million dollars of court infrastructure investment is needed to keep up with the fast growth of pickleball.

April 2023: Unification of Pickleball Hall of Fame organizations

In April 2023, USA Pickleball reached an agreement to unify the two Hall of Fame organizations after community pushback.

July 2023: Pickleball Surpasses Tennis Among Apple Watch Users

In July 2023, the Apple Heart and Movement Study found that among Apple Watch users the number of pickleball players surpassed tennis for the first time.

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September 2023: MLP Expansion to Australia

In September 2023, Major League Pickleball (MLP) announced an expansion to Australia in partnership with the Pacific Pickleball League (PPL). The PPL was rebranded as MLP Australia, and held its inaugural event in September 2023.

November 2023: Launch of Pickleballtv (PBTV)

In November 2023, Pickleballtv (PBTV), an ad-supported pickleball streaming channel, was launched by the Tennis Channel and the United Pickleball Association.

2023: SFIA Report States Pickleball Growth

According to the 2023 report by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), 13.6 million people played pickleball in 2023.

2023: USAP publishes document describing specifications related to equipment

In 2023 USAP began publishing a separate document that describes specifications related to equipment, such as nets, balls, and paddles. Equipment used in USAP sanctioned tournaments must appear on the USAP list of approved equipment.

2023: USA Pickleball Statement on Quieter Options

In 2023, USA Pickleball stated that “working together with manufacturers and the entire industry, we can develop quieter options that benefit everyone."

2023: Noise Issues in Halifax, Nova Scotia

In 2023, residents of an apartment building adjacent to a pickleball court in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, raised similar noise issues.

2023: Release of 2022 SFIA Report

In 2023, the 2022 SFIA report was released, highlighting the need for increased court infrastructure investment due to the rapid growth of pickleball.

2023: Establishment of Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) and Pickleball International Committee (PIC)

In 2023, the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) and the Pickleball International Committee (PIC) were established, further complicating the global governance landscape of pickleball.

2023: Formation of the National Collegiate Pickleball Association

In 2023, the National Collegiate Pickleball Association was formed by Noah Suemnick. Also in 2023 the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) announced it would also begin holding the APP U.S. Collegiate Championships.

2023: Merger of PPA and MLP under UPA

In 2023, the PPA and MLP merged under one umbrella organization, the United Pickleball Association (UPA).

2023: Pickleball Included as Demonstration Sport at African Games

The 2023 African Games, also sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, included Pickleball as a demonstration sport held from March 11-15th at the University of Ghana campus in Accra.

February 2024: SFIA report states that pickleball grew 223.5% over three years in the United States

In February 2024, the 2023 report by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) stated that pickleball grew 223.5% over three years in the United States.

April 2024: Expansion Announcement to India

In April 2024, the United Pickleball Association (UPA) and Global Sports of India announced plans to expand the PPL and MLP to India, with sales intended to begin in time for the 2025/2026 season.

April 2024: APP and USA Pickleball discontinue USA Pickleball Tournament Player Rating (UTPR)

Prior to April 2024 the APP and USA Pickleball used the USA Pickleball Tournament Player Rating (UTPR) system to calculate player scores for USAP sanctioned tournaments.

May 2024: Increase in outdoor pickleball courts in major cities

In May 2024, CNBC cited a report stating that the number of outdoor pickleball courts in major cities increased by 650% in the last seven years.

July 2024: Launch of Pickleball World Rankings (PWR)

In July 2024, a new international professional pickleball organization, the Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), was launched by Pranav Kohli in collaboration with the Times Group of India and Pickleball Asia. Tournaments are expected to offer significant prize money.

November 2024: UPA Announces PPA Tour Asia and MLP Asia

In November 2024, after the collaboration to expand to India failed to materialize, the UPA announced the formation of the PPA Tour Asia and MLP Asia under the UPA Asia banner.

November 2024: IPF and WPF Announce Merger Agreement

In November 2024, the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) and the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) announced an agreement to merge their organizations.

2024: Estimated 19.8 million pickleball participants in the United States

By 2024, it was estimated that there were 19.8 million participants in the United States, a 311% growth since 2021.

2024: Novak Djokovic comment

During a press conference at the 2024 Wimbledon Tennis Championships, the number two seeded men's singles player, Novak Djokovic, commented.

2024: Change in USA Pickleball rules

In 2024, USA Pickleball changed the rule regarding serving from the wrong side of the court, the wrong player serving or the wrong player returning a serve, such that it is no longer considered a fault.

2024: UPA Launches UPA of America (UPA-A)

In 2024, after the PPA and MLP merged into the UPA, the UPA announced the launch of UPA of America (UPA-A), a competing governing body to USA Pickleball.

2024: U.S. Open Pickleball Championships

In 2024, the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships event ran from April 13 to the 20th, with over 3,250 competitors and over 50,000 spectators.

2024: Mini-Singles Rules Included in Official Rulebook

USA Pickleball first included rules for mini-singles in the 2024 Official Rulebook. Mini-singles follows basically the same rules as regular singles, except only half of each player's court is considered "in play" during each rally.

February 2025: Recommendation for Merged Entity to be Based in Lausanne

In February 2025, the transition team recommended that the newly merged entity of the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) and World Pickleball Federation (WPF) be based in Lausanne, Switzerland, home of the International Olympic Committee.

June 2025: Member Nations Affirm IPF and WPF Merger

In June 2025, the member nations voted to affirm the merger between the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) and the World Pickleball Federation (WPF).

June 2025: No Official Global Governing Body Recognized

As of June 2025, no pickleball organization has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee or any international sports oversight body as the official worldwide governing body for pickleball.

2025: Rebranding of DUPR Collegiate National Championship

In 2025 DUPR, in collaboration with the United Pickleball Association, rebranded the DUPR Collegiate National Championship as the Collegiate Pickleball Tour and National Championships.

2025: USA Pickleball 2025 Official Rulebook publication

Information about Court, equipment, Order of Play, and Manner of Play, are based on the USA Pickleball 2025 Official Rulebook or the Equipment Standards Manual.

2025: PPA Tour Asia Expected Launch

The PPA Tour Asia is expected to launch in 2025.

March 2026: Anna Leigh Waters to make international debut

As Pickleball continues to push into new global markets, it was announced on 10 March 2026 that Pickleball world number one Anna Leigh Waters will make her international debut next month at the PPA Tour Asia's Hanoi Cup in Vietnam.

2026: MLP Asia Expected Launch

The MLP Asia is expected to launch in 2026.

2027: Pickleball Expected at Invictus Games

Pickleball is expected to be included in the 2027 Invictus Games that are scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England.

2027: Potential Pickleball Tournament at African Games

The Confederation of African Pickleball and the Global Pickleball Federation are exploring the possibility of holding a pickleball tournament at the 2027 African Games in Egypt.

2032: Earliest Possible Olympic Inclusion

According to a 2022 Sports Illustrated article, the game would not likely be seen at the Olympics before 2032.

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