Pickleball Kingdom to expand empire to Bucks County, New Jersey. What we know

Damon C. Williams and Stephen Borelli, Bucks County Courier Times
·2 min read
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Pickleball Kingdom, the pickleball startup that launched in May 2022 in Arizona, is planning to expand its empire with 20 additional Pickleball Kingdom locations coming to Bucks County and New Jersey.

Pickleball Kingdom announced on social media its plans.

"We are expanding into central New Jersey and Bucks County, PA!" read a portion of an otherwise vague Facebook post. "Now is the time to join the Kingdom and franchise with PK!"

Pickleball Kingdom did not return requests for comment and to confirm the locations of the new franchises and when they would open.

Pickleball Kingdom, capitalizing on the pickleball craze, plans to open more than a dozen pickleball centers, such as this one in Chandler, AZ, in Bucks County and southern New Jersey in the coming years.
Pickleball Kingdom, capitalizing on the pickleball craze, plans to open more than a dozen pickleball centers, such as this one in Chandler, AZ, in Bucks County and southern New Jersey in the coming years.

Other new pickleball locations in Bucks: If it's pickleball you want to play, check out these new courts in Bucks County

Pickleball grows in popularity over past 60 years

The sport originated on a badminton court in Bainbridge Island, Washington. As the story goes, Joel Pritchard, a U.S. congressman from Washington state, and businessman Bill Bell returned to the Pritchard summer home near Seattle to find their families looking for an activity.

A new sport was born out of what they could find: ping pong paddles, a perforated plastic ball and a high net. Later in the weekend, the net was lowered to 36 inches. The idea behind the game, which was held true to today, is that the whole family could play it.

USA Pickleball credits Pritchard for originating pickleball in 1965, and for helping to build the first permanent pickleball court two years later.

That lead to the first-ever pickleball tournament in 1976, and efforts are currently underway to qualify pickleball as an olympic sport.

And according to the 2023 Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Topline Participation Report, pickleball now has 8.9 million players in the United States over the age of six, an increase from 4.8 million in 2022.

Pickleball for everyone: What makes pickleball the perfect sport for everybody to enjoy

More about Pickleball Kingdom

Pickleball Kingdom opened its first location in Arizona in May 2022. That flagship location included 15 individually fenced courts, a mezzanine viewing area, a pro shop, snack bar, and locker rooms with showers.

The location in Arizona is currently Pickleball Kingdom's only center.

See the new pickleball courts: Photos: Pickleball courts open in Horsham

However, those are the amenities pickleball player should expect from any new locations in Bucks County or New Jersey.

In 2023 alone, Pickleball Kingdom has created nearly 100 franchise clubs, with many of those also set to open in the coming years.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Pickleball Kingdom to expand empire to Bucks County, New Jersey