Tennis’ failed marketing efforts supported the growth of pickleball

The growth of pickleball has been amazing to follow. It’s now on tv. There are professional teams, and facilities with only pickleball courts are being constructed. It’s incredible!

But more importantly, as a sports coach, I care about participation, health, growth, and happiness. And there are many tennis courts that used to sit empty that are now being used by pickleballers. I’m not 100% sure what these people were doing prior, but it’s great to see them outside, exercising, socializing, improving their health, and having a great time!

But as a tennis specific coach, I just wish it would have happened a different way. I think we could have kept many of the player’s we lost, and also didn’t even get in the first place, had it not been for the failed marketing efforts of the red, orange, and green tennis balls, and youth court sizes.

For those who don’t know, tennis introduced youth tennis balls and courts over a decade ago. They created the red ball and court, orange ball and court, and green ball on the full court. Their goal was to accommodate the size of the playing area, and the ball used to compete to the size/age/level of kids. Every other major sport had already done this, so it was only a matter of time until tennis did.

Their hopes were that by making the court size smaller, and the speed at which the ball bounced slower, it would be easier for kids to learn and enjoy the game, therefore become lifelong players. They felt that the normal court size for young kids was too big to cover, and the balls were bouncing so high over their heads that it made the game difficult to actually play. Kids were spending more time picking up balls than actually hitting it back and forth to each other.

I got to see the dilemma first hand when I ran a junior program, and frankly, I agreed with their decision. It was miserable watching kids trying to play with the regular yellow balls. They’d get bored, distracted, and I’d end up babysitting more than coaching. I would consistently think to myself how much easier other sports were to get started.

While also running the junior program, I coached adult clinics, where I also saw beginner adults spending more time picking up balls than rallying. The court size wasn’t much of an issue, but the balls were bouncing too fast, and flying off their powerful rackets. Their exercise consisted more of walking to grab the ball along the fence or the net, than actually hitting it back to their friends. I again would think to myself how miserable these adults must be, and how much easier other sports might be for them to play.

But from time to time we would introduce one of the youth tennis balls in adult events, and the change would be amazing. Rallies were extended. Adults were running from side to side. They were able to swing out, control the ball more, and actually play tennis! 

Us coaches would then talk about how these beginner adults should play with the colored balls more often!

But as soon as the event was done, they would go back to their regular yellow adult ball, the rallies would once again be shortened, and the walking would continue. Adults wanted to play with the regular yellow ball because that ball was for adults. They didn’t want to play with the youth balls because those for kids! They didn’t want to play a kids game!

But if you look at pickleball, and compare it to the introductory red and orange ball tennis, it’s almost the same! The court sizes are similar. The speed at which the ball travels is similar. Racket sizes are smaller and easier to maneuver. (Wait, do we need to rethink how rackets are marketed as well????) And rallies are longer!

So if tennis would have simply marketed the colored balls and court sizes by different levels, no matter what the age of the player, less players would have gone over to pickleball. 

If more adults would have started out with a red or orange ball, smaller racket size, playing on a smaller court, they would be having the same long rallies and great exercise they’re getting out of pickleball. More serves would be put in play. More fun would be had, and tennis would have more players!

Now I don’t want this blog to come off as me trying to discourage people from playing pickleball. As an advocate for sports, health, and exercise, play anything! This country needs to get significantly healthier and pickleball is certainly helping! 

But as a tennis coach and lover of the sport, I want people to experience the same joy I get out of playing tennis. The sport has given me a great life, and I want to share the happiness that tennis can provide. Unfortunately, an opportunity was missed to get more people into the sport, keep them there long enough to improve their skills, and eventually experience the happiness millions of people feel when playing tennis. I’m not sure if the colored balls and court sizes can be rebranded at this point. It’s certainly worth a try, but too many people are having fun playing pickleball and their community is amazing. Hopefully the tennis industry can figure something out!