Pickleball could dethrone kickball as D.C.'s go-to social sport

In D.C., kickball is king: It's long been a rite of passage for twentysomethings to join a social sports league and hit the bar after a kickball sesh on the Mall. But thanks to pickleball 's booming popularity, it's possible the crown might get passed.

Why it matters: Pickleball — often dubbed the country's " fastest-growing sport " — exploded in popularity during Covid, and D.C. hasn't been able to keep up with the demand.

• But some people freakin' hate it: Namely, neighbors who say they're being driven bonkers by the ball's popping noise and all the pickleballers taking over local tennis courts.

By the numbers: Between when social sports league Volo launched pickleball as an offering in September of 2022 and May of this year, the group saw a 1,450% increase in its number of D.C. pickleball participants.

• And when slots opened to play pickleball on the National Mall at a three-day event last September, they filled up in two minutes.

What they're saying: Daniel Baynham, a managing director at Volo, says he's never seen such a swell of interest in his career. "The demand is just wild."

• It's so popular because it's easy to learn, you can snag inexpensive paddles and it doesn't require lots of running or intense movement, says Baynham — making it a cross-generational hit.

Zoom out: So, is pickleball the new kickball? Well, not quite . Because of the game's limits — both in team size and local infrastructure — it hasn't yet managed to dethrone kickball as D.C.'s go-to social sport based on numbers alone, Baynham tells Axios.

• Only four people can play in a pickleball game, but a kickball team can be huge.
• And all you need is a field for kickball, whereas it's hard to find a court around here. "The demand versus the supply in D.C. is still way off," says Baynham.

But solely in terms of buzzy popularity? Well, pickleball is the winner, hands down.

• "If I had 30 pickleball courts next to 30 kickball fields, I know pickleball would be filled," Baynham says.

The big picture: The limited number of dedicated pickleball courts has resulted in tension here in D.C., where pickleballers are often facing off with tennis or basketball players for space.

• Last May, the cops were called after a standoff occurred between a basketball player and staff at Volo.
• The reason? Who had the right to use the courts at Marie Reed Elementary School.

The sport has also been the target of NIMBY ire, including a fight in Arlington between homeowners over proposed courts.

State of play: D.C. is trying to appease local picklers and get to work on building some new pickle palaces.

• Last year, the mayor set aside $750,000 in the city's budget to turn underutilized tennis courts into pickleball courts .
• D.C.'s Department of Parks and Recreation has picked the sites of these future courts and is in the process of finding a contractor, after which their locations will be announced, says a spokesperson.

Meanwhile, groups like Kraken or Dill Dinkers are capitalizing on the craze by building fancy facilities with courts for rent and clinics.

The intrigue: While leagues like Volo are geared toward socializing, not competition, some pickleballers are a little hardcore — this is D.C., after all, land of hyper-competitive try-hards.

• Once you hit the advanced beginner or intermediate-level leagues, things can get spicy, says Brittany Rheault, chief operating officer of sports league D.C. Fray.
• "They are very much trying to win that cup. They are determined to show off their skills."

One fun thing to go: Competition and local drama aside, pickleball is really all about fun — as evidenced by the fact that its silly name automatically lends itself to some equally silly and pickle-focused team names (yes, some are NSFW, Rheault says).

• Rheault's a fan of "Pickle Backers." Baynham's favorite: "Pickle-us Cage."