April is National Pickleball Month and spring has many Americans getting back out there to play the rapidly growing sport. But some cities have catered to the sport’s massive audience more than others. So, BetOhio.com, the place to turn for Ohio sports betting news and other sports coverage, used Trust For Public Land’s 2023 City Park Facts data on parks in the nation’s 100 largest cities. Then we sifted through the numbers to rank those cities by total pickleball courts per 20,000 residents.
The volleys are as follows:
America’s Biggest Pickleball Cities
Top Pickleball Cities Includes Columbus
Columbus, Ohio – which bills itself as the “Biggest Small Town in America” – is tied with Arlington, Virginia, for 12th on the list with 2.5 courts per 20,000 residents. The Queen City of Cincinnati, which made the list last year, was not in the top 15 rankings this year. All over the state, Ohio sportsbook apps are popular with residents.
Seattle, Washington topped the list with 4.1 courts per 20,000 residents. The rest of the top five: St. Petersburg, Florida (3.9 courts per 20,000 residents), Lincoln, Nebraska (3.4) Honolulu, Hawaii (3.4) and Madison, Wisconsin (3.1).
On its website, The City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department says it manages 118 pickleball courts at 35 locations. The state capital offers 60 indoor courts and 58 outdoor courts, including three dedicated pickleball courts at Marion Franklin Park. For courts that aren’t dedicated to just pickleball, players may bring their own nets. Outdoor courts can be reserved for $10 an hour, while indoor courts are $50 an hour.
Major League Baseball fans in Columbus will also be interested in our Cincinnati Reds promotional game themes story.
According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, pickleball is an indoor or outdoor game that is played on a level court with short-handled paddles and a perforated plastic ball volleyed over a low net by two players or pairs of players.
The sport provided much relief and daily activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has exploded in popularity and participation across the country.
USA Today photo by Greg Lovett
