Pickleball Fever Grips Pune and Mumbai: Pickleball and padel are becoming popular summer choices among families in Pune and Mumbai, as sports stores report a sharp rise in demand. With schools closed and parents seeking fun activities for kids, interest in these new-age racquet sports is quickly growing across all age groups.
As the long summer break begins, families are turning to alternatives like pickleball and padel instead of traditional sports. Cricket, swimming, and badminton still dominate, but new options are catching on with people looking for fun, less intense sports.
Growing Demand in Cities
Retailers in Pune and Mumbai have seen a six-fold increase in demand for pickleball and padel gear this year.
“These new sports are gaining traction as they are multiplayer, where all members of the family can participate. Padel has an element of squash built into it and is a faster and more intense sport compared to pickleball. Padel and pickleball are ideal sports as they are not physically demanding compared to other sports,” said Pravesh Advani, who plays padel after work.
Meherab Bhaya, head of Decathlon in Pune, confirmed the trend, noting, “This year reveals a remarkable six-fold increase in demand for pickleball and padel equipment in Pune and Mumbai.”
New Sports Facilities Help Push the Trend
Until recently, there were few places to play these sports. But that is changing.
“There were hardly any courts for padel and pickleball until recently. Pune is far behind other cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata in terms of awareness of these sports. However, many facilities have come up in the city now, so the culture of these sports will develop,” said an operator of a local pickleball and padel center.
Priyanka Jain of Pickleball One added, “The newness of the sport is driving people to it. The game is not taxing. It is suitable for all ages, including young children to senior citizens.”
Other Sports Still Strong
Despite the rising interest in newer sports, equipment for traditional activities is still flying off shelves. According to Amazon, sales of fitness gear jumped 40% in 2024, while badminton and tennis items rose 25%.
“Summer is a pivotal season for engaging with young athletes and their families, driving nearly 30% of Decathlon’s annual kids’ product sales and 24% of overall footfalls from young sports enthusiasts,” said Bhaya.
Local stores are also seeing strong sales in cricket and wellness gear.
“There is still a lot of interest in cricket gear, including Kashmir willow bats, gloves, pads, guards and helmets. Just last week, we sold cricket equipment worth Rs6,000 to an NRI who originally hailed from Pune,” said the owner of Deo Sports, a 90-year-old store now also busy with yoga mat sales.
Pickleball vs Padel: Cost Matters
Though both sports are growing, pickleball appears more popular than padel—mainly due to cost.
“Pickleball is coming up on a larger scale compared to padel because the latter is more expensive. It costs around Rs15 lakh to set up a padel court, while it takes only Rs3-4 lakh for a pickleball facility,” said Izhaan Sayed, a cricketer and supplier of sports equipment.
Future of Summer Sports
As more facilities open and awareness spreads, the trend toward fun, accessible racquet sports like pickleball paddel could continue. Their appeal to families and older players makes them strong additions to the summer sports scene.
News in Brief: Pickleball Fever Grips Pune and Mumbai
Pickleball and padel are quickly growing in popularity during summer vacations in Pune and Mumbai. Sports stores report a six-fold increase in demand for related equipment. Families prefer these accessible, fun racquet sports over traditional ones. The sport is rising faster due to lower court setup costs compared to padel.
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