Pickleball Fever Sweeps America: A new report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) shows that 80% of Americans—about 247 million people—participated in some form of physical activity in 2024. Pickleball saw a 46% increase in players from 2023 to 2024, marking a 311% rise in the past three years.
Walking Tops the List of Activities
The SFIA study tracked 124 sports and activities from 2019 to 2024. Walking for fitness ranked first, with more than 115 million participants. Trail hiking followed with 63 million, treadmill running with 56 million, free weights with 56 million, and jogging with 51 million. Other popular choices included yoga (37 million), swimming (29 million), and walking-heavy wildlife viewing (21 million).
Racquet Sports Growing the Fastest
According to Alex Kerman, senior director of research operations and business development at SFIA,
“Racquet sports are number-one. Tennis has been doing pretty well, and pickleball is at an unprecedented level.”
Other rapidly growing activities included pilates, trail running, and golf.
Possible Pandemic Effect
While the exact reason for the increase in activity is unclear, Alex Kerman believes the COVID-19 pandemic played a role.
“When people were staying home, one of the only things they could do was exercise,”. “You couldn’t do every form of activity, but you could go out for a walk or a run or a bike ride.”(Alex Kerman)
Sports like tennis and pickleball flourished as people sought safe, distanced activities.
“We’ve been tracking pickleball since 2014,”. “It’s risen every single year, but you didn’t see these enormous jumps til 2021 or 2022.”(Alex Kerman)
Income Impacts Participation
The study showed a link between income and activity. In 2024, about 63% of those earning ,000 or less were active. For those earning $25,000 to $49,999, the figure rose to over 73%. The rate reached 87% in the $100,000 and up bracket.
“Cost is the largest barrier to participation,”. “There’s a significant difference between the lowest income level and the highest. In the past few years that gap has gotten smaller, which is great, but it clearly is still there.”(Alex Kerman )
Fitness Industry Benefits
The rising activity rate has boosted the recreation industry. In 2024, the sector grew 2.9%, outpacing the U.S. GDP’s 2.8%. “This was just the fourth time in 15 years where the industry grew more than the GDP,” said Kerman. The report noted that 65% of companies in the sector saw increased profitability in 2024, the highest in a decade.
A Note of Caution
The report’s definition of “active” included anyone who participated in a sport or activity at least once a year. This means that 77 million Americans, or 30% of those counted as active, were casual participants. Meanwhile, 20% of Americans remain inactive, facing higher risks of obesity, heart disease, and other health issues. Still, the overall trend is positive.
“More and more people are realizing that being physical leads to well-being,”. “Activity means living a healthier life.”(Alex Kerman)
News in Brief: Pickleball Fever Sweeps America
A new SFIA report finds that 80% of Americans were physically active in 2024, with pickleball leading growth at 46% in one year. Walking remains the most popular activity, while income affects participation. The recreation industry also saw record profitability as more people embraced sports and fitness.