“Pickleball is a real unicorn sport … in that you don’t find a sport that comes around that has mass participation appeal as well as mass retail appeal,” said Adam Franklin, president of Franklin Sports.As Americans emerged from the pandemic, Kristen Classi-Zummo started noticing heightened interest in racquet-wear, a reflection of what she calls our new “hybrid lifestyle.”casual attire, she said.
Athletic brands like Outdoor Voices, Girlfriend Collective, Athleta and Alo Yoga have large selections of tennis dresses. There’s also Bandier, which recently announced a pickleball line. Eric Hsu, a 35-year-old dentist and competitive pickleball player in Sacramento, said he only wears Lululemon these days, estimating that he’s spent about $600 on clothes this year.
Privately held Franklin Sports does not disclose sales figures. But Franklin says the pickleball line is in more stores than its heritage baseball collection. they took art off the walls and moved furniture to create a miniature court in their Manhattan apartment. Monica Mora, who started playing three years ago, said she’s seen paddles improve with new designs and technology.