Pickleball Buzz Beyond the Kitchen

What happened in August?

Author

Rich Neher
August 29, 2025

From The Dink Newsletter

  • Introducing Courted: A Social Pickleball Experience
    The Dink and Buick Team Up To Launch Multi-City Pickleball Social Mixer Series

  • The West Palm Beach Pickleball War
    Residents in the gated Florida community of Riverwalk of the Palm Beaches are up in arms over a proposal to add new pickleball courts to the idyllic outcropping of 30 individual, private peninsulas.

  • Pickleball Finds a Permanent Home in NYC’s Times Square
    The Paramount Theatre in Times Square has played host to famous acts from Dean Martin to Jerry Lewis to Frank Sinatra.
    Today, it announced a more modern act: The new flagship location and corporate headquarters for CityPickle.

  • Why Top Players Drive the 3rd, Drop the 5th
    Ever noticed more advanced players routinely driving their third shot, then dropping their fifth? It’s become common practice. Watch a pro match and you’ll see this strategy on repeat.

  • ‘Freakier Friday’ Scene Does Pickleball Dirty
    We know Hollywood is a caricature of real life, but a new pickleball clip from Disney’s “Freakier Friday” has us questioning some things.

  • Pickleball as Matchmaker? Tinder Can Help
    If you’re looking to meet someone... someone active, interesting, and maybe just competitive enough to keep things fun, there’s no better place than the pickleball court.

  • Ponder This: Is Open Play Obsolete?
    Pickleball is a sport for everyone, but it’s hard to argue against the notion that games get more exclusive the better players get. Surpass 4.0 and all of a sudden open play gives way to private sessions and invite-only leagues. And maybe that’s OK?

  • Olympic Dreams: Pickleball’s Critical Year Ahead
    Paul Olson of Selkirk TV sat down with our own Erik Tice to look at pickleball’s pivotal road ahead for possible Olympic inclusion. To be considered for 2032, the sport needs one unified governing body. And soon. 

  • No Thanks: Residents Push Back in Mountain View
    Another day, another ritzy enclave at odds about building more pickleball courts. This time, it’s Mountain View, CA. Demand is there, but some residents don’t want to sacrifice green space for concrete courts. There’s even an online opposition campaign: “Save Cuesta Park and Annex.”

  • Tryouts for New 50+ League Draw Hundreds
    If you’re 50+ and looking to level up your pickleball status, there’s a new league in the mix. And they're actively looking to fill team rosters.

  • Sports ‘Betting’ Comes Out of the Shadows
    The pickleball world is aflutter this week after news spread that you can now “bet” on a few scenarios around the upcoming MLP Playoffs.

  • Endorsed: Floating, Inflatable Pickleball Courts
    There’s no better feeling than lazing by the pool on a steamy summer afternoon. Unless you’re in the area of San Antonio, Florida. Then we’d recommend a trip to the floating pickleball court at Mirada Lagoon, the largest man-made lagoon in the United States at more than 15 acres and 33 million gallons of water.

  • Maine high school bans locals from courts during study hours

  • These States Love College Pickleball
    Football scholarships are cool. But more and more, kids are training to play college pickleball in hopes of cracking into the big leagues.
    See the full lists

  • By the Numbers: Pickleball’s Hold on American Culture
    Derek Thompson is a #1 New York Times bestseller who’s turned his love of number-crunching into a newsletter focused on the concept of abundance. This week he posits: “Pickleball isn’t just the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. It might be the fastest-growing sport in modern American history.”

  • Apple Buys Ben Stiller Pickleball Movie Conveniently Named ‘The Dink’
    How does that phrase go? Oh, right: Cease. And. Desist.
    Apple Original Films has reportedly purchased a pickleball comedy starring Jake Johnson (“New Girl”) and Ben Stiller (“Severance”), who also serves as producer. The cast includes Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, and Patton Oswalt. Tennis stars Andy Roddick and John McEnroe also make appearances.
    Learn more

  • Arizona Mega-Facility Signs Deal with Celebrity Restaurant Group
    PURE Pickleball & Padel™ is bringing a massive pickleball facility to the Riverwalk Development in Scottsdale, AZ. Eleven acres. A 1,200-seat pro-grade arena. Forty dedicated pickleball courts. A luxury fitness and recovery center. Locker rooms and spa. Corporate meeting space. And a decadent rooftop patio.
    This is pickleball “eatertainment” on a whole new level. 

  • Tyra Black Will Elevate Your Pickleball IQ
    Effective pickleball is smart pickleball. And there is perhaps no more cerebral player on the pro tour than Tyra Hurricane Black.
    Five Proven Tips for a Higher Pickleball IQ

  • New Study: 30% of Pickleballers Play Through Pain
    The problem with current pickleball injury statistics is they’re reported from the emergency room. But how many people do you know who have suffered an on-court sprain, strain, or worse but never saw a doctor about it? Yeah, a lot. Read the full findings

  • Is U.S. Pickleball Participation Finally Cooling Off?
    It was inevitable, we suppose, but you still hate to see it: After five years of steadily increasing participation numbers, pickleball fever is finally showing signs of cooling off in the U.S.

OnCourt OffCourt

New Pickleball Manufacturer: NETX

NETX is a new pickleball brand redefining performance through design and technology. They are leading the way with 3D printing and parametric design—not just for looks, but to solve real problems in the sport:

  • NETX 3D printed pickleballs are built for durability, engineered for quiet play, and designed to reduce strain—helping prevent common injuries caused by hard impacts and vibrations.

  • NETX is preparing to launch the GEN 5 paddle, featuring a fully 3D printed durable internal core - offering unmatched precision, control, and comfort never seen before in the sport.

This isn’t just another brand story - it’s a look into the future of sustainable, injury-conscious, high-performance pickleball.

The Fit Pickler

Pickleball Magazine