When a prominent private bank booked a pickleball court in Mumbai for its team outing last year, it was more than just another recreational activity - little did anyone know it would ignite a cultural and commercial shift across India.

Fast-forward to today, and companies like ICICI Bank, Deutsche Bank, Blume Ventures, and Deloitte are routinely turning to pickleball - not only as part of serious employee wellness programmes, but also to give their teams a much-needed break, help them recalibrate, have fun, and let the conversation flow, so they return to work on Monday feeling refreshed.

That is what makes pickleball such an attractive business opportunity. Pickleball booking platforms back this up, saying that company events are increasing. “We are seeing a lot of interest from various companies, banks, PSUs, and corporates in general. We train 100–200 employees at a time. It includes teaching the rules, understanding the court size, playing mini-games, and even tying in HR engagement activities,” Ujwal Deole, co-founder and COO of KheloMore, told Pickleball Now. “And the HR teams love it because it is an active, engaging way to promote wellness and improve employee health.”

Pickleball has especially become a popular sport among lawyers, bankers, and IT professionals in India. Last month's LawStrings Pickleball Premier League in New Delhi is one such prominent example. And the cultural spillover from the US, where corporate pickleball events have become increasingly popular.

"Pickleball is a stress reliever," said Shubham Malhotra, the founder of LawStrings Management. "Lawyers face high-pressure routines with little time for wellness or bonding. So a pickleball tournament created a space for them to connect, compete, and unwind on a different kind of court."

For Rinushree Senthilkumar, Community Initiatives head of Blume Ventures, who organised a pickleball event for employees last month at a KheloMore facility, this was not a usual networking event. “Stepping onto the court helped break the ice, and it was great to see conversations flow more naturally as everyone stepped out of their comfort zones,” she observed.

It is a less time-consuming sport. "It blends fitness, fun, and networking without taking too much time. The growing Pickleball community also provides meaningful networking beyond the boardroom. For professionals seeking balance, it is more than a sport - it is a lifestyle upgrade," said Anmol Jain, the founder of Travel Stations and an avid player.

Pickleball is a great leveller - perhaps the most democratised sport, where anybody can pick up a paddle and start playing - so the barrier to entry is very low. Reveling his experience of playing at the lawyers' event, Anubhav Taneja, an Assistant Manager at Deloitte, said, "Pickleball is a breath of fresh air. I love its simplicity. I picked up the game in just one day. Now I play every week, and I absolutely love it.”

Due to its universal appeal, health benefits, and close-knit ecosystem that offers ample space for networking, pickleball has evolved from an obscure novelty into a full-fledged sports business opportunity - one that is fast emerging as the new hotspot for corporate deals. Following the cultural shift in the US - where businesses have traded long-favoured golf courses for the energetic pace of pickleball, as reported by The Seattle Times - a growing number of professionals in India are discovering that the sport saves them both time and money. As demand surged - both among corporate clients and players across the spectrum - the commercial aspect of the game took a giant leap.

"Eighteen months ago, pickleball was probably the lowest-flying sport. The demand we are seeing for pickleball is nothing short of phenomenal,” Ujwal said. “Today, we have close to 500 pickleball courts across India.” The game is riding a powerful tailwind driven by two very different engines: the fun of playing and serious commercial interest.

Once considered niche imports from the West, pickleball is now fast embedding itself into the Indian urban fabric, driven by their accessibility, community spirit, and fitness appeal.

And its popularity is rising across the spectrum. "Today, we have more than 1500 pickleball courts across India," said Suhail Narain, Founder and CEO of Hudle, a leading tech solution platform connecting players and sports facilities. "And we are adding 30 to 40 new courts a month - that is more than one new court every day."

Unlike box cricket - which remains largely a male-dominated sport - pickleball appeals to everyone, including men and women, young and old. “The second most popular sport was badminton. But pickleball has really caught the fancy of Indians. We are seeing more and more women playing now,” Ujwal noted.

That is, pickleball is a more accessible sport - requiring less investment from players - and its advent changed the way sport was played earlier. "People who always wanted to play a sport but did not find the right opportunity due to limitations in athleticism or other factors are now able to start their sporting journey with pickleball," he added.

And it is not just platform operators who believe in its potential. Former India cricketer and national selector Jatin Paranjape sees pickleball as a transformative force. “Pickleball is a very broad-based sport,” he said. “It is very easy to play, and we want more and more Indians to play. The barrier to entry is very low - anybody who has never played any sport in their life can also very quickly learn how to play.”

That unprecedented appeal translates into rapid commercial growth of the sport, with players coming back to courts more frequently than ever before. Data shows players booking courts as often as 15 to 16 times a month - with an average of 4 to 5 sessions per player per month - nearly double the rate seen in other sports like box cricket.

"I think pickleball is heading in the same trajectory as badminton, becoming a household name and a sport that people of all skill levels can play,” observed Ujwal, an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad.

It is no longer just about health and leisure - the sport’s pay-and-play model is rapidly turning it into a “moneyball” for facility owners and venues. With minimal space requirements, lower setup costs than other sports, and hourly rates ranging from Rs 500 in Tier-3 cities to Rs 1,800 in metropolitan areas, pickleball courts offer quick money and profitability.

“If you are a pickleball court owner and you have done your due diligence and built good-quality infrastructure that offers a great playing experience, you can recover your investment in about 9 to 12 months. That is a much faster return compared to a badminton facility,” Ujwal said.

In terms of usage, most players book courts for around 90 minutes - the sweet spot for pickleball sessions - with doubles being the most popular format. So typically, each booking has four players sharing the court.

The demand is poised to explode further. “There are probably 60,000 to 1 lakh pickleball players across India right now,” Ujwal estimated. “That number could easily grow to 10 lakh in the next three years.” As the number of players tends to increase manifold, he expects the number of courts in India to jump from 1,500 to 4,000 in the next two years to meet the demand and supply ratio. That is a solid business for venues and owners.

Anant Jangwal, Founder and CEO of Play Padel, echoed Ujwal's belief. "By the year 2028, there could be as many as 2,500 Pickleball courts in India."

While new crazes tend to fade over time, Ujwal said pickleball will continue to keep Indians hooked. “At some point, it will plateau, but it will not die out. It is not going to be like pool or pool parlours of the past. Pickleball is a sport that will continue to play an active role in keeping Indians engaged, encouraging them to go outdoors and stay active.”

Pickleball's future in India will hinge on its transition from a recreational pursuit to a talent pipeline - one that nurtures athletes from the grassroots level, with schools and youth leagues helping the next generation grow up with a paddle in hand. The Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), the governing body for pickleball in India, has already envisioned a robust and inclusive sporting ecosystem in this direction.

The IPA Nationals have already emerged as a bustling talent-tapping platform. A comprehensive grassroots development programme is also in the offing - with the rollout of age-group competitions, pickleball in schools, and the expansion of the Women’s Pickleball Cup. This is alongside the National High-Performance Centres promised by the IPA.

But there is still an anomaly that needs to be corrected. Pickleball in India is still predominantly driven by a pay-and-play model, giving little impetus to the sport’s competitive growth, with most booking platforms and venues offering little in terms of coaching or structured training. That must change as the sport soars in popularity.

Strong training programmes and regular coaching sessions will be key to transforming amateur players into competitive professionals - and, in turn, making the playing experience more wholesome, while also building a sustainable ecosystem around the sport. Ujwal acknowledged the existing gap, adding, "When coaching and training catch up, both talent and venues will benefit."

And this is exactly where Paranjape hopes to tap in. “We are doing a lot of pickleball starter camps,” he emphasised. “We are educating the consumer about the court, the rules, the paddle, the technique - all of it. This is aimed at people who have never played sport before as well because we truly believe that if you play sport, you will be healthier physically and mentally. For us, it is not just a business. It is a movement to make India healthier.”