PickleballEngland and UK Pickleball Shop agree partnership to grow pickleball in England
Friday 28th April 2023
PickleballEngland and UK Pickleball Shop have signed a 2 year partnership agreement to collaborate and grow pickleball in England.
Pickleball – a hybrid of tennis, badminton & table tennis, is one of the fastest growing sports in America, and now has a firm foothold here in the UK.
With over 7,000 active players in the UK, the sport has seen exponential growth in the past year, with pickleballEngland reporting a 60% year to date increase in membership in 2022.
Designed to be played across different age groups and demographics, Pickleball is one of the most inclusive sports around – and its rapid growth has as much to do with the enjoyment of playing, as it has to do with bringing groups of people together.
The partnership will see UK Pickleball Shop as a preferred supplier for PickleballEngland and includes an agreement for the provider to be present at the English Open and English Nationals, as well as exclusive first rights to attend PickleballEngland Festivals.
Speaking about the partnership, Karen Mitchell, Chair & Co-founding Director of PickleballEngland said: ‘We are excited to be partnering with UK Pickleball Shop. Having UK Pickleball Shop in the UK market has given new players access to a huge range of equipment, helping to rapidly grown the game this side of the pond. We know in other countries where access to equipment is more difficult, growth has not been as fast, so we know how much of a difference it makes here. What’s more, UK Pickleball Shop have also offered PickleballEngland members a £15 discount on the club net which has already been taken up by hundreds of members.’
Freddie Gratton, Co-owner of UK Pickleball Shop added: ‘We are very excited to sign this agreement, and to continue with our mutual pursuit of growing pickleball here in the UK. Looking at the growth trends in the US, we recognise the enormous potential of our game, and we look forward to working closely and supporting the Pickleball England team to help achieve our mutual goals’.
To celebrate this announcement, UK Pickleball Shop will be giving away a Wheeled Portable Net. This is a full-sized tournament grade net with wheels, fully compliant with regulations set by USA Pickleball Association. Head to UK Pickleball Shop’s social channels for more information.
UK Pickleball Shop’s Social Channels:
Notes to Editors:
PickleballEngland is a not-for-profit organisation founded to support the growth of Pickleball in England. It was launched on 2nd January 2019 and already has over 4,200 registered members. PickleballEngland has met the criteria to be recognised by Sport England and has started the application process. In 2010, three Pickleball clubs were set up in the UK and were set up by people who had seen or experienced the game in the USA and wanted to introduce it to the UK. It is now estimated that there are circa 10,000 players and over 300 venues in the UK. Head to www.pickleballengland.org and use the ‘Club Locator’ feature to find your nearest location and begin your journey.