As pickleball grows to rival other sports, Life Time offers a solution to the common issues of playability, helping fitness pros enhance their offerings

Life Time has announced a new development in pickleball equipment: The Ultimate Pickleball, a ball designed to address common issues of inconsistent speed, bounce and durability that players often encounter. 

Pickleball has rapidly become a key component in many fitness centers, appealing to a broad range of participants due to its accessibility and social aspects. According to the annual Topline Participation Report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), 13.6 million Americans tried their hand at pickleball last year. 

This figure puts pickleball in the same league as baseball (16.7 million participants) and outdoor soccer (14.1 million), even surpassing downhill skiing (13.1 million). With such growth, the need for high-quality equipment has never been more pressing.

Pickleball has seen a flurry of activity this year. The Picklr, a Utah-based indoor pickleball franchise that counts former NFL player Drew Brees as an investor, owner/area developer of 30 locations across the Midwest and brand ambassador, recently closed its Series B funding round at a $59 million valuation, bringing its total raise to $9 million.

One of the persistent challenges in maintaining high-quality pickleball programs, according to Life Time, has been the variability in equipment, especially the balls used in play. The inconsistency in speed and bounce, along with the lack of durability, can frustrate players and affect the overall experience. 

The Ultimate Pickleball, developed under the leadership of Life Time’s CEO Bahram Akradi, aims to solve these issues, offering a more consistent and durable option for players.

“A clear opportunity that emerged was to advance the quality of gameplay and participants’ experiences with a vastly improved pickleball,” Akradi said. “I always welcome the opportunity to solve challenges and am excited to launch our Ultimate Pickleball as a solution to offer right weight, speed, hole distribution and material to support consistent play and durability.”

The Ultimate Pickleball will debut exclusively in Life Time clubs later this month and be used at all Pickleball Classic tournaments. Later, the ball will be available for sale at Life Time’s racquet sports pro shops and online.

Life Time, the largest owner and operator of permanent pickleball and indoor tennis courts, now boasts over 960 courts dedicated to these two popular sports. Since beginning its investment in pickleball in 2021, Life Time has established more than 600 permanent pickleball courts across the country. In 2023, the company reported a 51% increase in the number of pickleball players utilizing its courts.

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