This Johnson County suburb was named the most pickleball-obsessed city in the country
Overland Park is officially the most pickleball obsessed city in the United States, according to a new online ranking.
Betting and gambling site Offer.bet analyzed Google searches around the country to find out which city was the most obsessed with Pickleball. It named Overland Park because of internet search patterns in the city, and the abundance of venues dedicated to pickleball.
Overland Park ranked number one over cities like Salt Lake City, Grand Rapids, Michigan and Tempe, Arizona. St. Louis also made the list coming in at 26 out of 50 cities.
Pickleball was created nearly 60 years ago, after three men tried to improvise a game of badminton and wound up inventing a brand new paddle sport.
Today, the game is one of the fastest growing sports in America, according to Pickleheads.com. The ranking site that named Overland Park number one said that one in six Americans play pickleball. Searches for the sport increased by 284% since 2020.
A combination of tennis, badminton and pingpong, pickleball is played on a surface one-third the size of a tennis court with paddles and a whiffle ball.
Although some claim that the name “pickleball” was derived from one of the men’s family dog, Pickles, others state that the name actually came from the term “pickle boat,” referring to the last boat to return with its catch.
The sport has shifted from primarily being popular among senior citizens to becoming beloved by all age groups. According to a survey by Offer.bet, the site that ranked pickleball-obsessed cities, 77% of participants said the sport is for young and old generations.
According to the USA Pickleball Association, the number of places to play pickleball has doubled since 2010, and there are more than 150,000 players around the world. There are more than 10,300 pickleball courts nationwide, according to Pickleheads.
In the Kansas City metro, there are many indoor and outdoor pickleball courts. There are also a handful of bars and restaurants that offer spaces to play.
If you’re looking to pick up a game of pickleball, here’s a few places for you to get started.
Overland Park
8202 W. 74th St., Overland Park
9051 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park
13700 Switzer Road, Overland Park
Chicken N Pickle: Overland Park
5901 W 135th St., Overland Park
8101 Marty St., Overland Park
7701 Antioch Road
St. Andrew Overland Park and Recreational Area
11099 W. 135th St., Overland Park
7720 W. 143rd St., Overland Park
Tomahawk Ridge Community Center
11902 Lowell Ave, Overland Park
Kansas City
54th Street Restaurant & Drafthouse- Zona Rosa
7200 NW 86th Terrace, Kansas City
1761 Burlington St., North Kansas City
300 E. 39th St., Kansas City
509 NW Barry Road, Kansas City, MO 64155
3601 Roanoke Road, Kansas City
3619 Gillham Road, Kansas City
Colby Gordon contributed to this report.
