Posted on Mar 21, 2022
Pickleball develops pros, prize money, biz ecosystem as it's designated Washington's state sport
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Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign a law designating pickleball as the official state sport of Washington. The mash-up of badminton, tennis and pingpong has come a long way since its invention on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 1965. Skilled local pickleball players have turned pro and brand new businesses are opening to cater to the pandemic boom in recreational play.
Washington will become the 16th state with an official sport when Inslee signs the pickleball bill. Some of the other states that have gone before have obvious pairings such as Hawaii and surfing, Minnesota and ice hockey, Alaska and dog mushing. There are also some less obvious designations such as Colorado where the state sport is pack burro racing, or Maryland where it's jousting. Oregon and Idaho don't have an official state sport.
At the Washington Legislature, prime sponsor Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) explained why he served up pickleball to be the state sport.
Washington will become the 16th state with an official sport when Inslee signs the pickleball bill. Some of the other states that have gone before have obvious pairings such as Hawaii and surfing, Minnesota and ice hockey, Alaska and dog mushing. There are also some less obvious designations such as Colorado where the state sport is pack burro racing, or Maryland where it's jousting. Oregon and Idaho don't have an official state sport.
At the Washington Legislature, prime sponsor Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) explained why he served up pickleball to be the state sport.
Pickleball develops pros, prize money, biz ecosystem as it's designated Washington's state sport
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Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Washington will become the 16th state with an official sport when Inslee signs the pickleball bill. Some of the other states that have gone before have obvious pairings such as Hawaii and surfing, Minnesota and ice hockey, Alaska and dog mushing. There are also some less obvious designations such as Colorado where the state sport is pack burro racing, or Maryland where it's jousting. Oregon and Idaho don't have an official state sport.
At the Washington Legislature, prime sponsor Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) explained why he served up pickleball to be the state sport.
"Washington will someday be known as the birthplace of Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and pickleball,” Lovick said, quoting a constituent. “Tourists will travel to Bainbridge Island to see the first pickleball court and visit the Bainbridge Island historical museum's pickleball exhibit. Let's boast about this history and make pickleball the official sport."
The measure to designate pickleball attracted a little bit of grumbling inside and outside the capital as trivial, "worthless" or a waste of time during a short legislative session packed with high stakes, big ticket issues.
“Sometimes we need to do things that are just fun when we deal with what we deal with,” Lovick told fellow lawmakers back in January, anticipating the grumbling that would come.
Eastern Washington University in Cheney is preparing to host hundreds of amateur players for this July's Pacific Northwest regional championships in pickleball. A few weeks later, a big tournament in Bend will offer 25-thousand dollars in prize money.
Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in the U.S. for the past several years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Insiders estimate there are around two dozen professional players who call Oregon, Washington and Idaho home. The game now has two competing national tournament circuits. Eight players from the Pacific Northwest collected payouts on the Professional Pickleball Association tour over the past year, according to the PPA’s director."...
..."Washington will become the 16th state with an official sport when Inslee signs the pickleball bill. Some of the other states that have gone before have obvious pairings such as Hawaii and surfing, Minnesota and ice hockey, Alaska and dog mushing. There are also some less obvious designations such as Colorado where the state sport is pack burro racing, or Maryland where it's jousting. Oregon and Idaho don't have an official state sport.
At the Washington Legislature, prime sponsor Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) explained why he served up pickleball to be the state sport.
"Washington will someday be known as the birthplace of Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and pickleball,” Lovick said, quoting a constituent. “Tourists will travel to Bainbridge Island to see the first pickleball court and visit the Bainbridge Island historical museum's pickleball exhibit. Let's boast about this history and make pickleball the official sport."
The measure to designate pickleball attracted a little bit of grumbling inside and outside the capital as trivial, "worthless" or a waste of time during a short legislative session packed with high stakes, big ticket issues.
“Sometimes we need to do things that are just fun when we deal with what we deal with,” Lovick told fellow lawmakers back in January, anticipating the grumbling that would come.
Eastern Washington University in Cheney is preparing to host hundreds of amateur players for this July's Pacific Northwest regional championships in pickleball. A few weeks later, a big tournament in Bend will offer 25-thousand dollars in prize money.
Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in the U.S. for the past several years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Insiders estimate there are around two dozen professional players who call Oregon, Washington and Idaho home. The game now has two competing national tournament circuits. Eight players from the Pacific Northwest collected payouts on the Professional Pickleball Association tour over the past year, according to the PPA’s director."...
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