米メディアAxiosは5月26日、米国主要100都市におけるピックルボールコートの増加率が2024年の14%から2026年にはわずか4%へ急減速したと報じた。非営利団体Trust for Public Land（TPL）の最新データに基づく分析で、2017年以降ほぼ900%という爆発的成長を遂げてきたピックルボール施設整備に、初めて明確なブレーキがかかった。
The Trajectory of the Court Growth Rate -- From 14% to 4% in 3 Years
The top 100 US cities by population tracked by TPL now have a combined 3,765 pickleball courts. Looking at the trajectory of the growth rate lays bare the severity of the slowdown.
| Year | Court Growth Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-2023 | About 900% cumulative | Explosive facility development nationwide |
| 2024 | 14% | The height of the boom |
| 2025 | 13% | A slight decline but maintaining a high level |
| 2026 | 4% | About a 70% plunge year over year |
TPL park research director Will Klein explains, "Cities are still adding courts. But it's no longer the furious pace seen over the past two years."
Background -- Municipal Fiscal Strain and the "Scramble for Facilities"
Behind the slowdown are municipalities' fiscal circumstances. Klein pointed out that "local governments have to balance tight budgets, aging infrastructure, and rising demand for a wide variety of recreational facilities."
Building pickleball courts, including repurposing existing tennis courts, has created competition with other sports facilities. In the city of Boulder,friction with tennis enthusiasts over breaking ground on a 12-court dedicated facilityhas surfaced, and the allocation of limited public land is a challenge common across the US.
Gardens and Disc Golf Grow Instead -- Diversification of Parks Advances
| Facility Type | 2026 Growth Rate |
|---|---|
| Gardens (community gardens) | +8% |
| Pickleball courts | +4% |
| Disc golf courses | +4% |
| Outdoor fitness zones | +3% |
ガーデン（コミュニティ菜園）が+8%と、ピックルボールの2倍のペースで伸びている。ディスクゴルフも+4%、屋外フィットネスゾーンが+3%と、公園のアメニティが多様化している。自治体は「ピックルボール一択」ではなく、複数の住民ニーズに応える方向へ舵を切りつつある。
Industry Reactions -- Not an "End" but a "Maturing"?
Axiosの見出しは「ピクルブームの終焉」と表現した一方、業界関係者の見方は分かれる。
TPL's Will Kleinは、減速を「ブーム終了」ではなく自治体の予算・インフラ事情による構造的な鈍化と分析している。ピックルボール競技の人気自体が低下したとは述べていない。
On the private-investment side, the inflow of funds into commercial facilities is, if anything, accelerating, with Apollo building an ecosystem worth $750 million in enterprise value bypouring $225 million into Dundon Enterprisesを構築するなど、商業施設への資金流入は活発だ。公共と民間で温度差がある構図となっている。
The facility chainThe Picklr isplanning to roll out 20 facilities in Japan, continuing its path of global expansion.
Impact on Japan -- The Risk of a Single-Minded "US Model"
In Japan, the development of pickleball facilities has only just begun. While openings of new facilities such as in Sakai, Osaka and Tokyo Tower continue, the US model of relying on public facilities won't necessarily serve as a direct reference.
What the US slowdown suggests is the risk that relying solely on public facility development leaves you at the mercy of changes in municipal budgets and residents' facility needs. In Japan too, combining private-operated, membership-based models with public facilities will likely be the key to sustained growth.
Ripple Effects Across the Pickleball Industry
コート増加率の鈍化は、用具メーカー・レッスンプロ・大会運営など関連産業にも影響する可能性がある。新設コートが増えなければ初心者の参入ペースも鈍化し、市場全体の拡大シナリオが修正を迫られる可能性が指摘される。
That said, the existing infrastructure of 3,765 courts, built up through cumulative growth of about 900% since 2017, remains intact. Even if the pace of new construction falls, there's room for the playing population to keep growing by raising the utilization rate of existing courts and enriching programs. Viewed as a shift from a "construction phase" to a "utilization phase," it's not necessarily all pessimism.
Related Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Data Provider | Trust for Public Land（TPL） |
| Survey Target | Top 100 US cities by population |
| Current Total Courts | 3,765 |
| Reported By | Axios Sports (reporter Alex Fitzpatrick) |
| Article Publication Date | May 26, 2026 |
Summary
The fact that the growth rate of pickleball courts in the 100 major US cities plunged from 14% to 4% is weighty. However, this is not a decline in the playing population, but a structural slowing due to municipal budget constraints and the diversification of park facilities. Private investment remains active, and the commercial sector is, if anything, taking a more aggressive stance, with The Picklr's Japan rollout and Apollo's large investment. Whether you see it as "the end of the boom" or "a transition to a maturing phase" changes greatly depending on whether you view it from the public or private perspective.
Source:Axios “Pickleball court building has slowed” (May 26, 2026)
