OVERLAND PARK, KS. – This week Overland Park, Ks., was named the nation’s “Most Pickleball Obsessed City” based on a study of online search volume.
In celebration of National Pickleball Month in April, Visit Overland Park conducted research on the number of pickleball courts in the city. The area is home to more than 75 pickleball courts at more than 12 facilities, with more expected in the future.
According to a news release, the sport “has taken Overland Park by storm” the past few years with the recent additions of two dedicated pickleball facilities, Chicken N Pickle, which opened in 2021, and SERV, which opened this year, which both have recreational and restaurant mixed-use concepts. Overall, the city offers 48 courts that are considered open play (no membership required).
The city also boasts close to 30 courts that can be used for large event competitive and professional play at pickleball- and tennis-dedicated facilities with the potential of hosting thousands of players and fans.
“We are thrilled Overland Park is home to so many pickleball courts,” says Eric Olson, vice president of sports tourism and events at Visit Overland Park. “As the sport continues to grow, the array of pickleball facilities in Overland Park plays an important role which creates accessibility for everyone to play and leads to dynamic opportunities for the community to host tournaments in the near future.”
Today, the game of pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America, according to Pickleheads.com. Wegrynenterprises.com, the ranking site that named the city as America’s most pickleball obsessed, states that one in six Americans play pickleball, and searches for the sport increased by 284 percent since 2020.
