For Subscribers
Retirees Have a Passion for Pickleball — and One Man's Related Side Hustle Rakes in Up to $5,000 a Month Bahman Mody saw an opportunity he couldn't ignore on Instagram.
By Amanda Breen •
Key Takeaways
- More than 4.8 million people in the U.S. play pickleball, the nation's fastest-growing sport.
- Bahman Mody started playing about five years ago — and realized he could monetize his game.
There are more than 4.8 million "picklers" in the U.S., according to a 2022 report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association — devotees of the pickleball pastime often described as a combination of tennis, Ping-Pong and badminton.
It even claims the title of America's fastest-growing sport, with a 40% jump between 2019 and 2020, per the report. And though all ages are getting in on it, more than half (52%) of players participating eight or more times a year are 55 or older, with nearly a third (32.7%) 65 or older.
Related: Pickleball Injuries May Cost Americans $400M, Especially Seniors
