Pickleball Courts Delhi Mumbai – Pickleball in India sees courts mushrooming in Mumbai Delhi as investment increases

It was 6 am when Abhishek Madhukar woke up to an annoying 'tak, tak, tak' sound from his club's badminton court. His curiosity was aroused, because badminton hardly produces any sound. Madhukar, a tennis player from Lucknow, watched from his balcony and came across a pickle for the first time. Intrigued by the convenience of the sport, he couldn't resist giving it a try. After just a few rounds he was hooked and what started as a hobby quickly grew into a business venture.

And so Quadwoke was born, with the aim of being a one-stop solution for all things pickleball, the fast-paced racket sport that is now all the rage in India. Once seen as a retiree pastime, the American sport, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, has even led to several professional tennis players switching allegiances.

“Whether it is in societies or clubs, the sport is clearly growing. I also discovered that everyone, from the age of 6 to 70, was playing pickleball, and that's when I realized there was a huge business opportunity here,” Madhukar told India Today Digital.

Although the sport enjoys great interest, there are only 1,000 pickleball courts in India. A pickleball court requires only a quarter of the area of ​​a tennis court and can be constructed by investing as little as Rs 50,000.

With demand high, pickleball courts are now seeing rental prices rise to as high as Rs 1,800 per hour. Experts believe that profits can be made in the first year itself after paying the rent for setting up the courts.

Not only the required infrastructure, the costs for pickleball equipment are also minimal. Players only need a paddle, which starts with a price tag of just Rs 2,500, and a wiffle ball, making it an attractive sport.

PICKLEBALL RIGHTS SEE BOOM IN INDIAN CITIES

When pickleball took baby steps in India about three to four years ago, it had to fight for space with badminton as there were hardly any dedicated courts for the newcomer. Now, courts have come up not only in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai but also in Tier 2 cities like Ahmedabad and Coimbatore.

Explaining the boom, Mumbai-based Manish Rao, a member of the Global Pickleball Federation, says that unlike tennis, which requires larger spaces and more maintenance, pickleball courts are relatively cheap to set up.

“A single tennis court can be converted into multiple pickleball courts, usually measuring 20 feet by 40 feet, increasing usage and revenue potential,” he told India Today Digital.

For concrete courts, the investment is only Rs 40,000-Rs 50,000. The professional surfaces, made of asphalt, cost Rs 2 to 3 lakh per lane. This low-cost, high-return model is what attracts investors and tennis players like Madhukar.

Quadwoke has already launched its first pickleball facility in Lucknow with cafes and toilets. It also sponsors tournaments and India's rising pickleball stars.

“India is almost three to four years behind the US in terms of pickleball infrastructure. Part of the appeal of pickleball is that it is a very non-technical game that you can play with your kids, wife and parents. 1990s and early 2000s, there were picnics that we enjoyed with our family. With this sport you can go back to those days,” Madhukar said.

MUMBAI: THE MECCA OF PICKLEBALL IN INDIA

Even in metro cities like Mumbai, where space is at a premium, the sport has taken root in renowned tennis clubs and gymkhanas, as well as in smaller arenas where courts are available on an hourly basis.

Most of Mumbai's affluent clubs, such as Khar Gymkhana, Cricket Club of India (CCI), Bombay Gymkhana and Willingdon, now have dedicated pickleball courts. Some have even converted their existing tennis courts into pickleball courts, given the rising demand for the sport.

“The success story of pickleball courts started about two years ago in Mumbai, when companies like Global Sports and some schools built courts and started renting them out. Initially, the rental rates were very low, around Rs 250 per hour. But as tournaments started growing, it became a huge market. Now the booking amount is somewhere between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,800,” says Manish Rao of Global Pickleball Federation.

Rao, who took up pickleball in 2014 after a back injury sidelined him from other strenuous sports, is now the world ambassador for the International Federation of Pickleball.

Mumbai is the pickleball capital of India and most societies and colonies now have pickleball facilities.

PICKLEBALL COURTS: SMALL INVESTMENTS, STABLE RETURN

According to Rao, a single court in Mumbai with a staffing of 4 to 5 hours per day will easily generate a net profit of Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 per month.

Explaining the economics behind it, Rao said, “Suppose you have a space of around 2,500 sq ft. In a prime location in Mumbai, the rent will be around Rs 2-2.5 lakh. The construction cost for four courts will be around Rs . 12 lakh. So Rs 15–16 lakh is the maximum investment required, apart from basic infrastructure like portable huts and toilets.”

So if each court gives minimum Rs 50,000 profit per month, one can easily make Rs 2 lakh profit from four courts. “So within the first year itself, you clear your investments and start making profits. This is the biggest advantage. For sports like tennis or padel, the investment in the field itself is Rs 25 lakh,” Rao said.

Not only clubs, but also builders and developers are installing pickleball courts in housing associations. Most builders usually provide tennis and basketball courts in complexes.

“Now they have realized that instead of one tennis court, they could put four pickleball courts at the same place. This has also given a huge boost to the game,” Rao said.

PICKLEBALL RIGHTS NOW IN Shopping Malls, Housing Associations

The meteoric rise of the sport and its business potential has seen major corporations and even shopping malls jumping on the bandwagon in Tamil Nadu's capital, Chennai.

According to Mohit Kumar, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association, there are currently more than 2,000 registered players in the state.

“In Chennai, many malls have pickleball courts. The Promenade Mall and Express Avenue were the first to come up with dedicated courts. This attracted the crowds, leading to a boom in the city,” Mohit, who got hooked on the sport after his father started playing pickleball with his group of friends in a garage, told IndiaToday.in.

TENNIS CACHES, PLAYERS JUMP ON PICKLEBALL BANDWAGON

Although pickleball is relatively new in India, it is far from a fleeting trend, with several professional badminton, tennis and squash players making the switch to the racket sport. Among them is Mohammad Ashraf, a professional tennis coach, who now spends most of his time training young pickleball enthusiasts.

Certified by the Professional Pickleball Registry, USA Pickleball's certification partner, Ashraf runs the Winners Academy at Raghav Global School in Noida.

“The best part is that you need much less space for a pickleball court. The basketball court was already constructed there and we have just converted it into four pickleball courts,” Ashraf told India Today Digital. However, he said most people still practice it as a recreational, not competitive, sport.

“Right now, a lot of advertising and awareness is needed as very few people know about this game. Every month we generate anywhere between Rs 15,000 to 20,000. Coaching is yet to take off as only those who participate in competitions and not the desired get results, seek professional training,” he said.

There are big opportunities here as there are only 1,000 pickleball courts in India, with Mumbai and Ahmedabad being the biggest hubs.

However, Madhukar of Quadwoke lamented that investors have started viewing the sport as a 'cash mint', ignoring the guidelines to squeeze into as many courts as possible within a small area.

“As per the norms, a field should be at least 1,800 square feet in size. However, vendors in India want to maximize their revenue by building fields of 1,000 square feet, making it difficult for players to move around,” he said.

It's not just the clubs, organizations like KheloMore that organize monthly pickleball tournaments are also raking in the money. These events, like the popular 'Battle Under Lights', attract players of all age groups who are keen to compete at amateur level and showcase their skills.

Prabhat Mani Vats, secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Pickleball Association, said everyone from corporates to startups are now looking to enter this space as they see huge business potential.

“In India we have only touched the tip of the iceberg. Now that sufficient facilities are emerging to allow regular play, groups of pickleball players are trying to connect with each other and organize tournaments. They also make money. The registration costs per person range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. However, the cost of organizing these tournaments is very negligible 2023, said.

With professional tournaments becoming increasingly popular and pickleball courts mushrooming across India, it has the potential to become the next big thing in sports. And now everyone wants a bite of the pickle pie.