News & Stories

News & Stories

The “Pickleball King” Eyes a Bold Future for Asia’s Pickleball Scene

By:

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Sep 24, 2024

3 min read

Hold onto your paddles, because pickleball's next big revolution is coming from Asia! Steve Kuhn, the visionary founder behind Major League Pickleball (MLP), is making waves with a bold prediction: Asian athletes are destined to dominate the world's fastest-growing paddle sport. And he's not just talking – he's taking action by partnering with Bay Pickle to launch Hong Kong's first indoor pickleball paradise in the heart of Causeway Bay!


"Someday, I think Asian players will be the best in the world," says Kuhn, with the same infectious enthusiasm that helped him transform pickleball from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon. Remember table tennis? It started as a British game, but Asian players have completely revolutionized it – and Kuhn sees the same exciting future for pickleball.


The momentum is absolutely incredible. What started with a few hundred thousand players in the US has exploded to a mind-blowing 40 million enthusiasts! Even more impressive? Recent Apple Watch data shows more people are now tracking pickleball matches than tennis games. Talk about a sports revolution!


(Photo Source: https://hongkong-invest.com/bay-pickle-expands-three-new-locations-hong-kong-2025/)


And Hong Kong is going all-in on the pickleball party! Bay Pickle isn't stopping at just one location – they're planning to open venues in Kowloon, Tseung Kwan O, and Ma On Shan before 2024 wraps up. The sport's accessibility is a huge part of its charm, as Kuhn points out: "This is a very affordable and accessible sport. You're going to have Cinderella stories, players from non-wealthy backgrounds who are going to be great!"


The star power behind pickleball is dazzling. The MLP has attracted an incredible roster of team owners, including NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes, soccer legend Mesut Ozil, Hollywood's Eva Longoria, and tennis icons like Nick Kyrgios, Chris Evert, and Naomi Osaka. Even Taylor Swift and Leonardo DiCaprio have caught the pickleball fever!


But what makes pickleball truly special isn't just the celebrity buzz – it's the incredible community spirit. "This is a sport where people who play together become friends," Kuhn shares warmly. "Also, in other sports, like golf, you have to practice for years before it's really fun. In pickleball, you immediately have fun!"


The business case is just as compelling as the social one. "You can have three pickleball courts on one tennis court, and you almost always play doubles, so it's six times as dense," Kuhn explains. This efficiency is why tennis clubs across the US are embracing the pickleball revolution.


(Photo Source: https://thebaypickle.com/)


Looking ahead, Kuhn's enthusiasm reaches new heights with his boldest prediction yet: "In the next decade, pickleball will be one of the top five played sports in the world. There is football and cricket, then pickleball can compete with anything below those."


With Bay Pickle's new facility offering both recreational and elite playing opportunities, Hong Kong is perfectly positioned to ride this exciting wave. The success story of Vietnam's Quang Duong, who cracked the world's top 10, has already sparked a pickleball fever in Southeast Asia. As Kuhn says with conviction, "When more of these stories emerge, the whole continent is going to catch fire!"


Want to be part of this incredible sports revolution? The paddles are waiting, the courts are ready, and the pickleball community is eager to welcome you to the game that's taking Asia – and the world – by storm!

Share this article

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Subscribe to Pickle Asia

Get your pickleball fix with the latest news from across Asia! From thrilling tournaments and player profiles to community updates and court-side buzz, we serve it all—fast, fresh, and straight to your inbox.

We don't spam, promised. Only two emails every month, you can

opt out anytime with just one click.

Copyright

© 2025

All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to Pickle Asia

Get your pickleball fix with the latest news from across Asia! From thrilling tournaments and player profiles to community updates and court-side buzz, we serve it all—fast, fresh, and straight to your inbox.

We don't spam, promised. Only two emails every month, you can

opt out anytime with just one click.

Copyright

© 2025

All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to Pickle Asia

Get your pickleball fix with the latest news from across Asia! From thrilling tournaments and player profiles to community updates and court-side buzz, we serve it all—fast, fresh, and straight to your inbox.

We don't spam, promised. Only two emails every month, you can

opt out anytime with just one click.

Copyright

© 2025

All Rights Reserved