Pickleball is the New Golf Merch & Your Corporate Gifts Should Catch Up
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. Most brand managers know that fact.
What fewer have acted on is what it means for corporate gifting.
24.3 million Americans played in 2025. Companies are replacing golf outings with pickleball events. And the branded merchandise category that goes with it — paddles, sets, apparel — is being built right now, with the best positions still available.
Why Is Pickleball the Merch Opportunity Brand Managers Are Sleeping On?
Golf merch is mature and commoditised. Every brand manager has given a golf shirt. Nobody remembers who gave it to them.
Pickleball's branded merchandise category is still being defined. The companies that commission a custom paddle today are not following a playbook — they are writing one. In a sport with 24 million active players and a demographic that skews 70% under 44, that first-mover position has real, lasting value.
How Big Is the Pickleball Merchandise Market Right Now?
The global pickleball equipment and apparel market was valued at $2.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $9.1 billion by 2034 at a 15.3% CAGR. Apparel alone is forecast at $689.9 million in 2026.
The signal from major brands is unambiguous. Nike, Adidas, Wilson, Lululemon, and Skechers have all entered the market. Lululemon became the official apparel partner for Life Time's pickleball programmes in 2024. Skechers launched a full collection — footwear, apparel, and paddles — in March 2025. 55.8% of all pickleball purchases happen online in 2025 — a digitally engaged, brand-conscious buyer base.
Global pickleball market 2024–2034. Source: Market.us 2025.
Why Are Companies Ditching Golf for Pickleball Corporate Events?
Bloomberg reported in 2024 that some pickleball venues are receiving 10 to 20 corporate booking inquiries per week — more than five times their previous volume. The business case is straightforward:
The difference in factors between golf & pickleball tells a lot more than you think. Source: Gumtoo
That last row is the one to act on. Golf's merch category is owned. Pickleball's isn't.
Which Brands Have Already Done It — and What Did They Make?
Four companies across completely different industries commissioned custom branded pickleball paddles from Gumtoo. Each had a different brief. All four arrived at the same conclusion: give someone something they will actually use, in a context they are genuinely excited about.
Donaldson Filtration Solutions — Brand on Court, Not in a Drawer
A full-colour branded paddle — logo printed clean on a bold blue face. The brief: a premium gift that gets picked up and used, not filed away. Every time that paddle is on a court, Donaldson is in someone's hand.
Tiger Global — Meeting Their Network Where It Plays
The New York-based investment firm commissioned branded paddles as corporate gifts. Pickleball is now the social sport of choice across the founder and investor community — a Tiger Global paddle lands in hands that will actually play with it.
GXO Logistics — Sport as a Culture Statement
The world's largest pure-play contract logistics provider brought Gumtoo in for custom branded paddles. For a company built on teamwork and precision, pickleball's doubles format mirrors how high-performance operations work. The paddle is a culture statement as much as a gift.
Neuberger Berman — Long-Term Presence, Premium Feel
The employee-owned asset manager ($558B AUM) chose custom paddles for their corporate gifting programme. A premium item for a premium client network — keeping the brand present in relationships quietly but consistently, every time someone picks up a paddle.
Neuberger got their own custom pickleball, paddles and a branded bag to. Source: Carousell
What Branded Pickleball Merch Formats Actually Work for Corporates?
Custom branded paddles are the anchor — the highest-impact single item, with an estimated 40% of paddle orders in 2025 being promotional or corporate custom. A paddle earns repeated use; every game is a free brand impression.
Curated gifting sets — paddle, branded ball, paddle cover, carry bag — arrive as a complete premium experience rather than a single product. Far more likely to be kept, shared, and talked about.
Event merchandise for corporate tournaments — t-shirts, caps, accessories — extends the event's brand presence into everyday wear, as pickleball apparel has firmly crossed into athleisure territory.
Lifestyle accessories — paddle covers, water bottles, bags — work for broader gifting programmes where not every recipient plays, but everyone recognises what pickleball represents: an active, social, modern lifestyle.
Here’s What to do Next
Pickleball is not a sport you need to explain to your clients anymore. It is a sport they are already playing. Put your brand in someone's hand every time they step on a court — that is what a well-made custom paddle does, and no other corporate gift does it better right now.
Gumtoo makes custom branded pickleball paddles and gifting sets for corporate events, client campaigns, and employee activations.
