Pickleball Australia serves up a fresh new look and bold vision for the future

Pickleball Australia, representing Australia’s fastest growing, fun and inclusive sport, is launching a brand-new look to support its bold vision, cementing it as the peak national body for pickleball enthusiasts nationwide.

In five short years since its inception in 2020, Pickleball Australia has overseen seven state associations supporting the 96,000+ regular players and 23,000 registered members nationally. With strong leadership and high national standards, their vision for the future encompasses their values of integrity and professionalism whilst celebrating the joy the sport brings to its fans and participants.

However, it’s not all play at Pickleball Australia. Executive Officer Brendan Lee and his team are central to the sport’s governance, building relationships with the 367 existing Pickleball affiliates and sanction 96 tournaments, having trained 334 referees and mentored 80 coach members, working with sub committees and affiliates, all whilst reporting to their highly esteemed board of directors.

A registered not-for-profit, Pickleball Australia is at the forefront of the sport, advocating across Australia at all levels. Moving it from a volunteer-led, grassroots approach, Pickleball Australia is nationally unifying the sport whilst creating a dynamic and fast-moving sporting movement – no mean feat in just five years.

Pickleball Australia’s Executive Officer Brendan Lee heads up a team of professional sports administrators, situated at the heart of the sport, creating the beating pulse that powers pickleball. “Pickleball has captivated the nation, and as the stewards of this fast-growing sport, it is our responsibility to evolve with it. Our refreshed brand reflects the energy and edge of today’s players while staying true to our roots. This evolution cements pickleball’s place as a permanent fixture in Australia’s sporting landscape; powered by the community that made it happen,” Lee said.

This is where brand strategy agency, The Contenders, came in. With a raft of experience working with sporting organisations, they were the perfect agency for the task at hand. Their strategic approach was underpinned by extensive research to uncover insights, informing their ultimate brand platform and creative design treatment.

Em Fitts, Creative Director, The Contenders explains, “Our challenge was to resolve the duality of the sport: from backyard derbies to national championships, from casual play to the world stage. Inspired by its humble beginnings – two paddles, a ball, a taped court – we set out to capture pickleball’s joyful rebellion and spirit of play, placing it at the heart of Pickleball Australia’s visual identity.”

Encapsulating the experience, Fitts went on, saying, “working with the Pickleball Australia team was a joy – their passion and love for the sport were infectious and guided the brand at every step.”

“At the end of the day, sport is about creating a sense of belonging, community and connection and pickleball delivers all those things. With a strong new brand positioning, look and feel to support our investment in the future, we feel incredibly well positioned to continue driving the sport forward whilst celebrating its spirit and energy,” Brendan Lee said.

For media enquiries please contact:

Megan Rogers: megan@thecontenders.co

Mobile: 0402 672 580 

About Pickleball Australia

Since launching in 2020, Pickleball Australia has nurtured and driven the development of pickleball, leading to its recognition as Australia’s fastest growing sport. Guided by a comprehensive strategic plan and board of directors, the 5 sport development areas of focus for Pickleball Australia are:

• Introduce communities to pickleball
• Skill development and promotion of a healthy lifestyle
• Recreational play
• Competitive pickleball
• High performance pickleball

With over 96,000+ regular players and 23,000 financial members nationally, Pickleball Australia continues to collaborate with state-based bodies and their affiliates to raise the profile of pickleball around the country, bringing a new player to Australia’s lively sporting culture.