The promotion process for the establishment of the Vietnam Pickleball Federation is underway. Experts have found this to be inevitable. Because after the "first wave" of trend, pickleball did not fend but affirmed its suitability. And not only that, this sport also promises the vitality of a new socio-economic model in sports.
What makes pickleball special is not only the way it combines tennis, table tennis and badminton, but also the ability to "majorise sports", so that anyone can participate. But more importantly, behind that is a formation of an economic flow that Vietnamese sports should not miss.
Unlike football or volleyball - which requires a long tournament, large operating costs and easy dependence on achievements - pickleball can organize short-term tournaments, moderate scale but have high spillover effect. The cost is not too big, communication is easy to do, rewards are flexible - that is the "golden formula" that makes it easy for brands to jump into sponsorship, because the promotional efficiency is much higher than investing in "huge" sports.
From another perspective, tennis and badminton do not "need" personnel like pickleball but are difficult to develop strongly. The reason is that Vietnam does not have tennis players who can reach world standards. On the contrary, pickleball has been on the road for a short time, but fans have seen Vietnamese players face the world's top opponents, right in the S-shaped country.
It is no coincidence that in the US, this sport has developed the fastest for two consecutive years - leading to an explosion of the tourism industry, sports products, real estate and even media. Vietnamese sports have long struggled between movement and achievements. Pickleball, if positioned correctly, could be a turning point in the direction of economic sports - where people can play, businesses benefit, and the country is promoted.
And if so, the role and responsibility of the Vietnam Pickleball Federation will be very heavy and important, so it needs to be strict, cautious and have a vision right from the establishment.
