Pickleball, Going “Green” and More Sports News Trends
A look at the sports news from PR Newswire in September and October that you might have missed.
By Katie Nuttall | Published Nov. 3, 2023
Autumn is one of the most important times of the year for sports fans. With the return of football, hockey, and basketball, plus the baseball season wrapping up, it can be a very busy period. Here at PR Newswire, we’ve been sorting through and tracking the most relevant sports industry news over the past two months.
Throughout September and October, we noticed releases focusing on pickleball and its growing popularity. Another trend we’ve been tracking the sports industry going “green.” Additionally, we noticed many stories tied to women’s sports.
Overall, PR Newswire distributed more than 1,000 releases covering sports news during the past two months!
Let’s take a closer look at some noteworthy releases we’ve seen across the consumer wire in September and October.
Some of the Most Popular Sports Releases
- World Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. Signs National Distribution Agreement with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
- Osprey Packs Celebrates 50 Years of Adventure with Special Edition Pack Launch
- Texas's Largest Dedicated Indoor Pickleball Facility Will Open in Plano in January 2024
- Pepsi® Brings Miami Dolphins Legend Dan Marino Out of Retirement for Home Opener
- Merrell® and Jeep® Brand Release Special Edition Hiking Boot, Collaboration to Preview at NAIAS
- StubHub's 2023 NHL Preview: Sales up across the league and internationally; Expansion teams are trending up and lead demand
Sports News Trends
Here’s a look at a few of the trends we noticed among sports-related press releases in September and October, along with a few examples of each.
Pickleball
Although pickleball has grown exponentially in popularity over the last few years, it was actually invented back in 1965. Despite the sport’s recent rise to fame, many are still not sure what it’s all about. According to PickleballCentral, pickleball combines the best elements of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton, creating a unique blend of strategic gameplay, physical endurance, and sheer fun that captivates players of all ages!
During September and October nearly 80 releases were distributed that mentioned “pickleball”!
Below are some examples:
- The Picklr Partners with US Sports Camps to Run Nike Pickleball Camps Across the Country
- New Company, PIKKL Launches High-Performance Pickleball Paddles
- Dill Dinkers Launches National Franchising Initiative with 45 Locations Under Development
- Life Time Launching Kids Pickleball Programming in Collaboration with DUPR, Introducing the Next Generation to the Sport
- Pickleball Kingdom Expands Plans to Open 20 Clubs in Dallas/Fort Worth
- Pickleball Central Joins PHIT America to Get More Kids Playing Pickleball
Going “Green”
Across industries, we’ve seen a focus on ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues and the sports industry is no exception. According to the Green Sports Alliance, the majority of sport’s carbon footprint is produced by major global sporting events. More specifically, it's produced by the requirement for and management of travel and accommodation, food and beverage provision, and supportive infrastructure. Teams and stadiums can implement changes to make the industry more sustainable and influence fans to do their part.
We’ve seen plenty of sports industry releases mentioning sustainability over the past two months, including:
- Subaru and Philadelphia Union Reveal Larger-Than-Life Soccer Ball Sculpture to Celebrate Recycling Milestone
- Sports Industry Leaders Unite For Empowering Sustainable Change On The 8th Annual Green Sports Day
- Portland Trail Blazers Announce Eco-Products as an Official Zero Waste Partner
- USC Football and Better for All Partner for a Zero Waste Game
- GreenPlaces Partners with Sustainable Carolina for Champion Sustainability Game Oct. 7
Women’s Sports
Historically, men’s sports have been more widely covered than women’s sports, but this year, women’s sports viewership is on the rise according to Nielsen. The 2023 NCAA women's basketball tournament drew nearly 10 million viewers for the final game between Iowa and LSU — up 103% from the previous year. And 41% of the global population were excited for the Women’s World Cup, rising from 34% before the 2019 tournament.
Here at PR Newswire, we have also noticed an increase in the number of releases about women’s sports. We saw more than 150 sports industry releases mention “women” during the months of September and October.
Check out some examples:
- Women in Motorsports NA's Women with Drive III - Driven by Mobil 1 Partners with Gainbridge® to Celebrate Women's Sports Icons
- North American Outdoorsman Releases Annual Women's Issue - Jana Waller Cover Story
- Deloitte: 85% of Women Surveyed Who Played Sports Say It's Important to Their Career Success
- Peloton, the NBA and WNBA Announce New Multi-Year Partnership to Create Special Access and Experiences for Peloton Members and Fans
- The Women's Sports Foundation's Annual Salute to Women in Sports® Convenes Hundreds to Celebrate Milestone Year and Girls and Women in Sports
- TUMI Announces Official Partnership with Tottenham Hotspur Women for the 2023-2024 Season
Looking Ahead
It has been a busy couple of months in sports industry news! We look forward to even more NFL, NBA, and NHL news now that their seasons are underway. We anticipate even more coverage of environmentally-friendly practices, pickleball, and women’s sports related news.
Stay tuned for our next recap!
About the Author
Katie Nuttall is a Senior Content Specialist at Cision PR Newswire and has been with the company since 2018. She graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in Communications. When she's off the clock, Katie enjoys reading, yoga, walking her dog Harry, and traveling.