Pickleball has finally landed in Malaysia, carried in on the winds of TikTok trends and expat enthusiasm. It’s being hailed as “the fastest-growing sport in the world.” But in a country where badminton is practically a religion and football is a second language, Malaysians have to ask: is pickleball really a sport—or just a capitalist scam looking for new victims?
Pickleball: The Netflix Knockoff of Badminton and Tennis
Let’s be clear: Malaysia already has badminton, a sport so intense it produces Olympic legends. We have squash courts sitting idle, once home to the world’s #1 player. Tennis exists too, though usually behind the gates of private clubs in Mont Kiara.
So why pickleball? It’s like ordering nasi lemak without sambal, technically still food, but why would you? Pickleball feels like badminton and tennis had a baby, but then decided not to raise it properly. Smaller court, hollow plastic ball, and paddles that look like they belong in a pasar malam stall. Yet somehow, this “diet sport” is being marketed to Malaysians as the next big thing.
Who’s Actually Playing It?
Let’s be honest: it’s not kampung kids or working-class uncles at the futsal court. Pickleball is being pushed in shiny KL sports complexes, condo common areas, and private clubs. The early adopters? Urban professionals, retirees with too much time, and the kind of people who pay RM20 for kombucha.
This isn’t about inclusivity, it’s about exclusivity. A game that sells itself as “accessible” is quietly carving out space from real sports to appeal to the middle-class dream of “being sporty” without ever breaking a sweat.
The Capitalist Agenda: Court Conversions
Here’s where the scam really shows. Instead of building new spaces, sports facilities are chopping up tennis courts and badminton halls to make pickleball courts. Why? Because four pickleball games fit where one tennis game used to. More people, more rentals, more profit.
It’s the kopi kedai lama problem: tear down the old mamak, replace it with four artisanal coffee stalls. Same space, quadruple the rent. Everyone pays more for less.
The “Accessibility” Illusion
Pickleball is marketed as “easy for everyone.” Translation: “a game where you can feel athletic without being athletic.” In Malaysia, where we sweat just by walking outside, this sounds appealing. But let’s not fool ourselves, pickleball is basically badminton for people who can’t handle badminton.
It’s like futsal for those who think running is too much, or sepak takraw without the acrobatics. Sure, it’s fun,but is it really a sport? Or just a lifestyle product?
Pickleball: Malaysia’s Next Fad?
At the end of the day, pickleball isn’t about athleticism. It’s about trendiness and profit. It’s a sport-lite, perfectly designed for Instagram reels and condo management committees. In a country where real sports require grit, training, and national pride, pickleball feels like a downgrade, like switching from teh tarik to diet soda.
So the next time someone invites you to play pickleball, ask yourself: are you joining a sport, or just buying into a cleverly marketed gimmick? Either way, don’t be surprised if your neighbourhood tennis court disappears, replaced by four pastel-painted pickleball grids and a pro shop selling RM400 paddles.
In Malaysia, pickleball isn’t a sport, it’s a business model. And business, unfortunately, is booming.
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