Pickleball is building community in San Francisco
On any given morning at Moscone, Sutter, Larsen, Presidio Wall, and other spots around the city, you'll find the same scene: neighbors who've never met before — in their 20s, 40s, 70s — laughing through a game, trading paddles, swapping phone numbers. It's the most lively sports participation infrastructure the city has built in a generation.
All ages
from kids to retirees
Access to play
open public courts
Fastest-growing
sport in America in the past 5 years
From taped lines to a citywide movement
2018
A handful of courts
About a dozen public spots citywide. Players showed up with chalk, tape, and portable nets to claim the space.
2021
Goldman Tennis Center opens
16 lit tennis courts and 5 multipurpose mini-courts suitable for youth tennis and pickleball.
2022
The boom hits San Francisco
Demand explodes. Volunteers and clubs organize. SF Rec & Park works to create additional options for play.
2026
74 courts, but ⅔ shared with tennis
A 7× expansion in five years. New flagship complexes at Larsen and Crocker Amazon — yet demand still outpaces supply, and players surveyed want lights and hubs of 6+ courts.
Where are SF’s outdoor public courts today?
The most popular and frequently used venues have permanent nets dedicated to pickleball-only play. But two-thirds of available courts are still shared with tennis, and players in both sports are unhappy with the arrangement. The trend nationwide has been to move away from dual-lined courts and build pickleball facilities further away from homes.
Demand has outgrown the city’s current shared spaces
Players are travelling farther and earlier to find open court space. The fix isn't fewer players — it's larger and more convenient dedicated places to play. Our mission is to champion the growth of pickleball in San Francisco, fostering a healthier and more connected city through additional public facilities, inclusive access, and program opportunities for players of all ages and abilities. Currently there are —
16
locations with multiple courts across SF
7
times growth in courts since 2018
2
dedicated hubs of 6+ courts in SF