Pickleball Reaches New Heights with Historic Goodyear Blimp Match
Iconic blimp provides aerial coverage of sport's finals for the first time
The fastest growing sport in America has officially arrived. This week, pickleball soared to a whole new level - literally - as a match was played inside the iconic Goodyear Blimp. Soaring 1,500 feet above Carson, California, pros Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau and Jay Devilliers made history with the first-ever pickleball game in the blimp. And in another milestone for the emerging sport, the blimp is providing aerial coverage over this weekend's Professional Pickleball Association Tour Finals, marking pickleball's debut appearance under the watchful eye of the famous airship.
For over 90 years, the Goodyear Blimp has been an integral part of American culture and sports broadcasting. As Goodyear Blimp pilot Taylor Deen explains, "We basically invented aerial broadcasting of sports." From World War II to christenings by Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride to emergency broadcasting, the blimp has borne witness to history. And since 1955, when Goodyear provided the first live aerial TV broadcast of the Rose Bowl, the blimp has been a staple at major sporting events. Says Deen, "We fly over all the largest events - Super Bowls, NASCAR, World Cups, Stanley Cup, NBA Finals - so if we're there, it's usually a pretty big event." Pickleball now joins the ranks of these legendary competitions.
16-year-old Anna Leigh, the #1 ranked pickleball player globally, has dreamed of this moment. "I've always been like, alright, your sport's kind of made it if the Goodyear blimp comes to it. So I guess pickleball's made it now!"
Indeed, since the pandemic, pickleball has exploded across America, with nearly 9 million players. Waters has watched the sport grow tremendously during her 4 years on the pro circuit. With the game's pioneers taking it to new heights - both on the court and in the sky - pickleball has certainly earned its blimp-worthy status.
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