It seems as though Skechers are becoming the shoe of choice for a lot of the well-off around the USA, and it’s all thanks to a sport called Pickleball. If you’ve not heard of it, then fear not, because despite being popular for some, it’s not really sunk into everyday life for most people, and probably because it can cost a fair amount to play.
In fact, the wealthy are investing a lot of money in making more private clubs all over the country, and while this could be good news for people in the areas who want a job, it’s also driving a lot of money into sneakers, specifically Skechers. We’re no strangers to the brand, with shoes from them sitting on our list of best work boots and best work shoes, but it’s still a little strange to see.
SkechersAfter Burn Sneakers and Pickleball Set
Skechers For The Rich, Apparently
If you’re curious as to how this is all known in the first place, it’s thanks to Cowen’s Proprietary Consumer Tracker Survey. As reported by the Sourcing Journal, Skechers gained a fair bit of brand recognition and appreciated last year thanks to a few factors. A few wry business decisions helped, for sure, but most of the gain was in annual earners of $100,000 and above, both of which showed an increased love of the brand.
It’s hard to see the link there, but Skechers are actually a major sponsor of the Association of Pickleball Professionals Tour, Major League Pickleball, USA Pickleball, and The Professional Pickleball Association. That’s a chunk of words to basically say that Skechers are choosing an audience with a bit of spare cash, and it’s paying out well for them.
Just in case you’re not aware of Pickleball at all, the sport is a paddle-based sport where you have 1v1 or 2v2 matches where you hit a hollow ball over a net until someone messes up. It was invented back in 1965 as a kid’s game, but in 2022, as part of its resurgence, it was adopted as the official state sport of Washington. All of that has ended up as good news for Skechers.
The good news is that you can always get involved even without a fancy club membership. In fact, you can grab a few of the requisite bits from Amazon right now if you want to. Or you can just use a ping pong ball and some sticks. Look, sports are for everyone, so go have fun.
