Pickleball gets big boost from Ayala Malls’ Picklemall

MANILA, Philippines — The pickleball craze is going to the malls

Ayala Malls yesterday launched “Picklemall,” which brings pickleball straight to its chain of centers with hopes of helping boost the growth of the sport.

“We feel it’s a unique sport that can bring lots of different types of people together and in my eyes, this fits perfectly into what we want Ayala Malls to be – a place where everybody is welcome and at home,” said Mariana Zobel de Ayala of Ayala Malls.

“This is especially exciting to us, part of why my father, mother and brother are here today (yesterday), we love the sport and it’s been a chance for us to connect and spend time together and kick back.

“We kind of bonded and enjoyed the sport together and I feel it could be the same for many families and communities,” she added.

No less than Mariana’s father Jaime, mother Lizzy and brother Jaime Alfonso came to the launch and played in an exhibition game to help promote the sport.

Philippine Pickleball Federation president Armando Tantoco and Toby Claudio of Toby Sports, which is supporting Picklemall and the promotion of the sport as well, were also in attendance.

The Ayala Malls plan to have more courts in its different branches from the ones already set up at Market Market.