The Ramsports Pickleball Stadium, located at MH Mall in Longhua District, officially opened its doors to sports enthusiasts on Jan. 18 with a grand opening ceremony that included esteemed figures from the sports industry.

Included were Chinese gymnastics legend Li Ning, founder of the Li-Ning athletic brand; Richard Gossett, CEO of Ramsports; Tenniel Chu, vice chairman of Mission Hills Group; Seymour Rifkind, chairman of the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA); Steve Kuhn, founder of the Pickleball Champions League (PCL); and well-known coaches Eddie Shen and Michael Newell.

The stadium, Ramsports’ first pickleball facility in China, features 3,500 square meters of international standard pickleball courts. It also boasts coaches accredited by the IPTPA.

A fast-paced sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, pickleball has been rapidly gaining popularity worldwide among all ages due to its easy learning curve and social aspect.

“I think it’s great for the health of the people, mentally and physically, to make new friends — to use pickleball as a way of exercising and enjoying life,” said Gossett, CEO of Ramsports, during an interview with Shenzhen Daily. “It’s a game that everyone can play, and we are excited that we are going to introduce it to the community.”

Gossett, who is very optimistic about the sport’s development potential in China, mentioned that the company will open a second facility in China in the next four months and is also discussing franchises.

During his welcoming address, Alex Yuan, president of Ramsports Group, discussed the brand’s dedication to introducing international sports concepts and premium products to the Chinese market.

“We foresee that China will be the fastest-growing [market] in the world of pickleball in terms of players,” said Mission Hills vice chairman Chu. “Together, we will be developing new facilities and also inviting the best tournaments to come and develop the game of pickleball in China.”

Rifkind and Kuhn envisioned the stadium’s opening as a pivotal step towards advancing the sport’s popularity and prosperity in China.

The opening ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting, dynamic dragon dance performances, a fashion show blending style and athleticism, and pickleball demonstrations by Ramsports’ coaching team. Also included was a signing ceremony between Ramsports and Roos Van Reek, the Netherlands’ No. 1 pickleball player and a prominent figure in the Australian Major Pickleball League.

Due to the sport’s growing popularity, there have been discussions about its potential inclusion in future Olympic events. “We think pickleball will be played, if not in L.A. [2028 Olympics], it will be in Australia [2032 Olympics],” said Gossett.

Looking to the future, Chu expressed optimism about the sport’s growth in China, noting its similarities to badminton and table tennis — sports in which Chinese athletes have excelled in the Olympics. “We do foresee that in the near future, the Olympic committee will definitely consider this sport as part of the Olympic family. Chinese players will definitely have a very promising future in terms of developing the sport,” said Chu.