by Joe James
What’s the Story?
Hawai’i is set to hold its largest indoor pickleball event ever at the Hawai’i Convention Centre from April 10 to 13, attracting players and spectators from all over the world.
HSMA presents the Hawai’i Pacific Health ESPN Honolulu Open, featuring over 33 indoor courts, tournaments for players of various ages and playing levels, corporate team challenges, and a competitive ProAm tournament with prize money.
The event is open to the public, with free clinics and exhibitions on offer throughout the weekend.
In the Hawaii Business Magazine, Matt Apana, GM of ESPN Honolulu, said: “By providing pickleball players and enthusiasts with a premier venue to play at, we’ll be able to attract players from around the state and world to compete in this rapidly growing sport.
“Our goal is to grow this into a world-class pickleball event for both participants and spectators to enjoy.”
A portion of the net proceeds from the Open will support Hui Mahi’ai ‘Āina, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life for those in need and the homeless population in Waimānalo.
Partners of the tournament include the O’ahu Pickleball Association, Pickleball Japan, and the tournament management company Pickleball is Great.
Registration is now open for teams, companies, and individual players until March 31, 2025.
The Recap
The largest pickleball event in Hawai’i’s history, the Hawai’i Pacific Health ESPN Honolulu Open, will take place from April 10 to 13 this year.
Hosted at the Hawai’i Convention Centre, the event will offer various brackets and levels. There will be seniors aged 50 and above on the Thursday and Friday (10-11 April), with the singles and doubles brackets from 3.0 to 5.0 from Saturday, April 12 through Sunday, April 13.
The event is open to the public and will help them learn about the growing trend of pickleball alongside free clinics and exhibitions.
In the long term, the goal is for this tournament to become a world-class pickleball event with Hawai’i planting itself as a go-to destination for the sport.
Across Hawai’i, there is a growing enthusiasm for the sport, with established clubs and courts popping up everywhere.
Throughout Oahu, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation have repurposed existing volleyball and tennis courts, resulting in 191 pickleball courts across 95 parks in 2024.
These facilities have emerged in just under seven years, marking a huge uptake in the sport, and players can use the OPA Meetup and USAPA’s Places 2 Play website and apps to locate fellow players, local events and dates.
Last November, the Hawai’i Convention Centre introduced a brand-new sports court program with its inaugural pickleball games. The centre invested in 45 new pickleball courts, with 15 dedicated to the new event, the Aloha Pickleball Games & Festival.
Like sentiments echoed at the announcement at the ESPN Honolulu Open, the convention centre highlighted their aims to be a premier pickleball destination.
The World Pickleball Verdict
Pickleball is experiencing a surge in popularity in Hawai’i, underscored by the efforts made by governing bodies and facilities to repurpose courts and create brand-new venues for people to play at.
The Hawai’i Pacific Health ESPN Honolulu Open features 33 courts and is positioning itself as a friendly and welcome event that can entice people who may not be so familiar with the sport to start playing.
It is important to note the level of courts that are being replaced by pickleball, showing how the sport is not just something trendy; it is cementing itself as a go-to game ahead of other racket or ball sports in the region.
The Aloha Pickleball Games Festival in November attracted hundreds of players and spectators, highlighting the sport’s widespread appeal.
Hawai’i is a hugely popular destination for tourists, and with the commitment to making the Hawai’i Convention Centre a premier pickleball destination, this could be a match made in heaven for the future development of the sport.
These developments are promising signs of Hawai’i’s dedication to accommodating the continued growth of pickleball in the community. With the transformation of existing facilities and more high-profile events being put on, pickleball should continue to blossom in Hawai’i.