America's fastest-growing sport has become the subject matter of protests in the Sunshine State. 

Last week, activists gathered to vehemently oppose the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) plan to build recreational sports facilities in state parks, including golf courses and pickleball courts.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has faced pushback following the announcement of the so-called "Great Outdoors Initiative” via a press release on Aug. 19.

Meetings to approve or deny the proposal were initially set for Aug. 27, but ultimately postponed due to "overwhelming interest" from public outcry.

Following a press conference on Aug. 28, DeSantis officially put the executive order on hold, saying that it was "half-baked" and "not ready for prime time."

While the initiative may have been stopped for now, it’s entirely possible that lawmakers could make changes and try to implement it again in the future. 

With respect to pickleball, there’s definitely a court shortage across the country.

The number of players hungry to play far exceeds the number of 20x44s being constructed to satisfy the ever-increasing demand, even in Florida.

But, at what cost does alleviating the court shortage come at? Should building more pickleball courts impact the environment and state parks? Because what had protestors up in arms was the myriad of endangered species inhabiting these areas that would be affected by the proposed land development.

According to the aforementioned press release, the DEP’s goal for this plan was to “reinforce the state’s dedication to conservation, the outdoor recreation economy, and a high quality of life for Floridians.” 

Lawmakers essentially want people to put their cell phones away and enjoy nature, get exercise, and soak up their beautiful surroundings, which is absolutely a good thing.

The plan isn’t seeking to bulldoze state parks and build another Amazon warehouse. Pickleball courts aren't inherently bad.

Activists, however, are genuinely concerned about how far this initiative could eventually go. What starts out as an 18-hole golf course could easily snowball into a much larger development with extra amenities like parking garages and restaurants. Then, the state park land that’s meant to be protected basically vanishes.

Look, I’m a big fan of pickleball. But perhaps we should find another way to overcome the court shortage without impacting state parks. 

How about converting big-box stores like Sears and Kmart that are currently sitting empty across suburban Florida? Why not turn those spaces into epic indoor facilities like The Picklr? I know it’s not outdoors, but at least the sport we love isn’t taking up more space than necessary.

Stay tuned to see the inevitable twists and turns that happen when politics is involved in anything.

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