While it’s an accepted fact that pickleball is skewing younger and younger (even Gen Z participation is growing), this summer has brought a wake-up call about just how young the newest players are: Kentucky will add pickleball as an officially sanctioned fall championship sport at the high school level, and Florida could be next state to do so.

Looks like NCAA is behind the 8-ball. As college’s largest sports governing body moves forward with the process of creating a new championship sport, they’ll be doing it in the shadow of NAIA, an organization of small colleges, which just approved women's flag football as its 30th championship sport, beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.

As wildfires once again make headlines, officials in Oregon have issued new guidelines for outdoor youth sports activities, since individuals 18 and younger are considered a population sensitive to smoke. And while cancelled games do, in many cases, cause an operational struggle, keeping young athletes safe is front and center for event owners.

It’s one of the oldest sports in the world and it’s still popular today; in fact, outdoor track and field consistently ranks among the most popular high school sports. And sports tourism officials around the country have taken note. These communities are parepared for an even bigger bounce for this multi-disciplinary sport after the 2028 Summer Games.

For those seeking out a sports experience that honors the American Semiquincentennial (or if you want to get all hashtaggy about it, #USA250 or #America250), our friends at Historic Hotels of America have compiled a list of the top 25 most historic golf resorts in the country. The oldest actually predates the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

We already know that sports tourism is a nearly $275 billion industry. We also know that everyone reading this has helped build that number. Don’t you want some recognition for your part in it? SDM is ready for its 2026 awards program, Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. The application is live NOW so show us the events that make you proud!