Home News Walmart and Break the Love Dismiss the Country Club Barrier To Bring the Pickleball Obsession to Everyday Communities

Walmart and Break the Love Dismiss the Country Club Barrier To Bring the Pickleball Obsession to Everyday Communities

The first-of-its-kind partnership with Break the Love provides customers with new ways to connect through one of the fastest growing sports in America

People with pickleball equipment

BENTONVILLE, Ark., and NEW YORK, N.Y., April 4, 2023 — Today, Walmart and up-and-coming racquet sports booking platform, Break the Love, announced a program that will make it easier for communities to come together and thrive through one of the fastest growing sports in America: pickleball. The partnership will offer 125,000 comped reservations for Walmart customers and associates, allowing them to book playtime at pickleball venues across the country for free, with everything needed to get started.

The collaboration aims to break down existing barriers with the sport and make it more approachable by creating new opportunities for customers to have fun, connect with friends and prioritize their wellness. Through this program, Walmart is expanding its commitment to meet customers where they are by offering them ways to add value to their lives.

“We are always looking for ways to create meaningful experiences that encourage our customers to interact with Walmart in new ways,” said Casey Schlaybaugh, VP, Brand Marketing and Strategy for Walmart U.S. “Walmart is dedicated to supporting its customers and their communities, helping them find and access everyday opportunities to create moments of joy and connection in their lives.”

Two women and a man dressed in athletic clothes bounce pickleballs off pickleball rackets.
Three people wearing athletic long-sleeve tops stand close together and smile off into the distance.
A Black woman wearing a yellow zip up jacket smiles while bouncing a pickleball off her paddle; a man in a yellow sweatshirt stands in the distance holding a paddle, smiling.
A Black woman wearing a yellow zip up smiles at a pickleball in the air; a man in a yellow sweatshirt stands in the distance, smiling.
Two women standing against a blue sky background laughing; one is wearing a lime green sports bra and shorts and the other is wearing a black dress with a large pink scrunchie.
A woman wearing a black dress and a pink scrunchie bounces a pickleball off her paddle.
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The program between Break the Love and Walmart will include:

  • 125K+ comped reservations for customers, Walmart+ members and associates.
  • 25 community events in cities across the country with programming, giveaways and more.
  • A seamless and curated shopping experience including top pickleball merchandise directly from Walmart at www.breakthelove.com/x/walmart.
  • Short-form video content featuring demos, tips and tricks, inspirational content and much more.
  • Exclusive offerings for Walmart+ members, such as first access for peak reservation times, co-branded swag and meet and greets with pro-pickleballers.

“We’re so proud to have built a footprint large enough to be able to partner with a brand as prolific and iconic as Walmart,” said Trisha Goyal, founder, Break the Love. “The company is well recognized for delivering a shopping experience that serves anyone and everyone who walks through their doors. We are also building an experience for the everyday athlete and are thrilled to bring a recreational sport that caters to all skill levels to even more communities through this partnership.”
Customers can start booking courts and buying exclusive gear today by visiting www.breakthelove.com/x/walmart.

About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 240 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 20 countries. With fiscal year 2023 revenue of $611 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.