San Diego Startup Rallies for a Pickleball Emoji: “It’s About Time”

In the emoji-obsessed world we live in, it seems almost everything has its own icon—except pickleball. That’s the spark behind a San Diego-based movement, spearheaded by startup TeachMe.To, to get Apple to finally add a pickleball emoji to the iOS keyboard. Led by company president Nick O’Brien, the effort is backed by a Change.org petition aimed at reaching 25,000 signatures. The emoji? A clean, community-approved design featuring a square paddle and iconic yellow ball. After all, if curling and archery get to be emoji-official, why not the sport that millions of us are actually playing?

O’Brien’s argument is more than symbolic. With nearly 20 million active players and 36.5 million trying the sport last year, pickleball’s visibility online still hinges on a sad combo of a pickle and a ping pong paddle. It’s not just funny—it’s digitally demeaning. O’Brien emphasizes that a dedicated emoji would instantly legitimize the sport in digital communication, where over 90% of people use emojis regularly. From sharing matches in group chats to hyping tournaments on social media, players are stuck repurposing whatever iconography comes closest. It’s a workaround that no longer works.

As the petition gains traction, it’s also shining a light on the sport’s fervent community in Southern California, where year-round sun fuels year-round play. TeachMe.To’s cause feels inevitable: a digital update to match a real-world trend. If you’ve ever played a game, sent a text, or struggled to find a paddle emoji that wasn’t meant for table tennis, now’s your chance to push for a bit of keyboard justice. The next update could bring a lot more than new bugs—it could bring pickleball into the global emoji lexicon where it belongs.