Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Raine Musñgi

ABS-CBN News

<div><strong>Mall giant says players stay longer, spend more as experiential retail becomes new growth engine</strong></div><p>MANILA — Pickleball may have started as a recreational craze, but for SM Supermalls, it has evolved into something much bigger: a retail strategy.</p><p>As consumers become more selective with their spending and online shopping continues to challenge brick-and-mortar retailers, SM says sports and shared experiences, not just shopping, are increasingly driving foot traffic, tenant sales, and even future mall design.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2026/5/24/ph-pickleball-federation-bracing-for-more-competitive-world-cup-2026-1704"><strong>PH Pickleball Federation bracing for more competitive World Cup 2026 </strong></a> </div><p>Speaking on ANC&#x27;s Business Outlook, Joseph Francis Silva, Senior Assistant Vice President for Operations of SM Sports and Leisure Centers, said the company expects its nationwide pickleball network to grow from 89 courts across 29 malls today to more than 100 before the end of 2026, underscoring its confidence that the sport has moved beyond being a passing fad.</p><p>&quot;We are proud to say that we are still growing... in the next few months, we are actually still building more courts,&quot; Silva said. </p><p>The expansion comes as SM increasingly repositions its malls as lifestyle destinations rather than traditional shopping centers -- a strategy the company has also articulated in its broader redevelopment plans. SM Supermalls has said it is investing heavily in dining, entertainment, sports facilities and community spaces to encourage repeat visits even as consumer spending remains uneven<strong>.</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MORE THAN SHOPPING </strong></div><p>Instead of measuring success solely by rental income from retail tenants, Silva said SM now evaluates how sports facilities influence the entire mall ecosystem.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re looking not only at the peso value, but also at the people,&quot; Silva said, explaining that packed courts, fully booked tournaments and thriving sports communities have become key indicators for expansion. </p><p>The strategy appears to be generating results beyond court bookings.</p><p>According to Silva, pickleball players typically remain inside malls for at least two additional hours after their games, spending on restaurants, beverages, sporting goods and other retail purchases.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/26/new-padel-pilipinas-president-jeff-cheng-vows-to-help-grow-sport-in-ph-2038"><strong>New Padel Pilipinas president Jeff Cheng vows to help grow sport in PH </strong></a> </div><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a minimum of two hours. After playing, they hydrate, then they hang out with friends... they choose where to eat,&quot; he said. </p><p>That extended &quot;dwell time&quot; has become increasingly valuable for mall operators competing with e-commerce, where convenience—not experience—is the main advantage.</p><p>The company&#x27;s own figures show SM Supermalls logged 1.4 billion visits in 2025, averaging 115 million visits every month, despite softer consumer spending and broader economic headwinds. SM attributed continued traffic to experience-led attractions including sports facilities, entertainment concepts and community events.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>TURNING SPORTS INTO BUSINESS</strong></div><p>Silva said pickleball has already become &quot;a major line item&quot; within SM&#x27;s sports and leisure business.</p><p>&quot;Yes, it&#x27;s a major line item already in our business, and it keeps on growing,&quot; he said. </p><p>Unlike previous recreational trends, Silva believes pickleball&#x27;s appeal cuts across generations.</p><p>&quot;You can have three generations in one court -- you have your lolo, your lola, and their grandkids playing,&quot; he said. </p><p>That accessibility, he argued, gives the sport greater staying power than earlier fitness crazes.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/5/7/pacquiao-set-to-launch-new-pickleball-pro-league-2323"><strong>Pacquiao set to launch new pickleball pro league</strong></a></div><p>SM also pointed to booking patterns as evidence.</p><p>Silva disclosed that the company&#x27;s newly opened pickleball facility at Four E-Com Center reached full bookings through August only weeks after opening in May.</p><p>&quot;Our 4E-Com branch opened last May 1. After two weeks, it was full until August,&quot; he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>THE NEW MALL ECONOMY</strong></div><p>The company&#x27;s strategy mirrors a broader shift taking place across the retail industry.</p><p>Instead of simply adding more stores, mall operators are increasingly dedicating prime space to restaurants, entertainment, sporting facilities and events that encourage consumers to stay longer and spend across multiple tenants.</p><p>&quot;Luxury now is not really on the product. It&#x27;s on the experiences,&quot; Silva said. </p><p>That philosophy is increasingly visible across SM&#x27;s network, where pickleball joins bowling, skating, running events and basketball under the company&#x27;s broader push to transform malls into active lifestyle destinations.</p><p>Silva said the goal extends beyond court construction.</p><p>The company plans to expand tournaments, strengthen coaching programs and improve access to training in hopes of eventually helping develop future Filipino champions.</p><p>&quot;The important thing here is to make it more accessible first... when you have access to these facilities, the champions follow,&quot; he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/23/amid-surging-popularity-of-sport-ph-pickleball-federation-takes-steps-to-sustain-growth-1600?utm_source="><strong>Amid surging popularity of sport, PH Pickleball Federation takes steps to sustain growth </strong></a> </div><p>Looking five years ahead, Silva said SM wants pickleball to become part of mainstream Philippine sports culture.</p><p>&quot;In five years, we want to see pickleball becoming a mainstream sport in the Philippines, and SM becoming a major catalyst,&quot; he said.</p><p>For SM, the bigger bet is not simply on one sport—but on the idea that consumers increasingly visit malls not only to shop, but to build communities, stay active and create experiences that cannot be replicated online.</p><p>Catch the full interview with Joseph Francis Silva on Business Outlook and on YouTube with ANC 24/7.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UgOJIsl1arQ?&amp;t=1s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div>  </div>

<p>Pickleball may have started as a recreational craze, but for SM Supermalls, it has evolved into something much bigger: a retail strategy.</p>

Pickleball may have started as a recreational craze, but for SM Supermalls, it has evolved into something much bigger: a retail strategy.

SM's pickleball gamble pays off as sport reshapes malls, retail spending

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SM's pickleball gamble pays off as sport reshapes malls, retail spending

Raine Musñgi,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 27, 2026 07:02 PM PHT

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