Teemu Selänne became excited about a sport unknown to Finns - owning a club also interests him

Teemu Selänne has become an owner of the Social Sports Club in Helsinki’s Hernesaari, which has revamped its concept. One of Selänne’s requirements for joining the business was that the club must also have pickleball courts. Two of them were indeed built.

Pickleball is still an unknown sport to many Finns, but it has gained immense popularity in North America in recent years. The sport is a racquet game similar to tennis, played on a smaller court, with a shorter paddle and a perforated ball.

Before, pickleball was mainly known in the United States as a game for seniors. In recent years, the sport has seen explosive growth among young people as well.

Selänne gave his assessment in an interview with SuomiKiekko on how the sport’s image has managed to make such a complete turnaround in a short time.

– Young people have tried it and started to like this sport. It’s really easy to start. You learn quickly to a level where you can play and get a game going. This is good for the body, and this is a sport for every man and every woman, Selänne assessed.

Aleksander Barkov bought a stake in the Palm Beach Royals in September 2025, which plays in Major League Pickleball. The club’s value is 16 million dollars.

Selänne had not heard about Barkov’s ownership, but owning a top-tier team is an enticing thought.

– It could definitely be interesting at some point. This is absolutely a sport of the future. I believe this will be in the Olympics. I don’t know a single person who has tried and played and said that it’s not fun. This sport is captivating.

Selänne is known as an avid tennis player. In recent years, the number of tennis enthusiasts has been in sharp decline. One reason cited for the classic sport’s downturn is the rise of pickleball and padel. There is indeed some tension between the sports.

– For me, tennis is still the king of sports and I love it as my number one sport, but pickleball is already close. In tennis circles, pickleball is looked down upon and not considered a real game, but that’s okay. I have many friends who have said for years that they will never play pickleball. Then, after they’ve gone a couple of times, they end up liking it, Selänne shares.