Weird Teamups

Willie Nelson covers Coldplay for... Chipotle?

Willie Nelson, you sweet, trusting man.

I know it sounded like a good idea doing a sad(der), countrified version of Coldplay's "The Scientist" as a protest against industrial farming techniques. And in another context, it totally would have been.

And I'm sure some folks who see this clever, slightly eerie video will be moved by it. Mostly by your heartfelt vocals that we've loved for years. And filmmaker Johnny Kelly's stop-action animation is, in fact, smooth and professional and clever.

But this project was commissioned by Chipotle Mexican Grill. The same Chipotle that grew its operations exponentially while receiving the majority of their investments from the McDonald's Corporation. The same McDonald's that makes "chicken" McNuggets out of processed chicken product.

And sure, since splitting from McDonald's, Chipotle founder Steve Ells has released his Food With Integrity mission statement, highlighting their commitment to organic, naturally-raised, hormone-free meats and cheeses and beans. Thank goodness for all that.

But this is also the same Chipotle that features mass produced sculptures of cartoonish Mayan kings and warriors to hang on the walls of all 14 billion of their restaurants. It's a "Mexican grill" so I suppose we need some indication of that in this corrugated steel and cement and wood box we're sitting in, enjoying these authentic Mexican dishes like barbacoa burrito bowls and Diet Coke.

I suppose if you wanted to support ANY fast food restaurant, Willie, it makes sense that Chipotle would be the one you would choose with your passion for natural farming practices. But why support a fast food chain in the first place? That doesn't seem your style, man.

I'll admit, I really like your gravelly, slowed-down cover of the song. Especially with the adorable pig grunts and swelling slide guitar. But then, there's that darn Chipotle logo there on that truck at the end, and I'm yanked out of this 30 second utopia y'all created and I'm left wondering what the hell this world is we're living in.

Enjoy the dividends, my man. I'm going to try to stick to something more local.

High Score

Austin named the nation's pickleball capital in industry report

Other Racquet Social Club

Photo by Henry Selis Photo

Other Racquet Social Club is back after city woes.

It's no secret that Austinites love pickleball. A new study proves just how much by ranking Austin the No. 1 city for pickleball in the whole country. Dallas and Houston also made the top 10 at Nos. 3 and 8, respectively.

The report was published by TeachMe.To, an online marketplace for learning sports (and sometimes music) from private instructors. It used data from its own platform, USA Pickleball, Places2Play, local pickleball associations, and more. It also referred to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America, with a growth rate of 223.5 percent over three years.

Similarly, TeachMe.To ranked Austin as the fastest-growing city for pickleball, and citing this as the main reason for the overall title of "the nation's pickleball capital."

It name-checked the Austin Metro Pickleball Association (AMPA) — with approximately 3,000-3,500 members — and the Austin Pickleball League (APL), estimating that overall, "15,000-20,000 people play pickleball at least occasionally in the greater Austin area." About half of those players — about 8,000-10,000 people — play at least twice a month.

The report did not include gender data on Austin, specifically, but it did note that not only are two-thirds of pickleball players female; women's involvement in the sport is also growing 50 percent faster than men's.

New courts everywhere
This probably isn't a surprise to people who have noticed the number of courts opened around Austin in recent years. By 2024, TeachMe.To's data shows 32 dedicated courts in Austin, and thanks to with a utility rate of 92 percent it doesn't look like that'll be slowing down.

In the summer of 2023, the online booking platform Swimply noticed how many pickleball courts there were in Austin compared to such great demand, and added courts to its service. In fall 2023 and summer 2024, at least two important developments expanded that availability: Other Racquet Social Club opened as a friendly, country club-like neighborhood option, and national chain The Picklr announced it's bringing five locations to Austin and Round Rock.

Perhaps because Austin is such a food-obsessed city, there seems to be some growing opportunity for food and beverage hospitality around pickleball, too. Other Racquet recently started hosting the Bill's Dips food truck, a spinoff of the popular downtown restaurant Bill's Oyster; and a pair of bars with pickleball courts, Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails and The Pickle Pub, also opened in South Austin this year, with strong online ratings already.

The trend has even reached into real estate (see this cute house with its own pickleball court) and inspired athletes to introduce similar sports to the local market, as in the case of the padel club Paddle39. TeachMe.To's report also mentioned tech companies adding pickleball to their campuses.

Aside from growth, the study also considered lesson activity (including information about teacher availability and diversity of clinic offerings), infrastructure, community vitality, the tournament scene.

Austin had the highest concentration of all the cities of players under 40 (65 percent), as well as the highest share of national lesson bookings. At 16.90 percent, that means about one in six of the pickleball lessons contracted through this platform were in Austin. Lesson demand, the report says, is growing 125 percent year-over-year.

Elsewhere in Texas
Dallas was No. 3 thanks in part to its "central location" according to the report.

"The city's 45 dedicated courts and 85 [percent] public accessibility rate have fostered one of the most active competitive scenes in the country, with 8,500 registered league players," it says. "The combination of strong tournament presence, extensive infrastructure, and a 112% growth in lesson bookings solidifies Dallas as a powerhouse in the national pickleball landscape."

Houston made No. 8 with an emphasis on integrating pickleball with other sports.

"The city's 22 dedicated courts have seen a 92% increase in lesson bookings, driven by innovative programming that includes the nation's first corporate league system," it says. "Houston's success in integrating pickleball into existing sports infrastructure while maintaining 72% year-round utilization demonstrates a sustainable model for rapid growth."

Overall predictions
After laying out data about the top cities in pickleball, the report made some predictions. As the Austin newcomer mentioned above believes, the report also thinks padel is the next big thing. It also guesses more cities will act like Houston by focusing on hybrid facilities.

It also expects to see an expanded professional circuit and mainstream coverage, more technology used on the court, a rise in the prevalence of young players, and more opportunities in corporate wellness and real estate. "Dedicated pickleball facilities will become as common as swimming pools in luxury developments," it says. Texans will be the judge of that one.

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