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How Mahjong Found its Moment in the Sun
Why Pickleball in the Sun is embracing America’ s newest social gaming obsession.
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By JULIE TALERICO
In 2021, Laura Gainor launched Pickleball in the Sun, the world’ s first pickleball marketing agency.“ We’ ve been at the forefront of this explosive sport’ s rise ever since, helping shape the way brands connect with the passionate and rapidly growing pickleball community,” she says.
Earlier this year, Gainor launched Mahjong in the Sun. Mahjong, a Chinese four-person skill game, is experiencing a massive resurgence in popularity due to a collective craving for in-person socialization away from screens and a cultural embrace by a younger, diverse generation.
By combining pickleball and Mahjong, Gainor is creating a new category of lifestyle programming centered around connection, community, and culture. Her idea became:“ Pickleball in the morning, mahjong in the afternoon.”
Gainor says the shift is not about leaving pickleball behind. Instead, she wanted to combine both communities into a broader“ social play” lifestyle brand. She described mahjong as having“ its pickleball moment.” Gainor’ s company now promotes both activities together through events, workshops, travel experiences, and brand partnerships. •
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