SM Supermalls didn’t need to charge a single peso to draw a crowd this weekend. Its SM Active Hub program held free open play sessions for pickleball players of every level, filling participating SM courts with first-timers, long-time regulars, and everyone in between for a day built around two-hour sessions of rallies, serves, and genuine community.
The timing wasn’t accidental, either. The open play coincided with the United States’ National Pickleball Day on August 8, a date meant to honor the sport’s rapid growth while promoting fitness and connection—themes that lined up neatly with what SM was already trying to build through the event itself.
Getting in required little more than a few taps on a phone. Participants registered through the SM Malls Online and Reclub apps before heading to their nearest participating SM Pickleball court, where they spent the session working on strokes, footwork, and follow-through alongside a community that’s clearly been growing for a while now.
Joseph Francis Silva, Senior Assistant Vice President for SM Sports and Leisure Centers, framed the initiative as part of a broader shift in how Filipinos spend their free time. He said SM Active Hub exists specifically to make pickleball more accessible, pointing to a growing appetite among Filipinos for active lifestyles and new experiences, and reaffirmed SM’s commitment to building spaces where people can stay social and active at the same time.
A Network Built Over Several Years
This particular open play didn’t happen in isolation. SM Supermalls has been running clinics and tournaments for pickleball players for a while now, steadily building out opportunities for enthusiasts to play, compete, and connect across its properties nationwide.
That investment has accelerated considerably this year. SM currently operates 102 pickleball courts across 32 malls nationwide, with three more courts set to open in the third quarter. This is a scale that already makes it the largest mall-based pickleball network in the country, and one that’s still expanding.
SM Active Hub itself is the mall operator’s broader sports and fitness community initiative, designed to turn everyday mall spaces into hubs for running and fast-growing sports like pickleball. Beyond open plays, it organizes a rotating slate of events and programs aimed at keeping people active and connected through sport more generally.
For anyone hoping to catch the next session, SM Supermalls, SM Active Hub, and SM Game Park all post updates on upcoming pickleball activities through their social media channels—worth a follow for anyone who wants first crack at the next open play, clinic, or tournament near them.
