A battle is brewing between the city of San Francisco and players of pickleball.
The city says it's preparing to convert a series of Presidio pickleball courts back into tennis courts and the change comes after a series of noise complaints.
On Wednesday, the pickleball courts at Presidio Wall Park were packed.
"It's like this everyday. It's more crowded on the weekends, but it's definitely like it everyday on the weekdays," said San Francisco resident Alec Lee.
Pickleball has been sweeping the country and it’s considered the nation's fastest growing sport.
“This is the only place in San Francisco that has this many courts. And it really allows to build community,” said San Francisco resident Veronica Taisch.
In total, there are 10 pickleball courts in the area and they seem popular with all ages.
Some players told NBC Bay Area the pickleball courts are often in use from the moment they open at 7 a.m. to closing time at 6 p.m., seven days a week, which has rankled some people who live nearby.
The pop of the pickleball courts is what's raised the ire of some residents that have complained to the San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks, which has recently announced that it's going to now be converting some of the pickleball space, back into tennis court space."
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The department recently sent an email sent to one of the pickleball players groups, noting the Presidio courts were only meant to be temporary, while other courts around the city were being prepped for pickleball players.
As those other courts open, the city plans to switch four courts in the Presidio back to tennis, partly in response to neighborhood sound complaints. That is raising complaints from pickleball players, who say they got almost no notice.
"There are remedies. We can put up sound screens, which they've done in Marin, across the nation. They have sound dampening paddles,” said Springer Teach of San Francisco. “And we want to work with the community, but we're not given a chance to work with anyone here. It's just that decisions are being made."
The department is now asking the pickleball players group to remove their nets from some courts by this weekend to allow the city to restripe the courts for tennis.
But pickleball players don't plan on letting this issue go so easily. They launched a petition and are asking the Recreation and Parks board to delay any changes here until they get a chance to voice their concerns. Some are even planning a pickleball protest this Friday.
