On a recent Saturday afternoon, about 400 tanned and toned Hollywood types flocked to Jamie Foxx’s LA estate to attend a pickleball party. The gathering included influencer-led cardio classes, swimming, a taco truck, a full bar and a DJ. As pickleball has evolved from a fad to a ingrained pastime in recent years, various games in Los Angeles vie for top honors as the most popular place to play and be seen. And Foxx’s game offers both great play and the Hollywood sport of great networking.

“When you get good at pickleball, you never know who you’re going to meet,” explains Taylor Chien, a producer who works with Foxx at equipment company The Best Paddle. “I tell young people it’s the best way to make connections. Doors open quickly on the pickleball courts.”

Two years ago, Chien and Foxx founded a brand that designs and manufactures pickleball rackets. (Their top-of-the-line carbon fiber rackets retail for $120, www.thebestpaddle.com.)

Foxx’s estate is undoubtedly one of the best paddle tennis facilities ever built. There are three courts on the property. And it’s not easy to get on the list for the Oscar winner’s pickleball parties.

“People DM us to join the events,” Chien says of the larger tournaments they host. “It started with 50 people and has grown to 400.”

One of the guests who always comes is Matt Manasse, and when he recently took the court, he was treated like a star. The 36-year-old professional pickleball player is often referred to as the Ryan Seacrest of the sport. The former Purdue tennis player turned pickleball guru wears many hats, from brand ambassador to tournament organizer. He’s also known as the pickleball coach to the stars. His clients have included Foxx, Matthew McConaughey and Emma Watson.

“You never know when Jamie Foxx’s pickleball party is going to happen, but when you get the DMs or texts, you know you’re in for something special,” Manasse says of the exclusive event. “It’s this low-key party that starts at 3 p.m., and before you know it, you’re dancing and it’s 11 p.m.”

The sport – whose Hollywood fans include Selena Gomez, Leonardo DiCaprio and the Clooneys, as well as Ari Emanuel and Brian Grazer – was played by nearly 50 million Americans last year, according to the Association of Pickleball Players.

Pickleball is also becoming part of pop culture. When McConaughey and his wife Camila launched Pantalones Organic Tequila earlier this year, the pair declared it the “official tequila of pickleball.” They showed their true love for the sport in ads that featured them playing pickleball — sans pants. The sport was also mentioned by name by Larry David in the final season of . Curb your enthusiasmwhich aired last spring. And David’s wife, filmmaker Ashley Underwood, made a documentary on the subject. In Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Storyshe examines how fast and furiously people are capitalizing on the game’s popularity. “We’ve uncovered a story about the birth of a professional sport. It’s a crazy gold rush with an influx of money,” she explains of the 90-minute documentary (which is in negotiations for distribution). “It’s about celebrity and the egos and personalities that come with the race to the top.”

And now a sport that was originally popular among the over-50s is gaining popularity among the younger generation, including the offspring of the rich and famous. Jamie Grinberg is known for organizing the perfect pickleball party for the younger generation. Recently, the 29-year-old former college tennis star hosted a 16th birthday party with 60 teens for the daughter of a major Hollywood executive. After the party, a couple of real estate agents known for high-end Hollywood properties approached Grinberg and asked if they could host pickleball events at their open houses to showcase their luxury properties. The real estate tournament is in the planning stages.

But for now, Grinberg’s schedule is full of private lessons and pickleball parties. “It’s a great, clean way for kids to get exercise and socialize,” she says. “Parents can be with their kids and socialize at the same time.”

This story first appeared in the August 21 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.