United Pickleball Association Celebrates National Pickleball Day
DALLAS, TX, August 8, 2024 – With record-breaking participation, unprecedented viewership, and significant increases in revenue, pickleball has cemented its place as the fastest-growing sports in America. As we celebrate the fourth National Pickleball Day (established in 2021), the United Pickleball Association – the parent company of the Carvana PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP by Margaritaville) – looks forward to continuing this momentum, bringing the excitement of pickleball to more fans and players around the world.
Earlier in 2024, the Carvana PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball completed a key merger under the new “United Pickleball Association” (UPA). The UPA is the steward of the sport of pickleball globally and recently announced an expansion of five international PPA Tour events in 2025 – in Australia, India, Canada, Europe and Asia – bringing the best player to regions all over the world.
“The unprecedented rise in pickleball’s popularity is a reflection of our dedicated athletes, passionate fans, and innovative approaches to expanding the sport,” said Connor Pardoe, CEO & Founder of the PPA Tour. “With significant increases in participation, viewership, and revenue, we are just beginning to tap into pickleball’s potential as a major player on the global sports stage.”
“We have built tremendous momentum in a short time since February’s merger, with strong business growth – including a host of new strategic league partners – and increases across all platforms, including linear, streaming, and social media,” said MLP CEO Bruce Popko. “The second half of the MLP season should build to an incredibly captivating 2024 Playoffs, which is expected to be our best event to date.”
On the professional side, the Carvana PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball continue to trailblaze in the sport, with the brands combining to serve as the exclusive home to more than 130 of the best players in the world including Anna Leigh Waters (USA), Ben Johns (USA), Federico Staksrud (ARG), Catherine Parenteau (CAN), Jay Devilliers (FRA), Genie Bouchard (CAN), Quang Duong (VNM) and Jack Sock (USA).
United Pickleball Association Highlights
● Approximately 130 contracted athletes will earn more than $30 million in prize money and payouts in 2024, with the top 100 earning an average of more than $300,000 per year
○ The top five earning players will average $1.5 million this year
○ Female UPA athletes earn equal pay to the men, with top broadcasters often focusing on women’s doubles and mixed doubles in their broadcasts
● UPA has seen a 55% growth in sponsorships year over year (July 2023-24)
○ PPA Tour sponsors include Carvana, Veolia, Humana, Skechers, Molson Coors, Southwest Airlines and more
○ Major League Pickleball sponsors include Margaritaville, Advil, Anheuser-Busch, Cigna, The Botanist Gin, Sunday Swagger and more
Carvana PPA Tour Highlights
● PPA Tour is on track for a staggering 110% increase in ticket sales from 2023 to 2024 (more than 2x)
● Broadcast viewership for the PPA Tour doubled from January-June 2023 to 2024
○ More than 20 million people watched PPA Tour events live in 2023 across major networks like ESPN, CBS, Amazon Prime Video, and Fox Sports, averaging roughly 1 million viewers per event
○ The PPA’s two-hour broadcast of the mixed doubles and women’s singles gold medal matches at the Carvana Mesa Arizona Cup brought in 501,000 viewers on FOX. With those viewership numbers, pickleball outpaced installments of NCAA men’s basketball (378,000) and MLB spring training on ESPN (392,000), PGA Tour action on Golf Channel (469,000), and NHL action on TNT (265,000).
● Amateur events showed a 50% increase in participants in 2023 compared to 202
○ The 2024 Vizzy Atlanta Open saw nearly 1,600 players competing, making it the largest-ever Carvana PPA Tour event
MLP by Margaritaville Highlights
● MLP recorded the most-watched match in league history this year (July 13 on ESPN2)
● The league has generated 150% growth in combined impressions and a 98% increase in total followers across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok vs. 2023 (through July 31).
● Produced 83% year-over-year growth in the number of its thrilling, coed, team-based events
● Projecting a nearly 50% increase in linear telecast hours across ESPN2, FoxSports, and Tennis Channel in 2024 vs. 2023, with added distribution via RSN’s, Pickleball TV, and YouTube
● Continues to welcome support from iconic team co-owners including Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Drake, Michael B. Jordan, James Blake, Kim Clijsters and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Pickleball witnessed a remarkable 52% increase in participants from 2022 to 2023, outpacing the next fastest-growing sport by more than 33 percentage points. According to the annual Topline Participation Report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), 13.6 million Americans engaged in pickleball last year, rivaling the numbers for baseball (16.7 million) and outdoor soccer (14.1 million).
To mark International Pickleball Day, the United Pickleball Association is offering 25% off of registration and tickets to the Lapiplasty UPA World Championships in Dallas from November 1-10 (Use code “PICKLEBALL” at checkout). Last year, more than 3,500 competitors and 50,000 fans took part in the biggest pickleball festival the world has ever seen.
About the United Pickleball Association
The United Pickleball Association (UPA) is the steward of the fastest-growing sport in the United States and brings the world’s best professional and amateur pickleball to millions of people globally. As the parent company of the Professional Pickleball Association (Carvana PPA Tour), Major League Pickleball (MLP by Margaritaville) and the United Pickleball State Championship Series, UPA serves as the go-to entity for players and fans to compete in world-class events and enjoy the top pickleball athletes on the sport’s biggest stages. Visit unitedpickleball.com for more information.
****************************************************************
2024-25 OnFocus Central Wisconsin Area Conferences: Conference and Team Links, Schedules
Know some top athletic performances? Seeing some great teams in action?
We can use your help, and it’s simple. Witness some great performances? Hear about top athletes and top teams in our area?
Athlete of the Week and Team of the Week:
Nominate an athlete or team: HERE
**********************************************
Pancakes or Waffles! We feature top area athletes with our world-renowned feature. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
College Athlete Roundup! We want to recognize student-athletes from the area who are competing at the college level. Send us information on college athletes from the area with our simple form HERE
Where are they Now? We feature athletes and difference makers from the past, standouts in sports who excelled over the years and have moved on. Know of a former athlete, coach, or difference maker who we should feature? Know of a former standout competitor whose journey beyond central Wisconsin sports is one we should share? Send us information on athletes and difference makers of the past with our simple form HERE
Baked or Fried! We also feature difference makers throughout central Wisconsin: coaches, booster club leaders, administration, volunteers, you name it. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected]!
Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
