Copyright timesnownews
The financial growth of professional pickleball has been staggering. Combined revenues from the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) grew to $60 million in 2025 from $46.6 million in 2024, a 30 per cent year-on-year increase, and are projected to hit $74 million in 2026. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), pickleball now has 19.8 million participants across the United States — over 5 per cent of the population plays the sport. For the fourth consecutive year, SFIA ranked pickleball as America’s fastest-growing sport. From Hobby to Billion-Dollar Vision Once dismissed as a pastime for retirees, pickleball has evolved into one of the fastest-growing and most commercially promising sports in the world. Its “pop-pop-pop” sound may irritate nearby homeowners, but the sport’s economic noise is impossible to ignore. What began as a recreational game has become a professional enterprise supported by blue-chip sponsors, celebrity investors, and tens of millions of dollars in revenue. Turf Wars and Merger Professional pickleball wasn’t always this stable. In 2023, the sport’s two leading leagues — MLP and PPA — engaged in a costly “tour war,” each overspending on player contracts in a battle for supremacy. The standoff ended in 2024, when both leagues merged to form the United Pickleball Association (UPA), backed by $75 million in fresh investment. Under the new structure, PPA continues to handle individual competitions, while MLP focuses on co-ed, team-based tournaments. The UPA serves as the parent body managing sponsorships, media rights, and overall business operations. UPA 2025 Financial Overview Annual Revenue: $60 million (+30% YoY) Sponsorship Revenue: $30 million (+25% YoY) Tickets Sold: 110,000 Total Player Compensation: $33 million The Business Boom Sponsorships account for nearly half of UPA’s total income — around $30 million this year — including a multi-million-dollar, three-year deal with DoorDash. Ticket sales contribute another $7 million, with major events like the Pickleball World Championships in Texas expected to bring in $4 million alone, attracting 3,500 players and 60,000 fans. Team valuations have skyrocketed from $100,000 in 2021 to between $13 million and $16 million today. Despite that, profitability remains elusive: the average team generates less than $500,000 in revenue while spending more than $800,000 annually. To narrow the gap, MLP has begun allowing teams to host home events and share league revenues. Celebrity Power and Growing Media Presence Pickleball’s appeal has drawn major names from sports and entertainment — LeBron James, Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Drake, Michael B. Jordan, Patrick Mahomes, and Gary Vaynerchuk, among others. Their involvement has amplified visibility and legitimacy, helping pickleball break into mainstream conversation. Media exposure has followed suit. In 2025 alone, the sport generated over 250 hours of televised coverage. The DoorDash MLP Finals in Central Park averaged 499,000 viewers on CBS, while Pickleball TV, a 24-hour streaming channel launched in partnership with the Tennis Channel, has already logged 800 million minutes of viewing. Blending Pros and Amateurs A defining feature of pickleball’s growth has been its inclusivity. For under $200, amateur players can enter official tournament brackets — a model that drew 27,000 participants last year, adding $5 million in revenue. This mix of professional and grassroots participation keeps the sport accessible while converting casual players into fans.
