Pickleball in the United States

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Pickleball in the United States
Pickleball court in La Crosse, Wisconsin 02.jpg
Pickleball courts in La Crosse, Wisconsin
Governing body USA Pickleball
Nickname(s)Pukaball
First played1965

Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, [1] was invented in the United States in 1965, on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Since its introduction the sport has steadily increased in popularity, and in 2021, 2022, and 2023, the sport was named the fastest-growing sport in the United States by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. [2] In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington. [3]

Contents

College level pickleball

Pickleball has not been sanctioned by the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). USA Pickleball and other organizations are pursuing the possibility of NCAA recognition. Meanwhile, numerous college campuses have independently formed pickleball clubs. [4] As of December 2024 USA Pickleball lists 152 colleges and universities with active pickleball clubs. [5]

DUPR Collegiate Pickleball

DUPR, known for its pickleball player ranking software, held its first DUPR Collegiate National Championship in November 2022 with only 16 teams. [6] The 2024 championships included 98 teams, and was held at the Brookhaven Country Club near Dallas, Texas.

National Collegiate Pickleball Association

In January 2023 Noah Suemnick, a graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, formed the National Collegiate Pickleball Association (NCPA). NCPA's inaugural national championships was held in March 2016 at The Hub in Spring Valley, San Diego, California. Nearly 40 colleges and universities competed in the event. The NCPA states that it now has over 200 colleges and universities participating in 2024/2025 NCPA events across the United States. [7] This includes five regional championships, with a national championship to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada in February 2025.

APP U.S. Collegiate Championships

In September 2023 the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) announced its inaugural U.S. Collegiate Championships would be held in January 2024 at the Grand Park Sports Campus, home for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, in Westfield, Indiana. A total prize purse of $50,000 was awarded. [8]

Professional pickleball

The popularity of pickleball has spurred the growth of investors and sponsors. As a result, two pro pickleball tours were independently formed in the United States in 2019, the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP, now the Association of Pickleball Players), and the Pickleball Professionals Association (PPA). A professional pickleball league, Major League Pickleball (MLP), was formed in 2021, [9] and a senior professional league, the National Pickleball League of Champions Pros (NPL), was formed in 2022. In 2023 the PPA and MLP merged under one umbrella organization, the United Pickleball Association (UPA). [10]

Association of Pickleball Players

The APP was formed by Ken Herrmann, who aligned his tour with USA Pickleball (USAP), the original governing body of pickleball in the United States. All games are sanctioned by USAP and must abide by USAP rules. [9] The 2022 APP Tour includes 32 tournaments in five countries and has attracted an average of 800 players in each tournament. Total prize money is expected to be $2 million. [11] Originally the APP was named the Association of Pickleball Professionals, but was changed to the Association of Pickleball Players in 2023 to reflect the organizations support of both amateur and professional players. [12]

In January 2024 the APP announced that it had reached an agreement to make The Fort, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, its new permanent home and training center. [13] Founded by Brad Tuckman and Rich Campillo, and scheduled to open in December 2024, the new facility will include 43 pickleball courts, including the world's first dedicated pickleball stadium. [14]

United Pickleball Association

Professional Pickleball Association: The PPA was formed by Connor Pardoe and based in Draper, Utah. Desiring independence to shape the tour to his liking, Pardoe did not align with USAP. Initially, the PPA required all players to sign a one–year exclusivity contract, preventing PPA players from participating in any non-PPA tours. In late 2021, Thomas Dundon purchased the PPA and extended the exclusivity contracts to 3 years. Pardoe remained CEO of the PPA Tour. [9] The 2022 PPA Tour is expected to include 20 tournaments with total prize money of $2.5 million. [15]
Major League Pickleball: The MLP was formed in 2021 by Steve Kuhn in Dripping Springs, Texas. [9] In its first year, the League consisted of 8 teams and included both APP and PPA players. The second year expanded to 12 teams, but the PPA no longer allowed their players to participate in the League. Each team consists of two men and two women. Team members are chosen by a dual snake draft designed to make teams as competitive as possible. [16] Three separate competitions are scheduled for 2022, and the winning team at each competition will win $25,000 for each team member. The winning team is also awarded the Pritchard Cup. The league will expand to 16 teams in 2023, with NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, tennis player Naomi Osaka, [17] and NBA players LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Kevin Love buying expansion teams. [18] [19] [20]

National Pickleball League of Champions Pros

The NPL is a professional pickleball league established in the United States whose members are over the age of 50. The league was established in 2022. As of 2024 the league had twelve teams with eight men and eight women on each team. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Canada</span>

Sports in Canada consist of a wide variety of games. The roots of organized sports in Canada date back to the 1770s. Canada's official national sports are ice hockey and lacrosse. Other major professional games include curling, basketball, baseball, soccer, and football. Great achievements in Canadian sports are recognized by numerous "Halls of Fame" and museums, such as Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickleball</span> Racket or paddle sport

Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors. It was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 2022, Pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in the United States</span> Sporting activity in the United States of America

Sports in the United States are an important part of the nation's culture. Historically, the most popular sport has been baseball. However, in more recent decades, American football has been the most popular spectator sport based on broadcast viewership audience. Basketball has grown into the mainstream American sports scene since the 1980s, with ice hockey and soccer doing the same around the turn of the 21st century. These sports comprise the "Big Five".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrei Dăescu</span> Romanian tennis player

Andrei Dăescu is a former Romanian professional tennis player who now competes as a professional pickleball player. During his tennis career, he competed on both the ITF Men's Circuit and ATP Tour, representing Romania in the Davis Cup competition. A notable highlight of his career was qualifying for the 2015 US Open. Dăescu achieved a career-high ATP ranking of No. 126 in doubles and No. 654 in singles.

Thomas Dundon is an American billionaire businessman, specializing in financial services, real estate and sports entertainment. He is chairman and managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners in Dallas, Texas, chairman of pickleball.com, and is the sole owner and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League and was on the board of the former Alliance of American Football.

Jenny L. Klitch is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haley Jones</span> American basketball player (born 2001)

Haley Jones is an American professional basketball player for Geelong United of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She is also contracted with the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal of the Pac-12 Conference, helping the team win the national championship in 2021 while being named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. She was selected sixth overall in the 2023 WNBA draft by the Atlanta Dream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Johns</span> American professional pickleball player

Benjamin Ellingham Johns is an American professional pickleball player. He is ranked No. 1 in the world for mixed doubles, and No. 2 for both Singles and Men's Doubles by the Pro Pickleball Association. (PPA)

The International Pickleball Federation (IPF) was created to act as the world governing body for the sport of pickleball. Originally the IPF was founded as the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) in 2010 by the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), now USA Pickleball (USAP). The IPF is a nonprofit organization that focuses its resources on providing support to national and local pickleball organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USA Pickleball</span> Governing body for pickleball in the United States

USA Pickleball, or USAP, is the national governing body for the sport of pickleball in the United States. It was the world's first national pickleball organization established when it was formed in 1984 as the United States Amateur Pickleball Association. It reorganized as the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) in 2005. The organization adopted the name USA Pickleball in 2020. As the USAPA, the organization published the first official pickleball rule book in 1984 and published the USA Pickleball Association Official Tournament Rulebook in 2008. Since 2005 the organization has operated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

This glossary provides definitions and context for terminology related to, and jargon specific to, the sport of pickleball. Words or phrases in italics can be found on the list in their respective alphabetic sections.

Rick Witsken is a former American tennis player and pickleball player, tennis coach, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Team Witsken and co-founder of the National Pickleball League (NPL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Devilliers</span> French professional pickleball player

Jocelyn “Jay” Devilliers is a French professional pickleball player. As of August 12, 2023, he is ranked No. 4 in the world for Men's Singles, No. 7 in the world for Men's Doubles, and No. 9 in the world for Men's Mixed Doubles by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA).

Catherine Parenteau is a Canadian professional pickleball player. As of December 129, 2024, she is ranked No. 4 in the world for Woman's Singles, No. 3 in the world for Woman's Doubles, and No. 5 in the world for Woman's Mixed Doubles by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA).

Julian Arnold is an American professional pickleball player based in Austin, Texas. He is sponsored by CnP Pickleball and is known for his signature catchphrase "Andiamo!" on the court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickleball in India</span>

Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is growing rapidly within India. The Times Now reported in September 2024 that over 50,000 people in India played the game over the previous 18 months and at the time there were over 500 courts throughout the country, with 40 or 50 new courts being added every month. The popularity of pickleball is causing waiting lists for booking courts. Its increasing reach is attracting sponsors and investment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickleball in Canada</span>

Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, was invented in the United States in 1965, on Bainbridge Island, Washington. In 2023 Pickleball Cananda commissioned a report on pickleball participation in Canada and it was found that 1.37 million Canadians played pickleball at least once per month. Picklebal Canada's membership numbers increased from 31,312 in 2022, to 53,143 in 2023, and in 2024 surpassed 82,000.

Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, was invented in the United States in 1965, on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Labeled the fastest growing sport in the United States since 2021, the sport is rapidly gaining popularity in Australia. In September 2024 Trilogy Funds, the title sponsor for the 2024 Australian pickleball championships, declared pickleball is also "Australia's fastest growing sport" with over 25,000 players nationwide.

References

  1. ↑ "The Essential Rules of Pickleball: A Quick Overview". Team Pickleball. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  2. ↑ Definition, Beyond. "Pickleball Sees Unprecedented Growth: Will Require 25,000 Courts Built, $900 Million Investment to Keep Up With Demand". Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  3. ↑ "Pickleball is now the official state sport of the U.S. state of Washington". KXLY. March 29, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  4. ↑ Pierce, Drew (April 24, 2023). "College Pickleball: Is NCAA Pickleball on the Horizon?". Pickleball Rookie. Nice Life Media LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  5. ↑ "Campus Pickleball Clubs". USA Pickleball. March 23, 2022. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Radnothy, Victoria (November 2, 2024). "Everything you need to know about the 2024 DUPR Collegiate National Championship". pickleball.com. Pickleball OpCo LLC. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  7. ↑ "Our Story". NCPA. National Collegiate Pickleball Association. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  8. ↑ Forziati, Adam (September 12, 2023). "APP Invites Collegiate Pickleball Teams from Across the Country to Play in New Event". thedinkpickleball.com. The Dink. Archived from the original on April 14, 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Walters, John (May 24, 2022). "'Pickleball Is the Wild, Wild West': Inside the Fight Over the Fastest-Growing Sport in America". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  10. ↑ Daughton, Will. "United Pickleball Association unveiled as holding company for newly merged PPA, MLP". Pickleball.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Mogan, Luke Carberry (June 5, 2022). "Pickleball fever rises in America: 'Everybody we know now plays'". yahoo!finance. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  12. ↑ "APP Enters New Era, Rebranding as Association of Pickleball Players". APP. Association of Pickleball Players. May 24, 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  13. ↑ "The Fort Established as Official Headquarters, Training Facility". theapp.global. Association of Pickleball Players. January 18, 2024. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  14. ↑ Galarza, Monica (January 7, 2024). "World's first pickleball stadium to open in Fort Lauderdale in 2024". nbcmiami.com. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  15. ↑ Nathan, Giri (January 21, 2022). "Is the Next Great Pastime … Pickleball?". New York Magazine. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ McDermott, Grace (May 31, 2022). "Get ready for hot pickleball action!". Deadspin. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ Knight, Brett (December 14, 2022). "Naomi Osaka And Patrick Mahomes Join Wave Of Celebrities Investing In Pickleball". Forbes. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  18. ↑ Greenberg, Doug (October 12, 2022). "Tom Brady, Kim Clijsters Buy Major League Pickleball Team". Front Office Sports. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  19. ↑ Poindexter, Owen (September 28, 2022). "LeBron James, NBA Stars Buying Major League Pickleball Team". Front Office Sports. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  20. ↑ Golden, Jessica. "Kevin Durant is the latest athlete to buy a Major League Pickleball team" . Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  21. ↑ "This is NPL". National Pickleball League. Retrieved 5 July 2024.

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