Here’s everything you need to know about the prize money on offer in the sport of Pickleball – how much do pros earn?
Pickleball has seen an unprecedented surge in popularity across the United States, attracting enthusiasts of all ages to join in. It has not only become a favorite pastime for recreational players but has also evolved into a professional sport, serving as a source of income for elite athletes.
For the most skilled players who make strategic choices, their annual earnings can surpass the impressive milestone of $1 million. This substantial income is generated through a combination of appearance fees, winnings from tournaments, and lucrative sponsorship agreements.
However, it’s important to note that these high-earning individuals are a minority within the sport. The majority of pickleball players earn considerably less, with some of the rising talents juggling their passion with full-time day jobs, only participating in weekend competitions for potential prize money.
In 2022, a PPA professional pickleball player received an average of $96,000 in earnings. These earnings are typically composed of three key components: tournament prize money, appearance fees or contractual minimums, and sponsorship agreements.
Looking ahead to 2023, Major League Pickleball, which is one of the three prominent professional pickleball tours, anticipates a total prize pool of $5 million, to be distributed among six events. Remarkably, the highest-earning player managed to secure $125,000 in prize money from the first three events in 2023. In the most optimistic scenario, a player could potentially accumulate up to $300,000 in annual income, encompassing appearance fees, contract minimums, and tournament winnings.
Why are Tennis fans in the US outraged by Pickleball?
Tennis enthusiasts have expressed their disappointment regarding the decreased coverage of tennis matches on the Tennis Channel in recent years. The channel, known as the ‘Home of Tennis,’ has started to allocate airtime to both tennis and professional pickleball matches.
This shift comes as pickleball’s popularity continues to soar in the United States, with packed stadiums at pro tournaments and a growing number of pickleball courts sprouting up nationwide. Consequently, the Tennis Channel has secured exclusive rights to broadcast pickleball on their platform. In 2021, the channel marked a significant milestone by airing its inaugural live pickleball tournament, the Orlando Cup, which took place in Orlando, Florida.
Despite its initial focus on ATP and WTA tournaments, the Tennis Channel recognized the profit potential of pickleball and decided to get involved. John MacDonald, the Senior Vice President of Content Programming at Tennis Channel, mentioned that they had been closely monitoring the “unprecedented growth” of pickleball in recent years. This led to their official partnership with PPA. As pickleball’s popularity continues to surge, some tennis fans are starting to view it as a competitive force to traditional tennis.
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