A pickleball paddle and balls on the pickleball courts at Tropical Park on March 23, 2023, in Miami. (Jose A. Iglesias/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Jose A. Iglesias | El Nuevo Herald | Getty Images
America’s fastest growing sport, pickleball, is following a new frontier: India.
The United Pickleball Association and Global Sports announced an agreement Thursday to bring the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball to the world’s most populous country.
It’s the first international agreement and major announcement for the United Pickleball Association, which was formed after a merger between Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association last February.
The PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball retained their own separate brands after the merger. The PPA Tour features an individual bracket-style tour, while the MLP is a team-based format.
Terms of the deal were not available.
“PPA Tour India and MLP India will create a pathway for players to compete on pickleball’s biggest stage and reach the pinnacle of the sport. In partnership with Global Sports, we will elevate the game and introduce it to millions of new fans .” said Connor Pardoe, founder and CEO of PPA Tour.
As part of the partnership, the PPA Tour will hold an official tour in India this coming February. The Indian Open event will be the first PPA Tour event in Asia and is expected to bring players from all over the world to participate.
The deal will also launch the PPA Tour India, offering ranking points to players at events across the country.
Major League Pickleball, the team-based league, will hold a competition in India with a mix of Indian players as well as MLP and PPA Tour professionals.
The United Pickleball Association said the group also plans to conduct an open process to sell MLP franchises, with the goal of launching a full 12-team season in 2025-26.
The franchises are expected to cost in the seven-figure range, according to sources.
In September, Major League Pickleball announced its expansion in Australia.
The APP Tour, which represents both amateurs and seniors, has also been active in taking the sport overseas to India, the UK, Spain and Sweden.
Global Sports, which pioneered bringing pickleball to India, operates courts and organizes tournaments in India.
“Pickleball in India has grown by leaps and bounds in the last couple of years and this will give the existing players a platform to compete at the highest level,” said Shashank Khaitan, Partner, Global Sports.