Rewritten article: The rapidly expanding sport of pickleball is now targeting India as its next frontier. On Thursday, the United Pickleball Association (UPA) and Global Sports announced a deal that will see the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP) introduced to India for the first time. This marks a significant milestone for UPA, which was formed following a merger between Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association last February.
The newly established partnership will allow players in India to compete at an international level on pickleball’s biggest stage through PPA Tour India events that offer ranking points across various tournaments around the country, with MLP also featuring a competition for both Indian players as well as professionals from the MLP and PPA tours. In February next year, an official tour stop of the PPA will debut in Asia under this arrangement; this is set to draw athletes globally and signifies the first international deal secured by UPA since its formation last year.
The United Pickleball Association aims for this partnership with Global Sports – which has been at the forefront of promoting pickleball in India, organizing tournaments across various locations around the country- to elevate the game’s profile and introduce it to millions more fans worldwide. Connor Pardoe, founder and CEO of UPA, expressed his excitement about this development: “The PPA Tour India and MLP India will create a pathway for players to compete on pickleball’s biggest stage and reach the top of the sport.”
This partnership is not only significant in terms of expanding international presence but also because it’ll enable more people from all over India access this popular US-born sports industry by participating directly with such esteemed personalities and coaches during clinics conducted along the PPA tour, allowing a more diverse population to partake fully. “Pickleball has grown exponentially in India within just two years,” said Shashank Khaitan, partner at Global Sports, adding that this new partnership will provide existing players with an opportunity to compete against professionals on a global scale and boost the game’s profile significantly in his country.
In September, Major League Pickleball had previously announced plans for expansion into Australia. As well as PPA Tour India events offering ranking points across various tournaments around the nation, MLP will also host its own competition featuring Indian players alongside those from other countries’ tours – both MLP and UPPA’s.
The United Pickleball Association intends to launch a full 12-team season for Major League Pickleball in India by 2025/26, with franchises costing seven figures each according to sources.
Leave a Reply