2024 Pickleball Recap and Looking Ahead to 2025
The pickleball phenomenon continued its meteoric rise in 2024, building on the massive 223.5% growth the sport has experienced over the past three years. This past year saw pickleball attract an even younger demographic, with the 25-34 age group emerging as the largest player segment. Industry forecasts paint an incredibly bright future, with projections showing pickleball overtaking tennis in U.S. participation by 2027 and the overall market reaching $4.4 billion by 2033.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the major developments that shaped pickleball in 2024 and peek ahead at what 2025 may have in store for this rapidly evolving sport.
Professional Tours Unite and Expand
One of the biggest stories of 2024 was the merger between Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) to form the United Pickleball Association. This consolidation helped streamline the pro tour schedule, with approximately 25 events held across the United States. Many of these stops combined PPA Tour and MLP team competition formats.
The united tour saw impressive growth on multiple fronts:
- Sponsorship revenue increased 50% year-over-year
- Over 50 corporate sponsors came on board
- Fan attendance grew by 40% compared to 2023
- For the first time, ticket sales outpaced amateur registration fees
In an effort to develop the next generation of pro talent, MLP launched a “Minor League” series of amateur events in September. This creates a clearer path for recreational players to work their way up to the professional ranks.
Meanwhile, the competing APP Tour introduced its own new amateur format and pro team competition. The APP also made a major infrastructure investment by constructing a massive 43-court facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dubbed “The Fort,” this pickleball mecca includes a dedicated stadium court and is set for an official grand opening in early 2025.
Pickleball Takes Over the Airwaves
2024 saw pickleball secure an unprecedented level of media coverage. Fans could tune into professional tournaments and other pickleball programming across major networks like Fox, CBS, ESPN, Amazon Prime, and the Tennis Channel.
The sport even got its own dedicated network with the launch of Pickleballtv. Building on its 2023 debut, the channel hit its stride in 2024 with a diverse lineup of content including:
- Pro player profiles and behind-the-scenes features
- Coaching and strategy segments
- Live tournament coverage
- Original pickleball-themed shows
Pickleballtv also introduced a subscription model and mobile app to make its content more accessible to die-hard fans.
Pro Player Salaries Skyrocket
The fierce competition between rival tours at the end of 2023 led to lucrative player contracts, making 2024 the first full year where top pros could truly focus on pickleball as their sole career. The financial picture for professional pickleball players improved dramatically:
- The average pro salary reached $260,000, surpassing that of WNBA players
- Collectively, pro pickleball players earned over $30 million in salary (not including endorsement deals)
- Ben Johns, the top-ranked men’s player, earned over $2.5 million – a tenfold increase from his 2021 earnings
- Anna Leigh Waters, the #1 women’s player, topped $3 million in earnings
These eye-popping numbers demonstrate just how far professional pickleball has come in a short time and hint at the sport’s potential to create true superstar athletes.
Standardizing the competitive landscape
As pickleball’s popularity exploded, so did the number of tournaments being held across the country. To create a more equitable competitive environment, the DUPR rating system was integrated with Pickleball Brackets in 2024. This helps ensure that players are matched against appropriate competition levels in the hundreds of non-pro tour events.
The newly formed UPA-A (United Pickleball Association – Amateur) also emerged as a regulatory body for the sport. One of their first major initiatives addressed the controversial issue of “hot” paddles. As manufacturers pushed the boundaries of technology, some paddles were allowing players to hit the ball at dangerously high speeds.
The UPA-A implemented a rigorous testing and certification process for paddles used in professional tournaments. This aims to maintain player safety while still allowing for innovation in equipment design.
Dedicated Facilities on the Rise
The pickleball boom created an urgent need for more places to play. While many existing tennis courts and recreational spaces were converted for pickleball use, 2024 saw a massive increase in purpose-built pickleball facilities:
- Dedicated pickleball venues grew by 55% compared to the previous year
- Indoor pickleball franchises expanded rapidly across the country
- Many regions invested in public pickleball courts and complexes
To keep track of all these new facilities, Pickleball User Reviews became an invaluable resource. This website allows players to find and review dedicated pickleball venues throughout the United States.
Pickleball Goes Global
While pickleball’s growth has been primarily centered in North America, 2024 saw major efforts to expand the sport internationally:
- The APP Tour actively promoted pickleball in India, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Sweden
- The United Pickleball Association partnered with Global Sports to bring the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball to India
- Plans were announced to launch a full 12-team MLP season in India for 2025-2026
- The PPA and MLP revealed intentions to expand into major Asian markets including China, Vietnam, Japan, and Singapore in 2025
These international initiatives lay the groundwork for pickleball to truly become a global phenomenon in the coming years.
Looking Ahead: What to Watch for in 2025
As we turn our attention to the future, several key trends and potential developments are worth monitoring:
1. Continued Facility Expansion
Expect to see even more dedicated pickleball complexes and indoor facilities pop up across the United States. Look for established franchises to potentially expand into international markets as well.
2. Evolution of Major League Pickleball
After tweaking its format in 2024, the MLP will likely continue to refine its approach. Watch for increased efforts to build local fan bases by tying teams more closely to specific cities.
3. Creating Pickleball Superstars
To compete with the star power of tennis icons like Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff, expect a concerted push to elevate the profiles of top pickleball pros. Look for more media coverage, behind-the-scenes content, and marketing efforts focused on individual player narratives.
4. New Faces at the Top?
Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters have dominated men’s and women’s pickleball for several years. However, with an influx of young talent and crossover athletes from tennis, 2025 could see new challengers rise to the top of the rankings. The landscape may also shift as many pro players are switching up their doubles partnerships for the new season.
5. International Growth
With major tours expanding overseas, 2025 should see a significant uptick in international pickleball participation and competition. Keep an eye out for breakout players and growing pickleball communities in countries like India, the UK, and various Asian nations.
6. Rise of College Pickleball
As more colleges and universities add pickleball courts to their campuses, expect to see the emergence of more structured collegiate leagues and tournaments. Some facilities, like The Pickle Lodge, have already hosted intercollegiate events drawing students from multiple states.
7. Equipment Innovation and Regulation
The pickleball industry will likely work to address the “hot paddle” issue, developing new technologies that balance power and player safety. Expect to see continued innovation in paddle design within the framework of stricter regulations.
8. Evolving Gameplay Styles
With pros now able to dedicate themselves full-time to training and strategy development, we may see the emergence of new shot types and tactical approaches. Some observers even question whether the traditional emphasis on dinking will remain as relevant in the face of increasingly powerful and precise attacking shots.
Conclusion
2024 was undoubtedly a landmark year for pickleball, with the sport continuing its explosive growth while also showing signs of maturation. As we look ahead to 2025, pickleball seems poised for even greater heights. From international expansion to technological innovation and the potential emergence of new superstars, the coming year promises to be an exciting one for players and fans alike.
What are your predictions for pickleball in 2025? Do you think we’ll see any major shakeups in the professional ranks? How do you expect the sport to evolve at the recreational level? Share your thoughts and join the conversation about the future of this rapidly growing sport!
