Pickleball Inc. $225 million deal creates new home for sport
Pickleball Inc. has secured a $225 million investment to establish a centralized organization for the fast-growing sport of pickleball in the United States. The new company merges Major League Pickleball and the Carvana PPA Tour under one umbrella, backed by Apollo Sports Capital. With over 24 million players in 2025, the sport has seen rapid growth and attracted high-profile investors including Tom Brady and LeBron James.
- ▪Pickleball Inc. was formed through a $225 million investment merging Major League Pickleball and the Carvana PPA Tour.
- ▪Over 24 million people played pickleball in 2025, a 22% increase from the previous year, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
- ▪Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and NBA stars LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Draymond Green have invested in pickleball teams.
- ▪More than 150 professional pickleball players are part of Pickleball Inc., with top earners making over $1 million annually.
- ▪Pickleball was invented in Washington state in 1965 and has grown by over 171% in participation over the past three years.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
MoneyWatch Pickleball Inc. clinches landmark $225 million investment into America's "fastest growing" sport .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Cara Tabachnick Cara Tabachnick News Editor Cara Tabachnick is a news editor at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected] Read Full Bio Cara Tabachnick May 1, 2026 / 6:26 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Pickleball players are everywhere.Now, a $225 million investment announced Friday establishes Pickleball, Inc., a dedicated home to manage America's fastest-growing sport.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at CBS News — Top.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from CBS News — Top
