Association of Pickleball Professionals

What Association of Pickleball Professionals does

The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP), founded in 2019, operates the first and only pro and amateur pickleball tour fully and officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball, headquartered at "The Fort" in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a legal entity address in Chicago, Illinois. Its core product is the APP Tour — a calendar of professional and amateur events held across U.S. venues (Sacramento, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Overland Park, St. Louis) and internationally, with broadcasts distributed on CBS Sports, ESPN, ESPN+, and FOX Sports and live-streamed via APPTV on YouTube. Revenue is generated through four primary streams: event registrations and ticket sales ($26-$151 ticket range), multi-tier sponsorship and marketing rights (season sponsors Humana, Skechers, Zimmer Biomet, AARP, Franklin Sports; event sponsors Vlasic, GEICO, Prevagen, Power Financial Credit Union; charity partner Shriners Children's), media rights and broadcasting fees, and merchandise sold through a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront.

The company operates a vertically integrated player-development ecosystem that is unique in pickleball: APP Next (players ≤23), the APP U.S. National Team (ages 14-19), the Touring Pro Program (ages 19-24 with on-court mentorship and wild-card entries), the APP Selkirk U.S. Collegiate Series (NIRSA-sanctioned, $90,000 in prize money across 2026-27), and the AARP Champions (50+) and Masters (60+) divisions and Humana Cup. Internationally, the APP Asia Tour and partnerships with Pickleball England and the European Pickleball Federation extend the sanctioned model to Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, India, the UK, and Türkiye. The underlying technology stack is conventional — Shopify and Stripe for commerce, Evey Events & Tickets for ticketing, Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity for web analytics, Mailchimp for marketing automation, Typeform and Fan360 for fan data — with no proprietary AI/ML components disclosed.

Name

Association of Pickleball Professionals

Legal name

Association of Pickleball Professionals, LLC

Website

https://theapp.global

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) operates the first and only USA Pickleball-sanctioned pro and amateur pickleball tour, running events across the U.S., Europe, and Asia with broadcast distribution on CBS Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports. It serves players aged 7-84 through an integrated ecosystem spanning collegiate, youth, touring pro, and senior divisions, monetizing via sponsorship, ticketing, media rights, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Tour Operations

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Athlete Booking & Appearance/Speaking Engagement Agencies (MPAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Professional pickleball tour
• Sanctioned pickleball events
• Pickleball tournament operations
• Pickleball media rights
• Collegiate pickleball series

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Operations and Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from tournament registrations, ticket sales, and event operations for APP Tour events, Pro Invitationals, Collegiate events, and APP Next tournaments.
2. Sponsorship and Marketing Rights: Season sponsors including Shriners Children's (Official Charity Partner), Humana, Skechers, Zimmer Biomet, AARP, Franklin Sports, and event-specific sponsors like Vlasic for the Cincinnati Classic and GEICO for the Tour Championships.
3. Media Rights and Broadcasting: Revenue from nationally televised broadcasts on CBS Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports. Events like the Pickleball Slam (ESPN-broadcast) award $1 million to winning pairs.
4. Merchandise Sales: APP operates an e-commerce shop selling tickets, merchandise, and event registrations through shop.theapp.global.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) operates a sanctioned professional pickleball tour that runs live competitive events for professional and amateur players, with complementary youth development, collegiate, and senior competitive pathways. Revenue is generated through event operations (ticket and entry fees), sponsorships, media/broadcast rights, advertising, and branded merchandise sold via an online store.

Product overview

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) operates the world's first professional pickleball tour, providing a comprehensive ecosystem of competitive products and development programs. The core offering is the APP Tour (US), a USA Pickleball-sanctioned pro and amateur circuit with broadcasts on CBS Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports. Supporting this are the APP Asia Tour for international markets, APP Next for youth (23 and under), the APP U.S. National Team for ages 14-19, and the APP Touring Pro Program for ages 19-24. The APP Selkirk Collegiate Series provides a college pathway with $90,000 in prize money, while the AARP Champions (50+) and Masters (60+) divisions, plus the Humana Cup, serve senior professionals. The Fort in Fort Lauderdale serves as the headquarters and training center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• APP Selkirk Collegiate Series: The nation's premier pathway to crowning college pickleball national champions, featuring qualifier events leading to the APP Selkirk U.S. Collegiate Championships.
• APP Touring Pro Program
• APP Next
• APP Asia Tour
• The Fort

Products and services

• APP Tour (Sanctioned Professional Pickleball Tour) A sanctioned professional pickleball circuit running live competitive events for professional players across multiple tour stops, including named events such as the Cincinnati Classic, Sacramento Open, and English Open. Targeted at professional pickleball athletes competing for ranking, prize eligibility, and visibility, and at fans/spectators who consume the events in person or via broadcast/streaming.
• Youth Pickleball Development Pathway A structured competitive and development pathway for young pickleball players, designed to feed talent into the broader APP competitive ecosystem. Targeted at junior players and their families/guardians seeking sanctioned youth competition.
• Collegiate Pickleball Series A collegiate-level competitive pickleball series run under APP sanctioning, bridging the youth development pathway and the professional tour. Targeted at college-level pickleball players and collegiate programs seeking sanctioned intercollegiate competition.
• Cincinnati Classic (Tournament Event) A named APP Tour stop held in Cincinnati, with general admission ticket pricing for in-person spectators. Targeted at local pickleball fans and traveling tournament spectators.
• Sacramento Open (Tournament Event) A named APP Tour stop held in Sacramento, hosting professional pickleball competition with associated charitable programming. Targeted at local fans, professional players, and charitable beneficiaries.
• English Open (Tournament Event) A named APP Tour stop held in England, extending the tour's international footprint. Targeted at professional pickleball players and fans in the UK/European market.
• APP Tour Branded Merchandise Branded APP Tour merchandise (apparel and related items) sold directly to consumers through an online storefront. Targeted at pickleball fans, spectators, and brand-affiliated consumers.
• APP Tour Mobile App with Spectator Integrations A mobile application that delivers live event engagement features and integrations for spectators following APP Tour events remotely. Targeted at pickleball fans and remote spectators who cannot attend events in person.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87 career medals for Megan Fudge, making her APP Tour's all-time leader in total career medals
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• European Pickleball FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Strategic partnership announced June 18, 2026, including APP support of the 2026 European Pickleball Open Powered by The APP in Antalya, Türkiye, scheduled for November 2026.
• Pickleball EnglandflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Expanded strategic partnership with Pickleball England (the sport's national governing body in England) to accelerate pickleball's growth throughout England and shape the sport's international ecosystem. The 2026 English Open Powered by the APP will be held August 11-16 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, expected to welcome 3,000+ players from 45+ countries, making it the largest indoor pickleball event in the world.
• VlasicflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 June 2026Title sponsor of the 2026 APP Vlasic Classic Cincinnati and other Vlasic Classic events (Daytona Beach, Chicago).
• Selkirk SportflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 June 2026Selkirk Sport returns as the official title sponsor of the APP Selkirk Collegiate Series. A pioneer of USA-manufactured pickleball paddles and equipment, Selkirk plays a prominent role in fueling the growth of college pickleball across the nation.
• NIRSA (National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Key partner for the APP Selkirk Collegiate Series. NIRSA is a leader in higher education and advocate for the advancement of recreation, sport, and wellbeing. The APP Selkirk Collegiate Series is a NIRSA Championship Series event.
• PrevagenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2026Prevagen named Official Brain Supplement Partner of the APP Tour. The partnership includes exclusive event highlight activation known as the 'Prevagen Memorable Moment' featured across broadcasts and social media, raising awareness of Prevagen.
• Pickleball KingdomcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 January 2026Partnership giving winners of Pickleball Kingdom's reality series 'Paddle Battle' the opportunity to compete on the APP Tour starting in March 2026. The series premiered on YouTube on January 14, 2026, blending elite competition with storytelling to showcase aspiring professional players.
• Shriners Children'sflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Official Charity Partner of the APP Tour. Multiple events benefit Shriners Children's, including the APP Sacramento Open benefiting Shriners Children's and the APP Pro Invitational, which raised nearly $40,000 for the organization.
• HumanacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Season sponsor of the APP Tour and title sponsor of the Humana Cup, an exclusive team-based event for pros ages 50 and older.
• SkecherscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Season sponsor of the APP Tour and sponsor of the APP Japan Skechers Tsu City Open.
• Zimmer BiometcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Season sponsor of the APP Tour, previously sponsoring the Zimmer Biomet APP Newport Beach Open and Zimmer Biomet APP New York City Open.
• AARPcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Season sponsor of the APP Tour, supporting the AARP Champions and Masters divisions for players 50+ and 60+.
• Franklin SportsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Season sponsor of the APP Tour, providing equipment and support for tournament operations.
• GEICOflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 December 2025Title sponsor of the GEICO APP Tour Championships, the season-ending major event for the APP Tour.
• Power Financial Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 November 2025Power Financial Credit Union named Official Credit Union of the 2025 GEICO APP Tour Championships, promoting financial empowerment by leveraging the popularity of pickleball in the U.S.
• USA PickleballflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019APP has operated the first and only pro and amateur pickleball tour fully and officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball since its launch in 2019. USA Pickleball is the sport's governing body.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• LPGA Tour: The LPGA Tour operates a women's professional golf tour with sponsorships, televised events, and developmental pathways — structurally analogous to APP's women's pickleball circuit.
• Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour): The PPA Tour is APP's primary direct competitor in professional pickleball, operating a competing tour with its own events, prize purses, and broadcast relationships. Both organizations run sanctioned pro/am pickleball circuits targeting the same players, sponsors, and fan base.
• Major League Pickleball (MLP): MLP operates a team-based professional pickleball league, directly competing with APP for top players and sponsorship dollars. While MLP's format differs (team-based vs individual tour), it targets the same professional pickleball talent pool and sponsor ecosystem.
• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP): The ATP operates a global men's professional tennis tour with comparable structure: sanctioned circuit, prize purses, national broadcast deals, and a development pathway. APP's tour model is closely modeled on this approach in a racquet-sport context.
• Women's Tennis Association (WTA): The WTA runs a globally televised women's professional tennis tour with sponsorships, ranking systems, and developmental pathways — structurally similar to APP's tour operations for women's professional pickleball.
• World Surf League (WSL): The WSL operates a globally televised professional action-sports tour with event-based prize purses, ranking systems, and major brand sponsorships — a closely analogous tour operator model in an emerging sport.
• Professional Bull Riders (PBR): PBR operates a tour-based professional sports organization with televised events, prize purses, and a developmental rider pipeline — comparable in tour structure, media model, and sponsorship dynamics to APP.

Broad incumbents

• PGA Tour: The PGA Tour operates as a much larger established professional sports tour with national TV deals, major sponsorships, and a season-long competitive structure that parallels APP's tour format, though at significantly greater scale.
• NASCAR: NASCAR is an established motorsport tour operator with national broadcast relationships, title sponsors, and a season-long championship structure analogous to APP's APP Tour model.

Others

• USA Pickleball: USA Pickleball is the sport's national governing body and APP's exclusive sanctioning partner since 2019. While not a commercial peer, it is the regulatory counterpart that grants APP its tour sanctioning and is critical to the ecosystem in which APP operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OfficialAPPTour
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheAPPTour
• Facebookfacebook.com/theapptour
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-pickleball-players
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialapptour
• TikToktiktok.com/@officialapptour

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Pickleball Professionals