Empower Pickleball
Empower Pickleball is a bootstrapped, community-driven pickleball media platform that publishes articles, a newsletter, and a podcast, serving recreational and competitive players, coaches, and adaptive athletes while monetizing via sponsorships, advertising, and merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersNorthampton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Empower Pickleball does
Empower Pickleball is a community-driven pickleball media platform headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts, operating as Empower Pickleball LLC. Founded by Kim Bastien and built out of an early women's newsletter into a multi-channel brand, the company publishes articles across categories including Pickleball 101, Tips & Tricks, Gear & Reviews, Community Stories, Health & Wellness, and Opinions & Insights. It serves recreational players, competitive athletes, coaches, adaptive players, and pickleball-aligned brands seeking community-oriented coverage rather than purely pro or rankings-driven reporting.
The product surface comprises a WordPress-hosted website, a free beehiiv-powered email newsletter, a podcast offering, the Empower Circle creator network, and a merchandise storefront at empowerpickleball.shop. Distribution is multi-channel — owned site, newsletter, organic social, podcast — extended through official media partnerships with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) and USA Pickleball, plus commercial alliances with VersaCourt, PPR, DUPR, JOOLA, CRBN, Pickleball Warehouse, and Phonak. The technology stack is deliberately commodity: WordPress for content management, beehiiv for email, and social platforms for distribution; there is no proprietary platform, mobile app, or AI layer.
The business model is media-class advertising and sponsorship-driven: revenue streams include newsletter sponsorships, display advertising, sponsored content, brand partnerships, affiliate links, and direct-to-consumer merchandise sales. Audience access is free, monetization is concentrated on the B2B side through pickleball equipment, surfaces, governing bodies, and adjacent wellness brands. The company is bootstrapped and privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, operates with a small team of 11-50, and has no identified parent or subsidiary structure.
Empower Pickleball firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Empower Pickleball
- Legal name
- Empower Pickleball LLC
- Website
- https://empowerpickleball.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Empower Pickleball is a bootstrapped, community-driven pickleball media platform that publishes articles, a newsletter, and a podcast, serving recreational and competitive players, coaches, and adaptive athletes while monetizing via sponsorships, advertising, and merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Empower Pickleball industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pickleball Media
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Marketing, Sponsorship Sales & Activation (MPAKAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sponsorship & Sports Experiential Marketing (MPAAAGAE), Sweepstakes, Contests & Giveaway Administration (BPAFAMAD)
Keywords
Where Empower Pickleball is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northampton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Empower Pickleball business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Newsletter Sponsorships: Sponsorships within the newsletter content, reaching engaged pickleball subscribers.
- Display Advertising: Banner ads and display advertising on the website and digital properties.
- Sponsored Content: Partner-sponsored articles and content clearly disclosed to readers.
- Brand Partnerships: Strategic brand partnerships with pickleball companies, equipment manufacturers, and wellness brands.
- Affiliate Links: Commission earned when readers click affiliate links and make purchases. Disclosure states small commission at no additional cost to buyer.
- Product Sales: Online store selling official Empower Pickleball merchandise including apparel and accessories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free newsletter subscription |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Empower Pickleball product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Empower Pickleball is a community-driven pickleball media platform that publishes articles, a free email newsletter, podcasts, and creator content covering beginner guides, gear reviews, community stories, training tips, and tournament coverage. The company monetizes through newsletter sponsorships, display advertising, sponsored content, brand partnerships, affiliate links, and sales of branded merchandise through its online store, while also running the Empower Circle creator network and a brand partnership program.
Product overview
Empower Pickleball is a community-driven media platform built to reflect the real people shaping the sport of pickleball. The company operates a unified content platform comprising its core website delivering articles across categories (Pickleball 101, Tips & Tricks, Gear & Reviews, Community Stories, Health & Wellness, Opinions & Insights), an email newsletter, a podcast, the Empower Circle creator network, an e-commerce shop, and a partnership/consulting program for brands. The platform serves recreational players, competitive athletes, coaches, and industry partners seeking to stay informed, inspired, and connected to the pickleball community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Empower Pickleball Newsletter Free email newsletter distributed via beehiiv delivering weekly pickleball stories, community spotlights, beginner tips, gear giveaways, and tournament news to subscribers.
- Empower Circle Creator Network Creator network built to highlight real voices growing pickleball at the community level, featuring players, coaches, and creators shaping the game from the ground up.
- Empower Pickleball Podcast Audio content featuring pickleball-related discussions, player interviews, and sport coverage, including shows such as 'Keeping It Real with Gina & Neil'.
- Empower Pickleball Shop Online merchandise store at empowerpickleball.shop selling official Empower Pickleball branded apparel and accessories.
- Partner With Us (Brand Partnership Program) Brand partnership and collaboration program offering strategic campaigns, brand storytelling, community engagement, media promotion, newsletter advertising, digital media, social channels, and consulting services for the pickleball industry.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reaches passionate pickleball audience of players, coaches, and industry leaders
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Empower Pickleball
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Empower Pickleball technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Empower Pickleball partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- VersaCourtcorePartnership to bring VersaCourt's Pickleball Performance Tile systems to players everywhere. Collaboration focuses on innovative court surfaces and community engagement.
- Association of Pickleball Players (APP)coreEmpower Pickleball named official media partner of APP. Collaboration spotlights everyday players, highlights women's and junior programs, and delivers fast, practical coverage from APP Tour stops across newsletters, podcasts, video, and social channels.
- USA PickleballflagshipOfficial partner listed on About page. USA Pickleball is the national governing body for pickleball in the United States.
- PPR (Professional Pickleball Registry)corePartner organization providing pickleball instruction certification and professional development for coaches.
- DUPRcorePartner organization providing pickleball rating system and player tracking technology.
- Pickleball WarehouseminorEquipment retailer partner listed on About page. Logo displayed as partner supporting platform.
- CRBN PickleballminorEquipment brand running sponsored ad with 10% discount code (EMPOWER10) for readers.
- JOOLAminorMajor paddle brand featured in coverage including JOOLA Pops Summer Tour campaign and product launches. Article highlighting brand's lifestyle and community-focused marketing approach.
- PhonakminorHearing solutions brand partnering with USA Pickleball on hearing health awareness campaign. Empower Pickleball covered the partnership and Phonak's presence at events through Sphere Sound Lab demonstrations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Empower Pickleball competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Selkirk Sport: Selkirk Sport is a leading pickleball equipment brand that also produces substantial editorial and video content (Selkirk TV) for the pickleball community. It competes for content attention and brand-sponsorship dollars while operating a much broader equipment business.
- PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association): The PPA Tour is one of the major professional pickleball tour operators alongside APP, producing significant media and event content. While Empower Pickleball is the APP's media partner, the PPA's own media operations are an adjacent competitor for pro-tournament coverage.
Others
- Morning Brew: Morning Brew is a leading newsletter-first media business that grew from a niche audience into a diversified, multi-vertical media company. It is comparable to Empower Pickleball as a reference point for newsletter-led media economics, audience-building, and sponsorship monetization, though it operates in a much broader news vertical.
- USA Pickleball: USA Pickleball is the national governing body for the sport in the United States and a current partner of Empower Pickleball. It produces its own news and educational content and represents both a partnership opportunity and a potential content competitor.
Direct peers
- Pickleball Magazine: Pickleball Magazine is a print and digital publication covering the sport, including player profiles, gear reviews, and tournament coverage. It competes with Empower Pickleball for the same pickleball enthusiast readership and advertising partners.
- The Dink: The Dink is the most prominent pickleball-focused newsletter and media brand, serving players, coaches, and fans with daily news, gear coverage, and community content. It directly competes with Empower Pickleball for audience attention and pickleball brand sponsorship dollars.
- Recess Pickleball: Recess Pickleball is a community-oriented pickleball media brand producing content around players, lifestyle, and culture. It shares Empower Pickleball's community-first, inclusive positioning rather than a strictly pro-tournament focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Empower Pickleball social profiles
Digital presenceEmpower Pickleball financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Empower Pickleball leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Empower Pickleball funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Empower Pickleball M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Empower Pickleball
What does Empower Pickleball do?
Empower Pickleball is a community-driven pickleball media platform that publishes articles, a free email newsletter, podcasts, and creator content covering beginner guides, gear reviews, community stories, training tips, and tournament coverage. The company monetizes through newsletter sponsorships, display advertising, sponsored content, brand partnerships, affiliate links, and sales of branded merchandise through its online store, while also running the Empower Circle creator network and a brand partnership program.
Is Empower Pickleball a public or private company?
Empower Pickleball is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Empower Pickleball founded?
Empower Pickleball was founded in 2024. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Empower Pickleball based?
Empower Pickleball is headquartered in Northampton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Empower Pickleball make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Newsletter Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are display Advertising, sponsored Content, brand Partnerships, affiliate Links and product Sales.
Who are Empower Pickleball's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Selkirk Sport and PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association). Others are Morning Brew and USA Pickleball. Direct peers are Pickleball Magazine, The Dink and Recess Pickleball.
Does Empower Pickleball have an API?
No public API is recorded for Empower Pickleball.
What industry is Empower Pickleball in?
Empower Pickleball's product category is Pickleball Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAB, Sports Marketing, Sponsorship Sales & Activation, with a secondary code of MPAAAGAE, Sponsorship & Sports Experiential Marketing. Its NAICS code is 7113 and its SIC code is 7311.