Empower Pickleball

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.

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

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

• Pickleball media
• Sports content platform
• Pickleball newsletter
• Community sports journalism
• Pickleball lifestyle content

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Newsletter Sponsorships: Sponsorships within the newsletter content, reaching engaged pickleball subscribers.
2. Display Advertising: Banner ads and display advertising on the website and digital properties.
3. Sponsored Content: Partner-sponsored articles and content clearly disclosed to readers.
4. Brand Partnerships: Strategic brand partnerships with pickleball companies, equipment manufacturers, and wellness brands.
5. Affiliate Links: Commission earned when readers click affiliate links and make purchases. Disclosure states small commission at no additional cost to buyer.
6. Product Sales: Online store selling official Empower Pickleball merchandise including apparel and accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• VersaCourtcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2025Partnership 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)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerEmpower 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 PickleballflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner listed on About page. USA Pickleball is the national governing body for pickleball in the United States.
• PPR (Professional Pickleball Registry)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing pickleball instruction certification and professional development for coaches.
• DUPRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing pickleball rating system and player tracking technology.
• Pickleball WarehouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEquipment retailer partner listed on About page. Logo displayed as partner supporting platform.
• CRBN PickleballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEquipment brand running sponsored ad with 10% discount code (EMPOWER10) for readers.
• JOOLAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor paddle brand featured in coverage including JOOLA Pops Summer Tour campaign and product launches. Article highlighting brand's lifestyle and community-focused marketing approach.
• PhonakminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHearing 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/EmpowerPB
• Facebookfacebook.com/empowerpickleball
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empower-pickleball

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Empower Pickleball