World Pickleball League

What World Pickleball League does

World Pickleball League (WPBL), founded in 2024 by Natekar Sports & Gaming, is India's first city-based franchise professional pickleball league, headquartered in Mumbai and led by former Indian tennis players Gaurav Natekar (Co-founder & CEO) and Arati Ponnappa Natekar. The league operates a twice-yearly season model: Season 1 (2024) was held at Brabourne Stadium, and Season 2 (January 24 - February 8, 2026) at Jio World Garden in Bandra Kurla Complex, featuring 120 matches across seven franchises and 56 drafted players from 18 countries. The league monetizes through four primary revenue streams: franchise ownership and licensing fees from celebrity owners (Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Atlee, Rishabh Pant, Genelia & Riteish Deshmukh, and others), centralized sponsorship across 13 partner categories managed exclusively by Komerz India, ticket sales via Swiggy Scenes, and broadcast/streaming rights sold to Eurosport, Sony LIV, SPO TV, and YouTube.

WPBL's core technical differentiators include a proprietary IP-protected 15-minute timed match format designed for broadcast predictability, a Pickle Play Power Rule allowing mid-match player substitutions, a Mixed Doubles Tie-Breaker (sudden death at 15-all), and Hawk-Eye electronic officiating. Supporting the league, the company operates a Match Centre web application (app.wpbl.org), a Pickle Talk video interview series, monthly Mailchimp newsletters, and a WPBL On Tour grassroots circuit that delivered 50+ curated events across six Indian cities through partnerships with KheloMore, Ferrohub, Sisters in Sweat, and Swiggy Scenes. The franchise structure also provides a built-in marketing distribution layer, with celebrity owners driving earned media reach of 456 million cumulative impressions and 91 million organic social interactions in Season 2.

In January 2026, WPBL became officially affiliated with the United World Pickleball Federation (UWPF), the unified global governing body for pickleball, aligning the league with international standardization efforts and Olympic inclusion goals. The company maintains a lean operating team (1-10 employees), has not disclosed external funding rounds, and runs primarily on franchise, sponsorship, and broadcast revenue supplemented by ancillary grassroots event fees (INR 99-199 starter camps).

Name

World Pickleball League

Legal name

World Pickleball League

Website

https://wpbl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

World Pickleball League is India's first city-based franchise professional pickleball league, organizing twice-yearly seasons with celebrity-owned franchises and monetizing via franchise fees, central sponsorships, broadcast rights, and ticketing, complemented by a grassroots community circuit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports League

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Live Sports Leagues & Tours (MPAGAMAA)

Keywords

• Professional pickleball league
• Franchise sports league
• Pickleball tournaments
• Sports entertainment
• Grassroots pickleball events

Headquarters

HQ city

Pune

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Franchise Ownership & Licensing: Cultural icons and celebrities acquire franchise ownership stakes in city-based teams, providing upfront franchise fees and ongoing revenue. Season 2 expanded to seven franchises (up from six), each with celebrity ownership including Atlee & Priya (Bengaluru Jawans), Samantha Ruth Prabhu (Chennai Super Champs), Genelia & Riteish Deshmukh (Mumbai Pickle Power), Jackky Bhagnani, Rishabh Pant, and Rakul Preet Singh among others.
2. Central Sponsorship & Commercial Rights: WPBL sells centralized sponsorship packages to brands across multiple partner categories including Ball Partner, Hydration Partner, Experience Partner, Mobility Partner, Official EV Partner, Radio Partner, Broadcast Partner, Streaming Partner, Outdoor Partner, Media Partner, Ticketing Partner, NGO Partner, and sanctioned by a governing body. Komerz India serves as the league's exclusive sales and sponsorship agency for commercial rights.
3. Ticket Sales: Fan tickets for live WPBL Season 2 events sold through official ticketing partner Swiggy Scenes. The league also generates revenue from ancillary fan zone experiences at the Swiggy Serv'd Festival.
4. Broadcasting & Streaming Rights: Broadcast and streaming rights sold to media partners including Eurosport (India TV), Sony LIV (India streaming), SPO TV (Asia), and YouTube (global), generating rights fees from delivering live pickleball content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

World Pickleball League (WPBL) operates India's first city-based franchise professional pickleball league, organizing elite-level competitions across two seasons per year featuring celebrity-owned city teams and international athletes from up to 25 countries. The league combines professional pickleball matches with entertainment ('sportainment') through fan festivals, community events via WPBL On Tour, and broadcast distribution on TV, streaming, and digital platforms.

Product overview

World Pickleball League (WPBL) operates as a multi-product sportainment platform centered on India's first city-based franchise pickleball league. The core offering is WPBL Seasons — franchise-based professional leagues (Season 1 at Brabourne Stadium, Season 2 at Jio World Garden) featuring city teams competing across five match categories with timed formats and innovative rules. Supporting the league, the Match Centre (app.wpbl.org) delivers real-time match data and standings. WPBL On Tour extends the brand into a community events circuit with flagship tournaments, starter camps, and social mixers across India. Additional products include the Pickle Talk video interview series and the monthly WPBL Newsletter. The platform also incorporates fan-engagement features such as the Swiggy Serv'd Festival fan zone, the Celebrity Pickleball Showdown, and the Battle of the Clans community competition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WPBL Seasons (Professional Franchise League) India's first city-based franchise professional pickleball league featuring seven city teams (Hyderabad Superstars, Chennai Super Champs, Bengaluru Jawans, Mumbai Pickle Power, Pune United, Dilli Dillwale, Jaipur Djinns) competing across five match categories (Women's Singles, Mixed Doubles, Men's Singles, Women's Doubles, Men's Doubles) per tie. Season 2 ran January 24 – February 8, 2026 at Jio World Garden, Mumbai, with 120 matches and 56 drafted players from 18 countries.
• WPBL Match Centre The official WPBL digital match centre application providing real-time match information, results, standings, and player statistics for league fixtures and tournaments across WPBL Seasons and WPBL On Tour events.
• WPBL On Tour A community-driven franchise tournament and grassroots events circuit spanning 50+ curated events across India including flagship tournaments with prize pools (up to INR 25 lakh), starter camps, social mixers, women-focused sessions, and themed activations in cities including Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 456 million cumulative reach and over 91 million organic social impressions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiggy ScenescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Swiggy Scenes serves as the official ticketing partner for WPBL Season 2, enabling fans to discover events at the World Pickleball Festival and purchase tickets through the Swiggy platform. Additionally, Swiggy collaborated on the Swiggy Serv'd fan zone festival at Jio World Garden featuring food stalls, live music, and pickleball activations.
• EurosportcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Eurosport is the official Indian TV broadcast partner for WPBL Season 2, airing live matches nationally and reaching sports audiences across India through its cable and satellite television network.
• Sony LIVcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sony LIV is the official Indian streaming partner for WPBL Season 2, providing live streaming of all matches to its subscriber base in India.
• SPO TVcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026SPO TV is the official Asian streaming partner for WPBL Season 2, extending the league's broadcast reach to audiences across Asia.
• United World Pickleball Federation (UWPF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026WPBL officially became affiliated with UWPF (the unified global governing body for pickleball, formed from the merger of WPF and IPF in 2025), marking an important step in the sport's global development. The affiliation reflects a shared commitment to expanding pickleball, fostering excellence, and strengthening its presence on the global stage, with UWPF guiding leadership, competition, and collaboration across 70+ countries.
• Season 2 Official Partners (Ball, Hydration, Experience, Mobility, EV, Events, Radio, Broadcast, Streaming, Outdoor, Media, Ticketing, NGO)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026WPBL Season 2 featured official partners across 13 categories: Ball Partner, Hydration Partner, Experience Partner, Mobility Partner, Official EV Partner, Official EV Partner, Radio Partner, Broadcast Partner, Streaming Partners, Outdoor Partner, Media Partner, Ticketing Partner, NGO Partner, and Sanctioned By — indicating a comprehensive commercial sponsorship ecosystem.
• Komerz IndiacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Komerz India (a division of Komerz Global) was appointed as WPBL's exclusive agency for central sponsorship and commercial rights. The partnership strengthens WPBL's commercial structure and widens monetisation avenues by leveraging Komerz's sales and sponsorship expertise.
• World Pickleball MagazineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2025World Pickleball Magazine, described as the world's #1 digital pickleball magazine covering stories from Mumbai to Melbourne and Delhi to Detroit, partnered with WPBL to co-produce newsletter content and provide editorial coverage of the league's activities.
• KheloMorecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025KheloMore partnered with WPBL to host beginner-friendly Starter Camps in Pune and Bengaluru, offering hands-on coaching in rallies, shots, and drills at INR 99–199. The partnership supports grassroots and community growth, local brand building for franchises, and positions WPBL as the entry point for new pickleball enthusiasts.
• FerrohubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Ferrohub organized a unique 10K run that culminated in a pickleball activation, successfully blending sport, music, and lifestyle. Hundreds of participants experienced pickleball for the first time in this festival-like setting as part of WPBL On Tour.
• Sisters in SweatminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sisters in Sweat partnered with WPBL On Tour to help design and deliver women-focused pickleball sessions as part of the 50+ events across India, supporting grassroots engagement and female participation in the sport.
• ReSkills (Asia Pickleball Summit 2025)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025ReSkills hosted the first-ever Asia Pickleball Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where WPBL Founder & CEO Gaurav Natekar delivered a keynote. The summit connected WPBL with top sport leaders and entrepreneurs across Asia.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Indian Premier League (IPL): IPL is India's flagship city-based franchise T20 cricket league and the gold standard for celebrity-owned franchise sports leagues in India. WPBL explicitly borrows the franchise, broadcast, and sponsorship playbook from IPL, making it the most strategically relevant incumbent benchmark.
• Pro Kabaddi League: Pro Kabaddi is a franchise-based professional league in India operated by Mashal Sports with Star India broadcast. It is structurally analogous to WPBL as a non-cricket franchise sports league competing for Indian broadcast slots, sponsorships, and fan attention.

Direct peers

• Ultimate Table Tennis: Ultimate Table Tennis is India's franchise-format professional table tennis league featuring international players. It is structurally analogous to WPBL as another non-cricket, franchise-based racquet/paddle sport league in India.
• Premier Badminton League (PBL): PBL is India's franchise-format professional racquet sport league with international player drafts. It directly parallels WPBL's racquet-sport, franchise-based, international-player model and addresses a comparable Indian racquet-sports audience.
• Tennis Premier League (TPL): TPL is an India-based franchise tennis league co-founded by the same Natekar family who founded WPBL. It is directly comparable as an Indian racquet-sport franchise league and is the most natural adjacent league in the founders' portfolio.
• Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour): The PPA Tour is the premier individual-professional pickleball tour in the US, running sanctioned tournaments with prize purses and a global player roster. It is comparable to WPBL as a top-tier professional pickleball competition organizer targeting elite players, though it uses a tour rather than franchise format.
• Major League Pickleball: Major League Pickleball is the leading professional pickleball league in the United States, operating a team-based franchise format with celebrity and athlete owners. It is the closest global analogue to WPBL's city-franchise pickleball model, competing for the same pool of elite international players and broadcast attention.
• Premier Pickleball Federation: Premier Pickleball Federation is an emerging team-based professional pickleball league in the US featuring high-profile owners and structured competition. It competes with PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball for talent and audience, making it a directly comparable league-format competitor to WPBL.

Regional players

• Major League Cricket: Major League Cricket is a US-based franchise T20 cricket league following the IPL model with city-based teams and international broadcast. It is comparable to WPBL as a franchise sports league expanding the IPL template into new geographies.

Emerging players

• World Pickleball Tour: World Pickleball Tour is a US-based emerging professional pickleball tour competing with PPA Tour for tournament hosting and player participation. It is comparable as a competing professional pickleball circuit targeting similar elite players and broadcast audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WorldPickleballLeagueOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/wpblofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-pickleball-league
• Instagraminstagram.com/worldpickleballofficial
• Xx.com/wpblofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 World Pickleball League