US Open Pickleball Championships

What US Open Pickleball Championships does

The US Open Pickleball Championships (legally Spirit Promotions LLC, a subsidiary of Pickle4) is the operator of the world's flagship annual pickleball tournament, held every April at East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida. Founded in 2016 by Chris Evon and Terri Graham, the company runs a single 8-day event spanning 60 courts that drew 55,000+ fans and 3,750 players from all 50 US states and 53 countries in 2026, marking its 10th anniversary edition. Its core product is a sanctioned (USA Pickleball) professional and amateur championship with divisions spanning Pro, Champions Pro, Masters Pro, Split Age Pro, Age Only, Skill/Age, Junior, and Wheelchair categories, plus the premium Zing Zang Championship Court as a ticketed flagship venue.

The underlying technology stack is composed entirely of third-party integrations rather than proprietary systems: Pickleball Den serves as the exclusive tournament software platform handling player registration, lottery management, brackets, and results; DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) acts as the official and exclusive ratings partner using a 2.000–8.000 ageless, genderless rating scale for seeding and bracket placement; and Stripe powers payment processing for parking passes. The company does not maintain its own app, API, or developer-facing interfaces, and operates with 1–10 employees.

The business model blends B2C and B2B revenue streams. On the consumer side, the company charges player credential and event registration fees ($25–$185 per event depending on division), ticketed access to the championship court ($10–$85 daily or $750 weekly premium bleacher packages), parking ($10/day or $60/week with proceeds donated to Kiwanis), Pro Clinics ($95/session with professional players), and VIP Experience packages. General admission to 59 of the 60 courts is free. On the B2B side, the company monetizes a multi-tiered sponsorship program featuring Franklin Sports as title sponsor and Wilson, Skechers, JOOLA, and Pickleball Warehouse as champion sponsors, plus broadcast partnerships with CBS Sports Network and Pickleball Channel. Distribution runs through Pickleball Den for registration, a lottery system for premium tickets, preferred hotel partner channels for lodging, and direct sponsorship sales.

Name

US Open Pickleball Championships

Legal name

Spirit Promotions LLC

Website

https://usopenpickleball.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The US Open Pickleball Championships operates the world's flagship annual pickleball tournament in Naples, Florida, drawing 55,000+ fans and 3,750 players across 60 courts, monetizing player registrations, ticket sales, and a multi-tiered sponsorship program anchored by Franklin Sports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pickleball Tournament & Sports Event

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Individual Sports Events (Tennis, Golf, Boxing/MMA, Athletics) (MPAGAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional Live Sports Leagues & Tours (MPAGAMAA)

Keywords

• Professional pickleball tournament
• Amateur pickleball competition
• Pickleball championship event
• Sports event management
• Tournament event organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Naples

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Player Registration Fees: Credentials and event entry fees from participants including amateur, pro, champions pro, and masters pro divisions. Includes referee and technology fees.
2. Ticket Sales: General admission tickets for Zing Zang Championship Court ranging from $10-$85 per day, plus premium bleacher weekly packages at $750.
3. Sponsorship Revenue: Multi-tiered sponsorship program including title sponsor (Franklin Sports), champion sponsors (Wilson, Skechers, JOOLA, Pickleball Warehouse), gold sponsors, silver sponsors, and exhibitor partners. Includes in-stadium signage, retail activations, and brand visibility.
4. Parking Fees: $10 per day or $60 weekly parking passes with proceeds donated to Kiwanis Club.
5. Pro Clinics: Paid instructional sessions with professional players including Megan Fudge, Ryler DeHeart, and Scott Fliegelman at $95 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The US Open Pickleball Championships organizes and operates the world's premier annual professional and amateur pickleball tournament, an 8-day event held at the USOP National Pickleball Center in Naples, Florida, featuring 59–60 competition courts including the flagship Zing Zang Championship Court, more than 5,000 refereed matches, and divisions spanning Pro, Champions Pro, Masters Pro, Split Age Pro, Age Only, Skill/Age, Junior, and Wheelchair categories. The company runs a lottery-based player registration system, sells championship court tickets and VIP experience packages, hosts professional coaching clinics, and produces live broadcast coverage through CBS Sports Network and Pickleball Channel streaming.

Product overview

The US Open Pickleball Championships is a single flagship tournament product — the world's premier pickleball event — augmented by a suite of ancillary products and services. The core offering is the 8-day championship tournament at East Naples Community Park (USOP National Pickleball Center) featuring professional and amateur competition across Pro, Champions Pro, Masters Pro, Split Age Pro, Age Only, Skill/Age, Junior, and Wheelchair divisions. Supporting products include Zing Zang Championship Court ticketed access (sold via lottery), VIP Experience packages (Gold Box and Patron tiers), Pro Clinics with professional coaching, and free general park admission. Additional services encompass player credentials and registration (via Pickleball Den), parking passes (via Stripe), Kids' Day community programming, charity partnerships, and volunteer/referee coordination. Live broadcast coverage is provided through Pickleball Channel and CBS Sports Network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• US Open Pickleball Championships (Annual Tournament)
• Zing Zang Championship Court Tickets
• VIP Experience Packages (Gold Box and Patron)
• Pro Clinics presented by Ameriprise Financial Services
• Player Credentials and Event Registration
• Parking Passes

Quantifiable outcome

• 55,000+ fans attended the 2026 event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered title sponsor, core partner, major partner, community partner, strategic partner, champion sponsor and preferred partner.

• Franklin Sportstitle sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 February 2026Official Title Sponsor in multi-year partnership, marking significant escalation from previous role as Official Ball since 2016. Franklin Sports conducts retail activations featuring the Anna Leigh Waters Signature Paddle Series. 10th anniversary championship title sponsor.
• DUPRcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial and Exclusive Ratings Partner providing player evaluation and seeding for all amateur and pro events. The ageless, genderless rating system ensures fair competition across all divisions.
• Pickleball Dencore partnerTechnology or IntegrationExclusive tournament software partner handling player registration, lottery system, brackets, draws, results, and real-time text updates throughout the tournament.
• USA Pickleballcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial sanctioning body for the US Open, providing consistent officiating standards and fair play through the USA Pickleball rulebook. Partnership enables Challenger membership discounts for participants.
• CBS Sports Networkmajor partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerNational television broadcast partner providing live coverage of US Open matches, bringing the event to a broad sports audience.
• Pickleball Channelmajor partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital streaming partner providing YouTube coverage and event highlights for global online audience.
• Kiwanis Clubcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Kiwanis club receives proceeds from parking fees to directly impact the lives of children in Collier County. Partnership supports community benefit and youth programs.
• St. Matthew's Housecommunity partnerOthersCharitable partner providing physical, spiritual, and emotional support to the hurting in the community. Featured in Food and Beverage Partners section.
• Indian Pickleball Associationstrategic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandmark partnership granting Indian players direct entry to the US Open, bypassing the typical lottery system. Includes national champions Mihika Yadav, Arjun Singh, Purvansh Patel, and Aditya Singh.
• Wilsonchampion sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion level sponsor providing equipment and brand presence. Listed as a leading pickleball equipment brand alongside Skechers and Pickleball Warehouse.
• Skecherschampion sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion level sponsor for Performance Pickleball line. Features in-stadium signage and branding throughout the event venue.
• JOOLAchampion sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion level sponsor providing paddle equipment. Featured in sponsor activations and Vendor Village.
• Pickleball Warehousechampion sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion level sponsor and online retailer for pickleball equipment.
• Naples Marco Island Evergladeschampion sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partner and visitor authority for the Paradise Coast Naples destination.
• Hampton Inn & Suites Naples Southpreferred partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3-star hotel with 4.9 Google rating at 5146 Tamiami Trl E, Naples FL 34113. Preferred lodging partner offering discounted rates for US Open attendees.
• Springhill Suites by Marriottpreferred partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3-star hotel with 4.1 Google rating at 3798 White Lake Blvd, Naples FL 34117. Preferred lodging partner offering discounted rates.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriottpreferred partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor2-star hotel with 4.2 Google rating at 3808 White Lake Blvd, Naples FL 34117. Preferred lodging partner offering discounted rates.
• Collier Countycore partnerOthersCounty government that built and maintains East Naples Community Park, described as 'the greatest pickleball facility in the world.' Funded in part by the Collier County Tourist Tax.
• YMCA of the USAmajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpanded partnership with YMCA for community development and pickleball growth initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/usopenpicklebal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mintousopenpickleball
• Facebookfacebook.com/usopenpickleball
• Instagraminstagram.com/usopenpickleball
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usopenpickleballchampionships

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 US Open Pickleball Championships