Pickleball players are everywhere.
Now, a $225 million investment announced Friday establishes Pickleball, Inc., a dedicated home to manage the fast-growing sport.
The deal merged Major League Pickleball and the Carvana PPA Tour, two of the nascent sport’s most active entities, under the new parent company, the organizations said in a statement.
MLP Commissioner Samin Odhwani said the capital infusion from Apollo Sports Capital “shows without a doubt that pickleball is no longer an emerging sport, and is instead quickly becoming the next tier one sport in America.”
“Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, appealing to players and fans of all ages, and we are excited to be making this structured investment,” said Al Tylis, CEO of Apollo Sports Capital.
More than 24 million people played pickleball in 2025, a 22% increase from the previous year, according to a Sports & Fitness Industry Association report released in April. Over the past three years, participation in pickleball – invented in Washington state in 1965 – has climbed by more than 171%, making it America’s fastest-growing sport, the report said.
Several celebrities and athletes have also joined the pickleball craze, purchasing teams and supporting players in the hopes of seeing a return on their investment. Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and tennis hall-of-fame star Kim Clijsters purchased a team, as did NBA players LeBron James, Kevin Love and Draymond Green.
More than 150 signed pro-players will be part of Pickleball, Inc.
The sport’s best players can take home more than $1 million a year through a combination of appearance fees, prize money, and sponsorship deals. Pickleball Inc. said in a statement that its athletes earn a total of more than $33 million in prize money and payouts and earn about $260,000 in annual salary.
For most players, however, the earnings are much smaller, and many hold jobs and play matches part-time.
In addition to bringing the league and tour under one roof, Pickleball, Inc. also combines technology, retail and infrastructure platforms.
contributed to this report.
