By Joe James
What’s the story?
Indian cricket star Rishabh Pant has partnered with leading food delivery platform Swiggy in a co-ownership of the Mumbai Pickle Power franchise in the World Pickleball League (WBPL).
The 27-year-old is the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and brings a huge reputation and fanbase that is set to elevate the popularity of the sport.
Pant said: “I am pleased to partner with Swiggy for the Mumbai Pickle Power franchise in the World Pickleball League. The excitement around pickleball is contagious and I love the sport.
“I wanted to invest in the World Pickleball League to take the sport to the next level. I couldn’t have found a better partner than Swiggy, where we share the same vision to amplify the popularity and excitement around pickleball.”
The wicketkeeper joins other global athletes, celebrities and entrepreneurs such as LeBron James, Tom Brady, Jamie Foxx and Bill Gates who have invested in pickleball.
Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace says that this co-ownership is part of the plan to ‘make pickleball a household name in India’.
Kapoor said: “Pickleball already had our attention: fun, fast-paced and perfect for families to enjoy together. But adding Rishabh Pant to the mix? Now the game has become even more interesting!”
With Swiggy’s ability to advance trends and the ‘unmatched energy’ of Pant, it looks like pickleball, thanks to more world-famous investors and a passionate, ever-growing fanbase, will continue to rise in popularity.
The Recap
The inaugural edition of the WPBL is set to take place from January 24 to February 2 at the CCI Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, featuring 48 players from 14 countries and was co-founded by former Indian tennis players Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar.
There are six teams involved, consisting of eight players with Mumbai being led by Sam Basford, Coach of the England 18+ Team who won the European Championships three months ago.
Mayur Patil of India is joined by the rest of the squad, consisting of Brandon Lane, Glauka Lane, Sabrina Domínguez, Mihae Kwon, Kim Eung Gwon, Bartosz Karbownik and Katie Morris.
Rishabh Pant and Swiggy are another notable splash in the pickleball world that is growing at an astonishing rate. They actress Samantha Ruth Prabu, director Atlee and his wife Priya, and actors Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh who are owners of teams in the WPBL.
Other notable names to invest in pickleball globally include LeBron James, Tom Brady, Jamie Foxx and Bill Gates, who has played for over 50 years.
LeBron has been an investor in Major League Pickleball (MLP) since 2022 as an owner of the New York Hustlers through his firm LRMR Ventures.
The MPL founder, Steve Kuhn, describe the investment at the time as a ‘watershed moment’ for the sport that would be instrumental in the league’s goal of reaching 40 million players by 20230.
Similarly, seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady invested in MLP, as did current NFL star Patrick Mahomes as they saw the future value of the game.
American actor, comedian and musician Jamie Foxx is a lover of the sport as well. Foxx has hosted ‘pickleball parties’ at his three-court-compound and is also a co-founder of The Best Paddle with Taylor Chien, which sells starter and pro equipment including paddles, bags and apparel.
The PKLBull Verdict
There is a clear trend here that celebrities, sports stars and entrepreneurs alike see the vision when it comes to pickleball.
The Sports and Fitness Industry Association say pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world and this has been capitalised on by investors.
Lebron James has investments and shares across multiple industries, including the owners of Liverpool F.C. Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Beats by Dre and SpringHill Company. He is an intelligent and extremely wealthy athlete and businessman, and he knows what he is doing.
The trend towards this major investment, like what is happening in India with the WBPL, is because there is money to be made.
Pickleball is continuing to explode in popularity, so it has millions of fans, is very accessible for all ages in terms of playing and the way it has gained this audience is in a very modern way and will be consumed as such.
Streaming, huge sponsorship deals, and global leagues and tours mean it has taken lots of popular and successful concepts from as cricket, tennis, football, basketball and so on, making it an attractive investment.
Pickleball is getting more and more popular, and it is clearly seen as a fast-growing and huge market opportunity that could be an industry game-changer.
It is fun, accessible and globally played, with major names attached to it. These partnerships, as seen in the WBPL, aren’t just about owning teams, they’re about shaping the future of sport.