Liga Supremo Sets Prize Record, Sparks Pro Pickleball in Brazil
What's the Score?
The Liga Supremo event in Santos, Brazil, starting May 1, 2025, is setting a new standard for pickleball in the country by offering the largest prize pool in Brazilian history, exceeding R$ 100 thousand. With approximately 400 athletes confirmed, this four-day tournament at the Santos Pickleball Clube showcases the rapid growth and increasing professionalisation of the sport in Brazil, driven by the Liga Supremo's model which prioritises athlete compensation. The event is part of the league's ambitious plan to distribute over R$ 2 million in prizes across 12 stages in 2025, attracting both top national talent and international players.
Hit it deeper!
Pickleball in Brazil is reaching a significant milestone with the commencement of the Liga Supremo event in Santos, São Paulo. This tournament, taking place from Thursday, May 1st, is notable for featuring the largest prize pool ever offered in Brazilian pickleball history. The event, hosted at the Santos Pickleball Clube, is set to distribute more than R$ 100 thousand to the participating competitors. The scale of the tournament is also significant, with around 400 athletes confirmed to compete over the four days. Access for spectators is free.
This event is part of the inaugural season of the Liga Supremo, a league that has placed the valorisation of athletes as its main pillar. Inspired by the North American model of professional sports leagues, the Liga Supremo dedicates a substantial portion of its revenue directly to the players. Specifically, the league distributes 50% of its revenues to the competitors. This financial model is intended to accelerate the professionalisation of pickleball within Brazil, providing athletes with significant earning potential. The overall projection for the 2025 season is to award more than R$ 2 million in prize money across the 12 planned stages. Paulo Cantoli, the CEO of Liga Supremo, elaborated on the league's strategy, stating that the Liga is proactively structuring a professional environment for pickleball even before the market fully develops on its own. He emphasised that valuing athletes is fundamental to this process, not only through prizes and salaries but also by providing events with an international standard structure and a high technical level of play.
The Liga Supremo's approach and significant prize money are already attracting high-profile players, both from Brazil and internationally. The Sanavita stage in Santos is hosting six invited international and national players who have made their mark on the global and continental pickleball scene. These invited guests include world medalists Willy Pino and Alexa Quintanilla from Peru, Tara di Giuseppe from Canada, and Brazilian players Artur Linhares, Ale Barros, and Carolina Hack. These invitees join other significant names who have been contracted by the Liga Supremo. Among these contracted players are the multi-champion Australian Alex Fairbanks, and Brazilians Kym Sze and Marcela Donatoni. Kym Sze is a medalist from the World Championship last year. Marcela Donatoni has represented Brazil in Major League Pickleball (MLP) in Australia, indicating her experience in high-level professional leagues. Donatoni and Sze currently hold the titles of "king" and "queen" of the Liga, recognised as the leaders in the season's rankings. Marcela Donatoni shared her positive experience playing in the Liga Supremo, stating it "is being a very good experience" and praising the league's strong investment in event structure and prize money, anticipating continued growth.
The Sanavita stage of the tournament will feature competitions in mixed doubles, men's and women's doubles, and men's and women's singles, with various technical levels to accommodate different players. The Open tournaments are the main events and will award double points towards the Brazilian professional ranking at the Santos stage. For those unable to attend in person, the event is being live-streamed on the Liga Supremo's YouTube channel. The sources also highlight that pickleball is a "global phenomenon," experiencing accelerated growth worldwide. In the United States, it is the fastest-growing sport for the past four years, with nearly 20 million players, including notable personalities and athletes like LeBron James (an MLP franchise owner), Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, Tom Brady, and Selena Gomez. The sport's appeal is attributed to its simple rules, lightweight rackets, smaller courts, and dynamic, low-impact nature, making it accessible and enjoyable for all ages. This inclusivity fosters socialisation and makes it suitable for both recreational play and competitive events.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The Liga Supremo event in Santos, with its record-breaking prize pool and international participation, represents a pivotal moment for the professionalisation and growth of pickleball in Brazil. The league's model of dedicating 50% of revenues to athletes is a bold step, directly addressing a key factor in enabling players to commit to the sport professionally and elevating the competitive level. By attracting notable international players alongside Brazil's top talent, the Liga Supremo not only enhances the quality of play but also raises the profile of Brazilian pickleball on the global stage. The league's proactive approach to building a professional structure, as articulated by CEO Paulo Cantoli, positions Brazil as a key player in the sport's international expansion, moving beyond grassroots growth to create sustainable career paths for athletes. This initiative reflects the broader global trend of pickleball gaining momentum and attracting serious investment and talent. The success of this and subsequent Liga Supremo stages will be crucial in solidifying Brazil's place as a significant hub in the world of professional pickleball.