Pickleball Mania: PPA Tour Smashing Ticket Sales Records with $1.7 Million in Revenue
What's the Score?
The Carvana PPA Tour has reported record-breaking ticket sales and attendance for the first seven tournaments of the 2025 season. Gross ticket revenue has exceeded $1.7 million, marking a 29% increase over the same period in 2024 and a staggering 147% increase compared to 2023. Total attendance for these events has reached 104,011, a 16% rise from 2024. The 2025 season has already featured the top three highest-grossing events in the tour's history: the Carvana Mesa Cup, the Veolia North Carolina Open, and the Veolia Cape Coral Open.
Hit it deeper!
The remarkable surge in ticket sales and attendance on the Carvana PPA Tour underscores the immense growth and escalating popularity of professional pickleball. Connor Pardoe, the Founder and CEO of the PPA Tour, expressed his excitement, stating that the first events of 2025 have been "absolutely electric," with records being broken at nearly every tournament and more fans than ever before witnessing the world's best players. The significant percentage increases in both revenue and attendance year-over-year demonstrate a clear trend of increasing fan engagement and interest in attending live professional pickleball events.
The fact that the Carvana Mesa Cup, the Veolia North Carolina Open, and the Veolia Cape Coral Open have become the highest-grossing events in the PPA Tour's history indicates a growing appetite for high-level pickleball competition across different locations in the United States. This geographical spread of successful events suggests a widening fanbase and increasing national appeal for the sport.
The announcement of these impressive figures comes as the PPA Tour gears up for its next major event, the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships in May. This second "Slam" of the season is highly anticipated, offering significant 2,000 ranking points to the winners. The Atlanta Championships will be held at Life Time Peachtree Corners, a venue with 40 courts, for the fourth consecutive year. Tickets for this event are available for purchase, and amateur players also have the opportunity to register and compete alongside the professionals.
The strong early performance of the 2025 PPA Tour, as evidenced by the ticket sales and attendance numbers, highlights the successful efforts of the tour in promoting and showcasing professional pickleball. Factors contributing to this growth likely include the increasing skill level of the players, the exciting and fast-paced nature of the game, and the growing media coverage and accessibility of pickleball events. The partnerships with sponsors like Carvana and Veolia also play a crucial role in enhancing the tour's visibility and overall fan experience.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The staggering growth in ticket revenue and attendance for the Carvana PPA Tour in 2025 is a powerful indicator of pickleball's burgeoning status as a major spectator sport. The substantial year-over-year increases demonstrate a clear demand for live professional pickleball events, suggesting that the sport is successfully transitioning from a participation-driven phenomenon to one with significant spectator appeal. The record-breaking revenue from multiple events across the country highlights the expanding national fanbase and the increasing value of the PPA Tour as a platform for sponsors and media partners. As the tour continues its 2025 season with highly anticipated events like the Atlanta Pickleball Championships, these figures provide a strong foundation for continued growth and solidify pickleball's position in the broader sports landscape. The ability to attract over 100,000 fans in the first part of the season is a testament to the engaging nature of the competition and the tour's ability to connect with a growing audience.