More games are joining the growing list of sports leagues in India. The new kid on the block is World Pickleball League, which will launch by the end of 2024 or early next year.
Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of table tennis, badminton, and tennis and can be played indoors in singles or doubles on a court.
The sport which has found traction globally is played by celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Selena Gomez, Emma Watson. Former tennis legends such as Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick have also been spotted endorsing and playing the game.
Behind India's World Pickleball League is also a former tennis star -- Arjuna Awardee, Gaurav Natekar. His company Natekar Sports and Gaming (NSG) will invest over $10 million over the next 3-5 years in India and APAC to promote the sport.
The league is backed by Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India (SETVI), a joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
While the game has over five million players across 84 countries and has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, pickleball is fast seeing traction in India as well. There are around 8,000 registered pickleball players in India and close to 35,000 are amateur players which is estimated to reach one million in the next five years, according to All India Pickleball Association (AIPA).
"Pickleball taps the player base of all racquet games like tennis, badminton and squash," said Natekar.
The league has received a multi-country licensing agreement of 10 years with the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), affiliated with the International Pickleball Federation (IPF).
The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) is the governing body of Pickleball in India, functioning as a nonprofit organization and providing support to other national and local pickleball organizations.
The World Pickleball League aims to reach over 30 million households.
The inaugural global pickleball league will consist of six franchises, each featuring 6 to 8 players, comprising a mix of leading international players from all over the world and Indian talent.
"Lot of the industrialists and celebrities from the film and sports industry have shown interest. Depending which franchise shows potential and which state government shows support, accordingly we will take a call for the venue. We are looking at six franchises in six cities. Interest levels are high because many are playing this game. We are expecting a 4-5 year commitment from franchise owners. We are looking at one venue and not at caravan style," Natekar said.
To encourage the growth of emerging players, each franchise will also have junior players who will practise, travel, and train alongside the professional players. This initiative aims to provide young Indian athletes with exposure to the highest levels of pickleball competition, helping to develop the sport's next generation of stars.
The league plans to work closely with franchise owners to conduct tournaments in the cities where their teams are based and help the teams increase their brand visibility within local communities.
"This league will help cultivate future pickleball stars and drive the sport's development from the grassroots to the professional level," said Arvind Prabhoo, President, All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) and International Pickleball Federation (IPF).
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