The World Pickleball League (WPBL), India’s first and only franchise-based Pickleball competition, which will begin in January 2025, is pleased to announce its partnership as the ‘Powered By’ sponsor of the upcoming World Pickleball Championship.
This strategic alliance takes place as India gets ready to host the World Pickleball Championship Series for the first time. The competition, scheduled for November, will include around 650 stars from the Pickleball world. The Championship will make its Indian debut following highly successful editions in Vietnam and Bali earlier this year.
Pickleball has seen a promising and quick surge in popularity in India, with more players of all ages and demographics taking up the sport, either professionally or as a way to remain active and socialise. The World Pickleball Championship is an excellent forerunner to the WPBL, providing an opportunity to experience all of the thrill and excitement of the sport live, prior to the launch of India’s first Pickleball league.
Founder & CEO of WPBL, Gaurav Natekar, commented, “Firstly, we would like to congratulate the All India Pickleball Association for their efforts to bring the World Pickleball Championship to India. The tournament, already a global phenomenon, will see the best of Pickleball talent from across the world descending on the island city of Mumbai for an action-packed event. Such tournaments are crucial as they help us identify the talents at the grassroot level. Additionally, it increases the aspirational value of Pickleball worldwide and further strengthen its reputation as one of the fastest-growing sports in India.
“The World Pickleball League will be India’s first and only official global franchise-based Pickleball league, and we are delighted to support the WPC, a tournament dedicated to developing the sport at grassroots levels globally, as the Powered By Sponsor.”
The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) was essential in bringing the World Pickleball Championship to India as well as encouraging pickleball in the nation.
Arvind Prabhoo, President of the All India Pickleball Association and President of the International Pickleball Federation, said, “Our journey with Gaurav and Arati in helping shape WPBL – India’s first and only official global franchise-based Pickleball league – has been delightful so far. We are extremely happy that Gaurav’s commitment to building and developing Pickleball in India goes beyond the league, and we are excited to invite the World Pickleball League (WPBL) as the Powered By Sponsor for the World Pickleball Championship.”
The World Pickleball Championship was created by Jan Papi, the founder of Pickleball Global and the WPC Series. His vision and ambition to expand Pickleball internationally, together with the initiatives of AIPA and WPBL in India, will guarantee that the nation embraces a pickleball revolution, propelling the sport’s appeal, development, and participation to new heights.