PPA Tour Event Draws Massive 1.25 Million Viewership

The Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour) has set a new benchmark for pickleball viewership with its OGIO Newport Beach Shootout. The event, held from April 21-23, drew in over 1.25 million viewers across CBS, CBS Sports Network, and Tennis Channel. The tournament featured one hour of national coverage on CBS, three hours of CBS Sports Network coverage, four hours of Tennis Channel coverage, and live-streamed coverage on YouTube. It outperformed major sporting events throughout the week, including three playoff basketball games and 17 professional baseball games. This news follows a broadcast deal between CBS Sports and the PPA Tour, where the network will air over 30 hours of the PPA Tour’s 2023 schedule.

According to Connor Pardoe, CEO of the PPA Tour, the viewership is a significant milestone for pickleball and proves that people are excited about and seeking out the sport on TV. The PPA Tour’s mix of national and cross-platform broadcast partners will continue to grow the game and showcase the best pickleball in the world.

Billy Stone, a CBS Sports commentator, praised the athleticism of the PPA Tour's athletes and the ebbs and flows of individual rallies during the Newport Beach Shootout, stating that he is excited to see more of the sport in the future.

With access to world-class pickleball events airing on national networks like ABC, CBS, ESPN, Tennis Channel, CBS Sports, and Prime Video, pickleball is poised to become a major force in the world of professional sports.

https://www.ppatour.com/pickleball-on-tv-is-here-to-stay-ppa-tour-event-draws-over-1-25-million-viewers/