Behind the Scenes of the PPA
| July 11, 2023
Behind the Scenes: PPA Tour
Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a PPA Tour event? The PPA Tour’s recent post gives us an exclusive peek into the hard work and dedication of their team to make each tournament a success.
- Tournament Setup: The executive team travels to every event, handling everything from unloading materials, setting up courts, preparing sign-in desks, and much more. With limited sleep and food, they ensure every detail is in place.
- Professional Broadcasting: The PPA Tour invests in a professional sports broadcasting team called Championship Broadcast. They use 4-7 cameras and a team of 10-15 staff members to provide high-quality live streams.
- Expert Commentators: The broadcasting team includes full-time commentator Drew Fellios and welcomes other pickleball personalities to join as commentators during live streams. Analyzing pickleball for long hours is a mentally demanding task!
- World-Class Venues: Venues are carefully selected, and world-class facilities are compensated for hosting events. The PPA Tour works with Acrytech to ensure consistent court conditions by resurfacing courts at each tournament.
- Record-Breaking Payouts: The PPA Championships in Las Vegas boasted the highest payout in pickleball history, with over 1 million in total payouts for 2021. The tour continues to break records in viewership and registrations.
- Growth and Global Plans: Despite being only in its third year, the PPA Tour has become the premier provider of professional and amateur pickleball events. Looking ahead, they plan to introduce exciting new global tournament options.
- Unsanctioned Events: Although events are unsanctioned, the PPA Tour collaborates with the USAPA to ensure qualified referees and consistent rule enforcement. This allows flexibility for creative choices to promote pickleball.
- Professional Management: The PPA Tour hires a professional team from PickleballTournaments.com to manage front desk operations, including scheduling, court assignments, brackets, and result recording.
- ESPN Partnership: Since televising events on ESPN in 2020, the PPA Tour has experienced steady and significant viewership. ESPN has acknowledged the popularity of pickleball, offering increased airtime.
- Global Tournament Plans: Excitingly, the PPA Tour is planning to organize overseas tournaments once travel restrictions are lifted, offering new opportunities for players worldwide.
The PPA Tour’s commitment to professionalism, innovation, and the growth of pickleball is evident in every aspect of their operations. The behind-the-scenes efforts ensure that players and fans alike have a memorable and enjoyable experience. Cheers to the PPA Tour team! 🏓🎉
