Association of Pickleball Professionals Signs Broadcast Deal with CBS, ESPN; Over 200 Hours to Stream Live
Pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in America, just had a huge growth spurt thanks to a new broadcasting deal with CBS and ESPN.
On Monday, the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) announced monumental rights deals with CBS Sports and ESPN to deliver hundreds of hours of APP Tour pickleball programming throughout 2023. This includes 12 hours of live matches and highlight-driven programs on CBS Sports Network, eight hours of event recap telecasts on ESPN2, and more than 200 hours of live streaming coverage on ESPN+ and APP TV.
“We are delighted to welcome CBS Sports and ESPN to the APP and are excited to be working with two of the most significant names in sports media to bring the sport of pickleball to fans across the country,” APP’s chief marketing officer Tom Webb said. “Over 36.5 million Americans played pickleball in 2022 and this media package enables those fans to tune in to our world-class tournaments, and introduces the sport and its best players to millions more. The APP exists to expand the sport of pickleball domestically and internationally and this media exposure is an important step in that mission.”
The rights deal joins an already-in-progress pickleball season that began in Punta Gorda, Fla. with a sold-out event and hundreds of professional and amateur pickleball players from across the globe. The 2023 APP Tour continues with the APP Daytona Beach Open from Feb. 8-12.
Pickleball has taken the sports world by storm and has attracted some major investors. Involved in various pickleball leagues are the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, James Blake, Kim Clijsters, and Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry. Now, CBS and ESPN are getting a piece of the pickle with this latest news.
The full schedule, including where you can watch the pickleball action, is below.
2023 APP Television Schedule
| Date | Tournament | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Jan. 15 | Punta Gorda, FL | 4:30-6:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Sunday, Feb. 12 | Daytona Beach, FL | 8-9 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Monday, March 20 | San Diego, CA | 9-10 a.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Monday, April 3 | Mesa, AZ | 9-10 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Sunday, April 30 | Sacramento, CA | 7-9 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Sunday, May 14 | Cincinnati, OH | 12 noon-2 p.m. (LIVE) | CBS Sports Network |
| Monday, May 29 | New York City, NY | 7-8 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Monday, June 26 | San Jose, CA | 7-8 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| TBD | Newport Beach, CA | TBD | ESPN2 |
| TBD | Philadelphia, PA | TBD | ESPN2 |
| Tuesday, Sept. 5 | Chicago, IL | 9-10 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Monday, Sept. 11 | Avalon, NJ | 8-9 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Sunday, Oct. 1 | Atlanta, GA | 12 noon-2 p.m. (LIVE) | CBS Sports Network |
| Sunday, Oct. 8 | Dallas, TX | 8:30-9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Sunday, Oct. 29 | Hilton Head, SC | 12 noon-2 p.m. (LIVE) | CBS Sports Network |
| TBD | Houston, TX | TBD | ESPN2 |
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