World Series of Pickleball: Agassi's Grand Slam Bet on a Global Craze

LAS VEGAS, NV – February 17, 2026 – In a move poised to accelerate pickleball’s meteoric rise, Agassi Sports Entertainment Corp. (ASE) today announced ambitious plans to launch the World Series of Pickleball. The new global championship, headquartered in Las Vegas, will be developed in partnership with TEAM Marketing AG, the Swiss powerhouse renowned for transforming European club soccer into the commercial juggernaut known as the UEFA Champions League.

The initiative represents a significant bet on the future of a sport that has captivated millions. By pairing the iconic brand of tennis legend Andre Agassi with the proven commercial expertise of TEAM Marketing, ASE aims to create a definitive, world-class event that blends elite competition with mass-market entertainment, right in the heart of the world's entertainment capital.

A Sport Ripe for the Big Leagues

The announcement arrives as pickleball solidifies its status as a cultural phenomenon. Once a niche backyard pastime, it has been the fastest-growing sport in the United States for four consecutive years. Participation figures are staggering, with an estimated 19.8 million Americans playing in 2024, a number projected to exceed 22.7 million by mid-2025. This explosive growth has created a global market valued at over $2.2 billion, with forecasts suggesting it could approach $9 billion within a decade.

Demographically, the sport is also shedding its reputation as being solely for retirees. The average player age has dropped to just under 35, with the 25-34 age group now representing the largest cohort of players. This expanding and diversifying audience has fueled a professional scene, with established circuits like the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP) already drawing significant sponsorships and crowds.

It is into this fertile but increasingly competitive landscape that the World Series of Pickleball will make its entrance. "Pickleball is ready for a championship platform that combines competition, entertainment, and world-class production," said ASE CEO Ronald Boreta. He emphasized that the Las Vegas launch reflects a "vision of building a property with durable relevance and long-term commercial potential."

The Champions League Playbook

The strategic linchpin of this venture is the partnership with TEAM Marketing. For over three decades, the agency has been the exclusive commercial partner for UEFA's club competitions, architecting the model that made the Champions League one of the most valuable and recognized brands in global sports. Their involvement signals a clear intention to apply a similar high-level strategy to pickleball, focusing on event architecture, integrated media distribution, and premium sponsorship opportunities.

"Agassi Sports Entertainment has a bold vision for the future of racquet sports, one that aligns strongly with TEAM's ambition to lead the evolution of sport," said Simon Crouch, CEO of TEAM Marketing. "Through the World Series of Pickleball, we look forward to helping build a championship platform that truly resonates with fans, partners and the wider sports industry."

The collaboration is a calculated move by ASE, which secured the "World Series of Pickleball" trademark in June 2025. By bringing in the architects of soccer's premier club tournament, ASE is betting that the principles of building a global spectacle are transferable, even to a sport with a very different history and structure. The goal is to create not just another tournament, but an unmissable annual event.

Las Vegas Bets on Another Winner

Choosing Las Vegas as the event's headquarters is no coincidence. The city has aggressively transformed itself into the "Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World," adding the NFL's Raiders, the WNBA's Aces, and the NHL's Golden Knights to its roster in recent years, with MLB's Athletics set to arrive by 2028. It has become a magnet for marquee events, successfully hosting Super Bowl LVIII and the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, with the NCAA Men's Final Four on the horizon.

This established ecosystem of world-class venues, from Allegiant Stadium to T-Mobile Arena, combined with unparalleled hospitality infrastructure, provides a turnkey solution for a global championship. The city’s tourism authority, the LVCVA, has actively courted sports events of all sizes to diversify its economy, creating a welcoming environment for new properties like the World Series of Pickleball. By planting its flag in Las Vegas, the event instantly gains a level of prestige and logistical capability that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Agassi's Vision: From Pro to Promoter

At the heart of the venture is Andre Agassi, a significant shareholder in ASE and one of tennis's all-time greats. His involvement is more than just a celebrity endorsement; it reflects a genuine passion and a strategic business focus on the future of racquet sports. Agassi has already invested in other pickleball-related ventures, including the global rating system DUPR and a chain of indoor sports facilities.

"Pickleball has become a meaningful part of my life as a player, a fan, and someone who genuinely enjoys the sport," Agassi stated. "I see how accessible it is, how competitive it can be, and how quickly the community around it is growing."

This perspective informs the event's inclusive format. The World Series of Pickleball is planned to feature not only a marquee professional open with substantial prize money but also a team-based championship week welcoming players of all skill levels. The vision is to create a festival atmosphere where everyday competitors can share the stage with top professionals and celebrity participants, including Agassi himself. "The World Series of Pickleball will be about giving that community a global stage," Agassi added, "where anyone who steps onto the court has the opportunity to compete and win."

This dual approach—catering to both the elite professional and the passionate amateur—aims to build a broad and deeply engaged community around the event. As ASE and TEAM Marketing move forward, they will be navigating a dynamic professional landscape while seeking to create a long-term commercial platform built on media rights, sponsorships, and ticketing. The ambition is clear: to take the world's fastest-growing sport and give it a championship worthy of its global appeal.