Premier Pickleball | Continued
country and some corners of the world in its collective grasp and making people take notice — pickleball . Every fall , Indian Wells undertakes a transformation not quite seen anywhere else , taking some of the existing tennis court layout and redesigning it into nearly 50 championship-caliber pickleball courts .
Once the 2021 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships were completed and the champions were crowned and received their respective hardware , work got underway to change the venue back to its original all-tennis design .
“ The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is an award-winning state-of-the-art facility known around the world . By adding the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships to our event portfolio , we wanted to make sure everything was in line with how we run our events and business in general throughout the year ,” says Philippe Dore , Media and Marketing Director — Desert Champions . “ We wanted to make sure that the experience for our players , sponsors , and fans is one they would not forget . We create 49 championship-caliber pickleball courts each year ahead of the National Championships .”
After staging the National Championships in smaller facilities in and around the greater Phoenix , Arizona , area in the past , USA Pickleball ’ s leaders wanted to showcase the sport that has carried the moniker of the “ world ’ s fastest growing sport ” for the past few years at a facility that clearly reflected its explosive growth . In meeting with the administrative staff at Indian Wells Tennis Garden ( folks who knew a thing or two about staging
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is an award-winning state-of-theart facility known around the world .
world-class events ), they quickly realized this could become the new home of pickleball ’ s marquee event .
“ We noticed the growth of pickleball both on a national level but also here in the Coachella Valley . We started talking to local pros , learning about the sport and started a discussion with USA Pickleball , which led us to where we are today ,” adds Dore .
Where we are today is a championship pickleball event that has drawn rave reviews in the past before the COVID-19 pandemic hit , which caused so many disruptions with pickleball events around the country . In 2021 , the tournament featured $ 90,000 in prize money and more than 2,300 players dinking , volleying and rallying around the pristine courts at Indian Wells . Expanded media coverage this year included more than 100 total hours covering three courts on outlets like ESPN +, For The Fans , Roku , Selkirk TV and YouTube . If you couldn ’ t make it out to the awe-inspiring landscape of Indian Wells , you could tune in and catch a glimpse of what the sports world has been buzzing about for so long now .
Dore says , “ We ’ d like to think we were an integral key moment in time for the growth of pickleball by adding the National Championships to our venue . We elevated the sport by bringing it into a full stadium , with professional signage , a fully produced Championship Court including state-of-the-art video scoreboards , emcee and DJ , streaming and TV packages , and more . We want to continue to create the best event possible for players , fans , and sponsors and help pickleball become a major spectator sport .”
For some at Indian Wells , a refresher course was needed as to what this sport of pickleball that originated in the mid-1960s on Bainbridge Island in Washington was all about . They needed to see game action in person to truly appreciate the fervor and dedication of its participants and fans . “ Learning about the sport , the audience , the passion , the buzz … some of the executives took a trip to the US Open to witness firsthand the excitement and competition of pickleball . We talked to USA Pickleball about the participation volume , talked to some potential sponsors , and realized we can have fun and turn the event into a true business ,” says Dore .
When asked if he envisioned the day when the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships would rival the attendance and interest of the BNP Paribas Open , Dore wryly smiled and said , “ Let ’ s see first if we can get a Roger Federer of pickleball .” Current pickleball stars Ben Johns and Tyson McGuffin may have something to say about that ! •