Kyle Yates and Andrei Daescu win gold in Pro Men ’ s Doubles . Photo by
Bruce Yeung ; IG : @ yeungphotography .
At the Open , founders Terri Graham and Chris Evon focus on all the players . You don ’ t need a grounds pass . They are selling the sport , not the player . This is the Tourney of the People .
Naples ’ Brian Allers , 46 , adds , “ Pickleball has adapted to social media very well . Gen X has grown up in the internet age . All the top players are on Facebook and Twitter . I learned how to wrap my paddle grip from a Ben Johns YouTube segment . I have gained most of my instruction on YouTube and it has been from the top pros .”
The media has become a huge part of the show at the Open because it has made quality pickleball accessible to everyone . Terri and Chris approached Rusty and Meredith Howes of Pickleball Channel before the first Open . Now Pickleball Channel is a fixture at the Open , providing global distribution of the daily livestreams and has collaborated over the years in preparation for the CBS Sports Network live broadcast . The production truck of Ray Colaiacovo , producer and packager for CBSSN , is a beehive of activity .
Rusty explains , “ Media companies are changing the way people watch . Now viewers stream rather than watch only traditional TV .” Meredith adds , “ Pickleball Channel continues to embrace the concept of all digital access , which is a plus for pickleball .” Rusty along with his team invented the idea of the “ kitchen cam ,” which was necessary to shoot pickleball effectively . Drones are used by Pickleball Channel for creative shots as well as for information .
At the US Open , Pickleball Channel and Digital Wave Productions came together to create a larger team including multiple cameras , editors , graphics and sound specialists . Rusty and Meredith are often up until 2:30 a . m . doing data management and creating new content for the next day . Pickleball Channel owns the most robust
Senior Pro Women ’ s Singles Champion Jennifer Dawson . Photo by Stephen Jackson .
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MAY / JUNE 2023 | MAGAZINE 39