Professional pickleball has become incredibly popular in the United States, with many female players now earning higher salaries than those in basketball and soccer.
Approximately 60 women competing in the Professional Pickleball Association Tour and Major League Pickleball earn an average of $260,000, surpassing the highest pay in the WNBA and more than double the average wage in the National Women’s Soccer League. These figures were reported by CNBC.
For comparison, the highest-paid WNBA player, Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces, earns $252,450 annually, according to Front Office Sports. Rookie WNBA player Caitlin Clark earned $76,000 in her first season.
Top NWSL player Sophie Smith, a forward with the Portland Thorns, earns over $500,000, while the top 12 earners in the league make between $250,000 and $450,000. The NWSL average salary is $65,000 per season, as reported by Essentially Sports.
The growth of pickleball has led to the establishment of professional leagues like the MLP and the PPA Tour under the United Pickleball Association. Pro pickleball players collectively earned over $30 million in salary alone last year.
Anna Leigh Waters, currently ranked No. 1 in the world in pickleball, has the potential to earn $3 million this year from salary and endorsements, according to Forbes.
Waters, the daughter of former Division I tennis player Leigh Waters, has had a meteoric rise in pickleball since starting her career at the age of 12. She is set to earn more than the top-ranked male pickleball player, Ben Johns, this year, who is estimated to earn $2.5 million from salary and endorsements.
The potential growth of pickleball has attracted investments from notable figures like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Mark Cuban, and Gary Vaynerchuk in the MLP. Private equity and venture capital groups have also shown interest in the sport.
