by Kelly Campbell
In April, Major League Pickleball (MLP) announced a significant shift in tournament marketing by replacing its longtime sponsor Margaritaville with DoorDash in a multimillion-dollar brand deal. This move signals a new era in pickleball sponsorships—for the first time, we’re seeing true competition and bidding wars among brands eager to get involved.
This heightened competition is a clear sign of pickleball’s rapid growth and rising value. It’s no secret that pickleball isn’t just the next big thing, it’s the here and now. Brands recognize this and are pouring dollars into the sport, hoping to capitalize on its explosive popularity.
As pickleball continues to soar, more big-name sponsors are entering the game, investing heavily in rising stars and fueling the sport’s future growth and longevity. With well-known athletes and retired pros from other sports, like Andre Agassi, joining the pickleball scene, we can expect bigger payouts for players and stronger, more sustained brand support.
That said, it’s essential for consumers to be aware of the marketing behind these sponsorships and to understand the relationship between endorsements and the sport’s development before putting their complete trust in branded messaging.
Read on to explore the MLP and DoorDash sponsorship, other notable brand partnerships, and how sponsorships are shaping the future of pickleball marketing.
Move Aside Margaritaville––DoorDash & MLP Partner in 2025
Major League Pickleball officially cut ties with its longtime partner Margaritaville in favor of a multimillion-dollar deal with DoorDash.
In an April press release, MLP announced the three-year deal with DoorDash. DoorDash is now the official title sponsor, and the league and all tournaments will be known as “MLP presented by DoorDash.” Partnering with such a well-known brand as DoorDash is a power move that matches recent MLP shifts and high-profile investors and team owners.
This partnership signals a complete rebrand for the MLP; from now on, all MLP events, marketing materials, uniforms, and courts will feature the DoorDash logo. DoorDash customers and pickleballers can expect exclusive MLP-related offers and perks for MLP events.
“We are delighted to welcome DoorDash as Major League Pickleball’s official naming rights partner. DoorDash has established themselves as a preeminent brand in the sports marketing industry and we look forward to working with them to convert the tens of millions pickleball players and MLP fans into avid DoorDash customers. Pickleball and DoorDash will become synonymous through this collaborative partnership.” – UPA Chief Revenue Officer George Killebrew.
“We’re beyond excited to be part of the incredible momentum around pickleball as the official title sponsor of MLP. MLP presented by DoorDash is all about bringing fans even closer to the game, and throughout our partnership, we’ll deliver exclusive experiences, unique perks, and unforgettable moments that celebrate the sport’s rapid rise and strong sense of community.” – Renaldo Chapman, Vice President, Brand & Creative at DoorDash.
Margaritaville became MLP’s title sponsor in 2022, a monumental step for the league, and one of the largest commercial deals ever for pickleball. Margaritaville’s investment and marketing strategy have played a key role in MLP’s dominance and growth over the last few years.
The new partnership highlights a shift and increased competition for brand deals and partnerships, which signals positive growth for the sport overall. These sponsorships and marketing deals bring money to the pickleball space, and that investment will create even more opportunities for pickleball development.
Dollars & Dinks in Pickleball Partnerships
So, what does DoorDash have to do with pickleball? It’s all about money. DoorDash has recognized the marketing potential in pickleball, and this deal is reflective of pickleball’s astronomical growth and potential.
Strong sponsorships and brand partnerships represent a new era in pickleball branding. Whether through company partnerships with pickleball businesses (like DoorDash and MLP), specific tournaments and events, or well-known players, sponsorships are mutually beneficial. Brands gain exposure in a new audience and capitalize off of pickleball’s popularity, and pickleball players and companies get money in their pockets to further invest into the sport. There are some differences between sponsorships, endorsements, and brand deals, but they all work to unite brands with players, events, and leagues to drive sales and increase exposure.
A brand deal is a broad term for any agreement between a brand and players, projects, or businesses. Endorsements involve a player or entity publicly promoting a product or brand, often through advertisements or social media campaigns. Sponsorships are formal partnerships where brands provide financial support to events, players, or organizations in exchange for advertising exposure, such as naming rights or logo placements.
Pickleball deals for more notable consumer brands symbolize and support the sport’s growing mainstream appeal. For niche and individual sports like pickleball, brand deals generate the most money for players. Professional players often earn more via brand deals than in their yearly contracts or prize money. More brands entering the pickleball space means greater talent in the professional pickleball pool because of bigger payout opportunities.
Much like Nike’s early sponsorship of Michael Jordan led to the billion-dollar Air Jordan brand, today’s pickleball sponsors are betting on long-term influence—hoping to catch the next breakout star of the sport.
Take Anna Leigh Waters, for example. She’s the highest-paid professional pickleball player ever, and her 2024 earnings were estimated at over $3 million. A significant portion of that is from endorsements and sponsorships, including deals with Paddletek, Cetaphil, Carvana, Fila, Lock Laces, and Shiseido. Endorsements differ per partner, but we can assume that she gets paid by each brand to either do advertisements, exclusively use equipment, or promote brands on social media. A Waters–Paddletek sponsorship makes clear sense as both dominate the pickleball space, and her use of their paddle as the best player increases paddle sales. But even brands like Cetaphil, a skincare company, and Carvana, an online car retailer, recognize pickleball as a marketing opportunity, which is why Carvana (also a PPA tour sponsor) gifted Waters a car for her 16th birthday.
Last year, we discussed the rise of pickleball influencers on social media and their impact on the pickleball space. Influencer marketing is a growing channel for brand exposure, and the pickleball space is no exception. Pickleball influencer Tara Bernstein, for example, profits from posting videos, advertisements, and giveaways with pickleball partners to her 40k+ followers.
While big-name sponsorships are positive overall for pickleball’s growth, they do pose risks and create distrust for some consumers. The average player should be wary of what players and influencers are selling, keeping in mind that these sponsorships are business deals before anything else. It’s crucial to do your own research before buying into the hype.
Big Brands Betting on Pickleball
We’ve already named a few, but here are some more brands you might recognize that are taking advantage of pickleball’s mainstream momentum.
Sports Equipment
JOOLA: Sponsorship with Ben Johns
Paddletek: Sponsorship with Anna Leigh Waters
Skechers: Official footwear sponsor of U.S. Open
Selkirk: Gold paddle sponsor for PPA
Franklin: Official training partner of USA Pickleball
Food and Beverage
DoorDash: Official naming sponsor of MLP
Michelob Ultra: Pickleball Super Bowl Ad 2025
Coca-Cola: Sponsors USA Pickleball Nationals
Blue Note Bourbon: Official bourbon of MLP
Molson Coors: Sponsors PPA Tour
Fila: Anna Leigh Waters sponsorship
Other
Cetaphil: Endorsements from Anna Leigh Waters
Carvana: PPA Tour sponsor
Advil: Official pain reliever of MLP
BioFreeze: Title Sponsor of the USA Pickleball National
Tesla: Sponsors USA Pickleball Nationals
TopGolf: Sponsors USA Pickleball Nationals
Sources
Recent Comments