The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) announced today details on its venue selection process as it begins designing the 2024 APP Tour schedule. The APP is now accepting proposals from cities and venues interested in hosting a nationally-televised, multi-day APP Tour event that engages the local community and drives exposure and tourism to the area. APP Tour events will deliver, on average, over $3 million in positive economic impact to the local community given the large participation rates and national broadcast coverage of all APP Tour events.
The APP is proactively seeking venues that not only provide a world-class pickleball tournament experience, but also help satisfy the APP Tour’s growing needs of its athletes, sponsors, fans, and broadcast partners. Potential venues must accommodate a minimum of 24 dedicated pickleball courts, one “championship court” with seating for 2,000 people, and ample space for player amenities. Every APP Tour event is broadcast on CBS Sports Network or ESPN2 and livestreamed on ESPN+ or APPTV, so all venues must meet the APP’s production requirements, including sufficient space for a production center, broadcast booth, and satellite truck.
The APP strives to make its venues as accessible as possible for players and fans. Venues must be located within a 45-minute drive from a major airport, have substantial hotel and lodging options within 10 miles, and have ample parking near the venue. The APP will work closely with venues to ensure proper accommodation for players, staff and guests for food and beverage, restrooms, internet access, and ADA-accessibility requirements.
2024 APP Tour events will host approximately 1,500 players across all age and skill divisions – professional, senior pro, super-senior pro, and amateur – over the course of each five-day tournament. These events provide a substantial local economic impact with the influx of tour administrators, attendees, and players from across the country. In addition, each APP Tour event and associated venue receives extensive media exposure from broadcast, social and earned media channels and effectively showcases the appeal of the local community and its attractions.
“The APP strives to provide the best possible experience for its players, sponsors, and fans; an experience that’s seamless and memorable from top to bottom,” commented Shannon Dan, EVP of Global Partnerships for the APP. “With hundreds of new pickleball facilities opening each month, we want to make sure we are opening the APP experience to the cities and venues that will drive the most interest and work with us to deliver a world-class experience in their community.”
Full information on the RFP process, including how to submit a proposal, can be found here.
