The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) has announced media rights deals with CBS Sports and ESPN.

The channels will broadcast hundreds of hours of APP Tour pickleball programming throughout 2023 in what the sport’s governing body described as two historic deals.

This will include 12 hours of live matches and highlight-driven programs on CBS Sports Network, eight hours of event recap telecasts on ESPN2 and more than 200 hours of live streaming coverage on ESPN+ and APP TV.

Tom Webb, APP Chief Marketing Officer, stated: “We are delighted to welcome CBS Sports and ESPN to the APP and are excited to be working with two of the most significant names in sports media to bring the sport of pickleball to fans across the country.

“Over 36.5 million Americans played pickleball in 2022 and this media package enables those fans to tune in to our world-class tournaments, and introduces the sport and its best players to millions more. 

“The APP exists to expand the sport of pickleball domestically and internationally and this media exposure is an important step in that mission.”

The APP’s fourth season, the 2023 APP Tour, kicked off in Punta Gorda, Florida. The competition continues with the APP Daytona Beach Open, taking place at Pictona at Holly Hill in Florida from 8-12 February.

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