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How Much Do Pro Pickleball Player Make?
On average, a pro pickleball player salary ranges from $25k to $250k per year. This salary varies from player to player as each player has their own experience, position, and popularity.
If a player is part of the top 50 clubs in the world or even in the country, they might be able to make a living out of it.
But if they can’t even make $30k per year, they have two options. They can start another career and play pickleball as a side hustle or for their passion.
If they are extremely passionate and firmly believe in themselves, they must take this job seriously. But only playing matches will not bring success.
They will have to take proper coaching lessons and perfect their skills. It’s a universal rule that you will rarely get the best outcome if you don’t focus on the input.
Prize Money of Most Famous Pickleball Player Report
To get a better idea of the pro pickleball salary, take a look at the total estimated prize money of the renowned players.
Also, remember that it’s only the total prize money, professional pickleball player salary also includes sponsorships and other sources of income.
| Name of the Player | Estimated Prize Money |
| Benjamin Johns | $146,000 |
| Colin Johns | $31,500 |
| Riley Newman | $75,000 |
| Tyson McGuffin | $84,000 |
How Pro Pickleball Players Makes Their Money?
The question, “how much are pickleball players making?” can’t be answered accurately as it depends on various factors.
The top professional players seem to have a very comfortable lifestyle. Most people think that they only earn their bucks through prize money.
Cash prizes, brand deals, appearance fees, and many other methods take the pickleball players pro salary near the range of $150k to $250k. Let’s get into the details of these methods!
Tournament Prize Money
As a kid, we used to be fascinated by the big check boards that are won by the athletes. We all wondered if the players got the prize or if the cheques were fake..
To simply answer that, yes, players get the cash prizes they won. The USA Championship 2022 will be held in December. The prize pool for this tournament is $100k.
But don’t get too happy, because this will be divided among the players. The gold medalists for doubles will get $10k and singles will receive $3k.
Unfortunately, pickleball players can’t win a tournament every other day. So prize money is not the main source of income for professionals.
Endorsements
The majority of the money is made through brand deals in the world of pickleball. Unfortunately, pickleball is not a very popular sport so many brands hesitate to fund players.
But recently, we have seen a lot of major brands jumping into this industry. Recently, Fila and Selkirk Sports collaborated with top professional pickleball players such as Lucy Kovalova.
Most players who are not acknowledged by the public will find it difficult to collaborate with the brands. They will either get a very small commission or the brands will only send them pickleball equipment for free.
YouTube
YouTube can be a side hustle for pickleball players. They can teach newbies and can also make videos on the current trends of pickleball.
However, getting sustainable revenue from YouTube is difficult, but it will help you to get more viewers and fans. Resultantly, you will easily get an opportunity to work with different sports brands.
Appearance Fees
Top professional players are also able to charge appearance fees. They can make a short appearance in a TV show, movie, or a small tournament and can get paid for it.
Coaching
As many people are joining this sport, there’s a need for coaches. If professional players don’t have a tough schedule, they might conduct some coaching sessions.
The players can share their tips and experiences with beginners who require guidance and motivation. They can charge for these sessions which can increase the yearly pro pickleball salary.
Cash Prize of Major League Pickleball
To further explain the question, “how much do pickleball players make?”, take a look at the cash prizes of different tournaments.
USA National Pickleball Championship
| Name of the Tournament | Cash Prize |
| USA National Pickleball Championship | $100,000 |
Tournaments by the Association of Pickleball Professional
Every year, the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) hosts a number of tournaments. These are held in various states and provide players with the opportunity to win large sums of money. Some of them are listed here;
| Name of the Tournament | Cash Prize |
| Sunmed Hilton Head Open | $65,000 |
| Sunmed Houston Open | $60,000 |
| Sunmed Alabama Classic | $35,000 |
| Sacramento Open | $40,000 |
| Atlanta Metro Open | $65,000 |
Tournaments by Pro Pickleball Association
PPA also hosts tournaments in different states with cash prizes of up to $65,000. These are some of the PPA tournaments with high prize money;
| Name of the Tournament | Cash Prize |
| Orange Country Cup | $65,000 |
| Atlanta GA | $65,000 |
| Pro Players Cup | $38,250 |
Other Pickleball Tournaments
Here are some other pickleball tournaments where pro players can earn big bucks;
| Name of the Tournament | Cash Prize |
| Rocky Mountain Championships | $50,000 |
| USA National Indoor Pickleball Championship | $25,000 |
Cost of Going Pro Pickleball
Unfortunately, most players that you see in the top positions reached there by spending a lot of money.
Costs like tournament fees, equipment costs, coaching fees, and many other invisible costs suck the bank account. Let’s explore them in detail;
Equipment Cost
As a beginner, players must have to buy pickleball equipment. A basic paddle and a ball are the most essential items.
But once the player decides to upgrade to a professional level, they will have to upgrade to a professional paddle, ball, and shoes.
Shoes and balls for indoor and outdoor games are separate so this will be an extra cost for the players.
Once a player starts playing professional games, they might get free equipment from the brands. But before that, they have to buy it out of their own pocket.
Tournament Fee
Yup, tournament fees are required to participate. Professional players have to bear the tournament fees, accommodation, and travel expenses. If you can’t win the match, there would be no return on this investment.
For a singles tournament, you’ll have to bear the expenses on your own. However, if you are competing in a doubles tournament, you and your partner will divide the cost.
Court Membership
To ace the tournament, practice is required and you need a court to do that. Most of the indoor and outdoor courts charge per hour.
But if the player buys the membership to the pickleball court, they can skip the extra charges. Different cities have different court charges, but most of it is very low.
Conclusion
It turns out that every day is not sunshine and rainbows for the pickleball players. Pickleball Pro’s salary ranges from $20k to $200k, which comes from prize money, sponsors, and other side hustles.
Pickleball is growing at a fast rate. Therefore, we are hopeful that professional players will get a chance to collaborate with bigger brands in the future.
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