Connor Pardoe PPA Tour Origin Story: PPA Tour Founder and CEO Connor Pardoe explained how he created the world’s top pickleball circuit during an appearance on the Pickleballers podcast. Pardoe shared how his love for the sport turned into building a professional tour that now attracts the best players and fans across the country.
Early Introduction to Pickleball
Connor Pardoe grew up playing basketball but was introduced to pickleball in 2018 by his aunt. Soon after, he convinced his father to join him, and the two traveled to regional events.
“We were traveling for a work trip and we saw that there was a pickleball tournament in Atlanta and there were 400 players. I’d just gone to the tennis US Open and I had a great time, but I remember watching Simone [Jardim], Lucy [Kovalova], Irina [Tereschenko], and Anna Leigh [Waters], who was 12 years old at the time and playing with her mom Leigh,” said Pardoe. “I remember watching them play, and I turned to my dad and said, ‘I had more fun watching that pickleball match than I did at the US Open.’ I loved it.”
Building the PPA Tour
That moment inspired Pardoe to consider launching a tour.
“As an entrepreneur, I immediately started obsessing about it and running math on the back of my napkin, doing research, and finding out who all the best players were,” he said. “I wanted to host four or five tournaments a year and call it the PPA Tour.”
To draw attention, Pardoe reached out to leading professionals. “I messaged the pros on Instagram who were the best at the time: Matt Wright, Lucy Kovalova, Ben Johns, Irina Tereschenko,” Pardoe explained. “I said, ‘If you agree to come to all five of our tournaments, we’ll give you a $1,000 appearance fee to come.’”
First Tournament Success
The players agreed, and the PPA Tour held its first event in early 2020 at the Mesa Tennis Center in Arizona. The competition included 650 amateur participants and a $50,000 purse for the pros. Pardoe recalled the mindset that guided the tour’s growth.
“From that time, it was never ‘This is what I want it to look like in five years.’ Instead, it was a little bit bigger, a little bit better, try and grow a little bit each and every week, try to learn. The stuff you do well, try and do more of it. The stuff you screw up on, try and do less of it. Surround yourself with people who want to work hard and want to do the right thing,” Pardoe said.
Challenges and Determination
Pardoe explained that building the tour required focus despite outside doubt.
“But at the same time, you have to have tunnel vision because no one wants you to succeed. Everybody wishes it was their idea, and everyone is so quick to point out the wrong, the bad decisions you make. I surrounded myself with people that I knew were going to work hard, care, and are good people. Doing that led us to where we are today,” he added.
Life and Passion
At only 23 years old, Pardoe managed the tour while raising two sets of twins with his wife, Carly. He admitted his motivation was simple.
“I love pickleball so much and I just thought it’d be fun to make a pro tour,” Pardoe said. “I never thought it would change my life in any way.”
Lasting Impact
Pardoe’s efforts transformed professional pickleball. What began with a simple idea now stands as the Professional Pickleball Association Tour, shaping the future of the sport and giving players a global stage to showcase their talent.
News in Brief: Connor Pardoe PPA Tour Origin Story
Connor Pardoe, CEO of the PPA Tour, shared how he launched the pro pickleball circuit during a Pickleballers podcast episode. Starting in 2020 with one event in Arizona, Pardoe grew the tour by securing top players. At only 23, he balanced family life while shaping pickleball’s professional future.
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