Humana’s Bold Move in Pickleball: Humana has renewed its sponsorship of the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) in a five-year agreement featuring new advertising activations and branding initiatives. The deal strengthens Humana’s commitment to the fast-growing sport, particularly among senior players.
Expanded Partnership and Activations
As part of the renewed agreement, Humana will continue as the title sponsor of the APP’s senior-focused Humana Cup and introduce new elements to enhance player and fan engagement. Key activations include:
- Humana Backcourts – Recovery spaces for players and fans at APP events.
- Court Branding – Humana’s logo will be painted in the kitchen (non-volley zone) on high-visibility courts during televised matches.
Additionally, Humana sponsored a kickoff event in January for “The Fort,” a new 10-acre pickleball facility in Fort Lauderdale, which will serve as the APP’s headquarters.
A Strategic Commitment to Pickleball
Jennifer Ilecki, Humana’s Chief Marketing Officer, emphasized the scale of this partnership, calling it the company’s first “360-degree national partnership” integrating broadcast media, social media, on-site activations, and content creation.
“This is the first time, at Humana, we’ve activated a 360-degree national partnership at this scale. It’s inclusive of broadcast media, on-site activations, social media, content integration. It really is creating that surround sound for Humana and pickleball, which is really cool.” – (Ilecki)
Humana has invested heavily in pickleball due to the sport’s popularity with seniors. The company is also:
- The official healthcare partner of the PPA Tour, an APP competitor.
- A presenting sponsor of the National Senior Games.
- A sponsor of multiple events at the Kentucky Derby Festival.
Humana’s Role in Pickleball’s Growth
“Given our company’s mission is around creating experiences that promote healthy and active lifestyles and foster social connections, there’s really nothing better than pickleball in terms of enabling older adults to do exactly that.” – (Ilecki)
While financial terms of the renewal were not disclosed, APP Chief Revenue Officer Ryan McSpadden positioned Humana as one of the APP’s two top sponsors, alongside Zimmer Biomet.
“What FedEx Cup is to golf, and what Nike was to basketball, this is what Humana is to the APP and to pickleball.” – (McSpadden)
GMR Marketing, Humana’s experiential agency, represented the company in negotiations, while the APP handled discussions internally.
News in Brief: Humana’s Bold Move in Pickleball
Humana has renewed its five-year sponsorship with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP), reinforcing its commitment to the sport. The deal includes new activations such as Humana-branded recovery areas and court markings.
The company sees pickleball as a key part of its mission to promote active and healthy lifestyles, particularly among seniors.
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