Samin Odhwani Pickleball Media Rights: Major League Pickleball Commissioner Samin Odhwani is preparing for major media rights talks as the league’s current deals with ESPN, Fox Sports, Tennis Channel, Gray Media, and FanDuel Sports Network are set to end after the 2025 season. Odhwani believes that the fast-growing number of pickleball players will help attract strong media partners for the league’s future.
Samin Odhwani took over as commissioner in April 2025 and recently spoke with reporter Austin Karp at the Brand Innovation Summit. He emphasized that rising player participation is a key factor in upcoming negotiations.
Building Media Deals on Participation Growth
Samin Odhwani said the national media deals are very important. He explained that the league is building slowly but steadily and focusing on people who already play the sport.
“They’re significant,”. “But at the same time, we’re building this thing brick by brick. … A big focus for us is creating awareness among all of the people that are playing.”(Samin Odhwani)
Samin Odhwani added that knowing the league’s audience makes media talks easier.
“I know exactly who I’m going after. I’m going after the people that are playing, which actually makes the media rights conversation even easier because it says, ‘Hey, we know the demographic. There’s 20 million people playing. We’re the fifth-most participated-in sport in America.’”
Looking for the Right Media Partner
Samin Odhwani explained that if many people play a sport, there’s a good chance many will also watch it. He believes that this helps make the case for strong broadcast deals moving forward.
“If you fundamentally believe that if a sport has a bunch of people that play, then a bunch of people will watch, then we’re well on our way to having a massive media rights opportunity,”. “And so for us, it’s about being selective of which partner wants to go along that ride with us.”(Samin Odhwani)
The current season of Major League Pickleball runs from April to November, and any new deals would likely be announced before the start of the 2026 season.
Big Opportunity Ahead
Samin Odhwani’s strategy focuses on attracting fans through participation first, then using that base to grow viewership. With 20 million players and more joining each year, the sport is becoming one of the most-played in the country. The league’s next media deal could bring in more coverage and attention than ever before.
News in Brief: Samin Odhwani Pickleball Media Rights
Major League Pickleball Commissioner Samin Odhwani is preparing for new media rights talks as current deals end in 2025. He says the sport’s large player base will help attract strong partners. Odhwani wants media companies that believe in pickleball’s growing popularity to join the league’s next chapter.
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