PPA Tour Behind the Scenes Documentary: The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour is filming a behind-the-scenes documentary series to showcase life on tour. The series is being produced without a distribution deal yet. Filming is ongoing at PPA Tour events, aiming to boost the sport’s visibility to a broader audience.
Documentary Filming Underway Without Confirmed Distributor
The PPA Tour has hired a production company and is filming at tournaments across the country. The series will feature both players and executives from the tour.
“Right now, Carvana is spending millions of dollars a year (on pickleball), and they’re funding a documentary like Drive to Survive,” PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon testified in federal court recently during an unrelated case.
A spokesperson for the PPA Tour confirmed that filming is ongoing but added that there is no confirmed distributor or release date yet.
Pickleball Sees Rapid Growth Across the United States
Pickleball has become the fastest-growing recreational sport in the U.S. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, 19.8 million people played the sport more than once in 2024. This marked a 45.8% increase from 2023 and a 311% rise over the past three years.
The Association of Pickleball Professionals reported that nearly 50 million adult Americans played pickleball at least once in 2023. While the numbers vary, both reports show widespread participation in the sport.
Building a Media Audience Beyond the Court
The PPA Tour and its team league, Major League Pickleball, currently stream matches on PickleballTV in partnership with Tennis Channel. Matches are also broadcast on Amazon Prime, ESPN, FS1, CBS, and CBS Sports Network.
In 2024, the PPA Tour reported that viewers watched one billion minutes of pickleball matches. A tournament in Mesa, Arizona, drew an audience of 501,000 viewers.
Despite this growth, some experts remain unsure about the market for a pro pickleball documentary. One unnamed media consultant described the PPA Tour as an “upper tier three property.” Some viewers also find the sounds of pickleball off-putting, and the sport can appear easy to play, which may affect interest.
Patrick Crakes, a former Fox executive, said that success for such a documentary depends on telling compelling player stories. Netflix’s Break Point, a similar series about professional tennis, lasted only two seasons partly because top players did not fully participate.
Professional pickleball players are eager for more exposure, which may help the series find an audience.
Strong Business Growth Encourages Media Investment
Tom Dundon shared his personal connection to pickleball during court testimony. “I love pickleball,” he said. “And I met a couple of the people that were playing at a high level. I thought it was fun. I thought I could help,” he said of his 2022 purchase of the PPA Tour.
Sponsorship revenue for the PPA Tour has grown significantly. Dundon testified that sponsorship deals now bring in nearly $40 million, up from $1 million when he purchased the tour. A PPA Tour lawyer also described the organization as profitable.
“It’s obvious if you come to one of our tournaments there are lots of cameras following around lots of our players. It follows the storylines of the players and some of the executives as well to give a little more insight into the personalities of the sport.” – (PPA spokesperson)
A Growing Trend Among Sports Leagues
Producing behind-the-scenes documentaries has become common for emerging sports leagues. SailGP, a sailing competition launched in 2018, is also releasing a documentary on Paramount+ called Uncharted to attract new fans.
The PPA Tour, launched a year after SailGP, is now looking to expand its media presence in a similar way. While the series has no confirmed title yet, suggestions include: Behind the Dink, Get Out of the Kitchen, Let’s Make Some Noise, and Get That Crap Off the Tennis Courts.
What’s Next for the Pickleball Documentary
The PPA Tour’s strong sponsorship revenue and player enthusiasm suggest a solid foundation for a documentary. Finding a distribution partner will be key to reaching a wider audience.
If successful, the documentary could bring more fans to the sport and boost interest in professional pickleball worldwide.
News in Brief: PPA Tour Behind the Scenes Documentary
The Professional Pickleball Association Tour is filming a behind-the-scenes documentary. Filming is ongoing, but no release date or distribution deal has been confirmed. The series will highlight both players and executives. With pickleball’s rapid growth, the documentary aims to attract new fans and boost the sport’s media presence.
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