The USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Tournament is coming to Greensboro, North Carolina, from May 28 to June 1, 2025. It will be held at the First Horizon Coliseum Special Events Center and is expected to bring in 1,200 to 2,000 players. This marks the city’s first major national pickleball event.
The tournament is part of the Golden Ticket series hosted by USA Pickleball. Anyone who registers on usapickleball.org by May 18 can compete. The event is open to all ages and skill levels. The entry fee is $125, and winners will advance to the national championships later this year.
A Growing Sport for All Ages
Pickleball is a sport that combines parts of ping-pong and tennis. It is played with a paddle and a plastic ball on a badminton-sized court. The game ends when one side cannot return the ball or breaks a rule.
The game started in 1965 when Joel Pritchard, a politician from Washington state, created it with his friends Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. They used old sports gear like paddleball paddles and a wiffle ball. In 2008, Joel Pritchard’s wife, Joan Pritchard, explained that the name “pickleball” came from the term “pickle boat,” which refers to a boat with leftover rowers.
The game first became popular among seniors. But over time, people of all ages started to play. In 2021, Washington made pickleball its official state sport.
Big Names, Big Growth
In 2022, famous athletes started investing in the sport. These include LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Kim Clijsters.
“I’ve been trying to find a way to extend my professional sports career beyond my 40s, even into my 50s, 60s, and 70s and I think I got the answer.” – (brady)
According to the website Pickleland.com, most frequent players are in their 50s and 60s. But many casual players are under 35. Henri Fourrier, who will retire this June as president and CEO of the Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, believes the sport is popular for its mix of fun and social time. “It’s a great sport with competition, but also a great social gathering,” said Henri Fourrier.
“to aggressively market Greensboro’s assets, maximizing economic impact while providing excellent visitor service.” – (Fourrier)
“Groups will meet up, they’ll play, then go out to lunch or cocktails and beverages afterward.” – (Fourrier)
He said people often play, then go out for lunch or drinks. He used to play himself until a shoulder injury.
“I’m still recovering from that surgery, but my girlfriend plays and she’s pretty fanatical about it.” – (Fourrier)
Greensboro Ready to Host Big Crowds
Henri Fourrier said many people in the Triad are eager to play.
“There’s a lot of pressure on the facilities we have from people wanting to play on them. There are some development plans with the city of possibly putting in more pickleball courts.” – (Fourrier)
He explained that pickleball fits people of all ages.
“It has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, enjoyed by all strata of the demographic age population, and we felt it would be the next step for us to have an indoor facility that could bring in national, state, and regional championships.” – (Fourrier)
Greensboro has bought 34 portable indoor courts for the event. These can be stored and reused.
“We’re hosting one of what the Professional Pickleball Association calls Golden Ticket tournaments, the only one they are producing on the East Coast. We’re expecting 1,200 to 2,000 participants. We’ve purchased 34 portable indoor pickleball courts that can be rolled up after the event, put into storage, and moved back out for the next event we have. Winners will go on to the national championship played later this year.” – (Fourrier)
“It’s very easy and adaptable for all ages. There seems to be a large number of seniors that play who are retired tennis players, as there’s not as much running, and more shuffling side-to-side.” – (Fourrier)
The pickleball tournament is expected to bring over $2.3 million to the local economy.
“We’re hosting over Memorial Day and expecting to generate an economic impact of over $2.3 million. When people travel, they stay in hotels and eat in restaurants. They might go out to gift shops and buy souvenirs. If they drive in, they spend money on gasoline, and if they fly in, they may rent a car. All that adds up in our formula to post an incredible number for a first-time event.” – (Fourrier)
Looking to the Future
Richard Beard, president of the Greensboro Sports Foundation, praised the flexibility of the Coliseum Complex.
“Hosting the Golden Ticket shows the flexibility of our Coliseum Complex to be able to have 32 courts indoors at different times year-round.” – (Richard Beard)
Richard Beard, who is also running for Greensboro City Council at large, believes the city is on its way to becoming a leader in pickleball.
“Greensboro will become a national leader in pickleball, just like we have done in swimming, soccer, and basketball!” – (Richard Beard)
News in Brief: USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Tournament
Greensboro will host the USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Tournament from May 28 to June 1 at the First Horizon Coliseum. Open to all skill levels, the event expects 1,200–2,000 players. Organizers project a $2.3 million local impact. Registration closes May 18 at a cost of $125 per player.