Pickleball is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about sports in the United States, with professional players now earning more than top stars from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Major League Pickleball (MLP) states that the average salary for over 60 women in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour is about $2.6 million. This is significantly higher than the highest-paid WNBA player’s annual salary, and more than double the average salary of NWSL players.
For comparison, Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young is the top-paid WNBA player, earning $252,450 annually, while the NWSL’s minimum salary, according to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, will increase to $82,500 by 2030.
Pickleball’s rise can be credited to the merger between PPA and MLP, which created the United Pickleball Association. While they’ve merged, both PPA and MLP have kept their separate identities. The PPA Tour runs on an individual bracket-style system, while MLP operates as a team-based league.
Top pickleball players are making big money. Ben Johns, who’s ranked No.1, made $2.5 million in 2021. Now, 17-year-old Anna Leigh Waters is expected to earn over $3 million in 2024, beating Johns’ earnings.
Pickleball is growing fast worldwide, even in India. With this growth, it could even become part of the Olympics in the future.
