Professional pickleball players are organized to form the world’s Pickleball players association. The association is the first time a professional player has organized in such a formal way, putting them all under one umbrella.
The official announcement by the WPPA is set for the second half of Friday.
“This is something we’ve had so long needed,” said board member and player Colin Johns. “This is the right time. There are a lot of issues that are important to players.”
The association will be managed by a seven-player board of directors who prioritize health and safety, along with transparency related to compensation.
With the integration between the professional leagues that led to the formation of the United Pickleball Association, players felt that it was a natural step for them to organize.
“I don’t think that the formation of this association is militant in any way,” Johns said. “They can make it as collaborative as they want. What we all agree on is about some minimum standards… Whether you’re a No. 1 player, we want everyone to be treated the same way.”
The previous incarnations of the Tour sponsored Player Council lacked the independence of the WPPA and did not permanently change player issues.
The formation of the association was supported by sports solidarity founded in 2022 by former baseball player Harry Marino, who supported the union of minor league baseball players.
“We form sports solidarity, support and work with groups of players just like the players on this tour. We just want to spend time, create sports, have a voice and say,” Marino said. “This is not money for them. We want professional pickleballs to flourish, and as a group of players, they can help move the needle in a positive direction.”
The WPPA is initially similar to groups like the Professional Tennis Players Association, rather than unions like the MLBPA or NFLPA in that pickleball players are now classified as independent contractors. The WPPA simply wanted the voice of independent players, and felt that was a natural progression given the popularity of the sport.
“This really gives the players and the tour legitimacy,” Johns said. “We also feel that there has been a considerable amount of frustration among players about certain basic things that don’t necessarily cost money.”
Johns cited the ranking system as an example of something that could be remade under the guidance of the WPPA. It’s just one of the issues they find worth addressing along with safety, scheduling and player discipline.
“It’s the host of these issues that they can fix,” Johns said. “We don’t want anything unreasonable, but we need to keep our targets in things to get all the players together.
PTPA has also issued a statement of support for the creation of the WPPA.
“This is an important and commendable milestone and represents the first important step towards an independent, player-led representative,” the Tennis Association said. “We strongly believe in the importance of athletes with a unified voice free from league and tour control and interference. Such independence is essential to ensure that players’ interests, rights and welfare remain prioritized in all decision-making processes.”
Pickleball has grown so much over the past six months, with professional players making hundreds of thousands of dollars in response to tournament prizes and sponsorships.