2026年5月1日 / 美国东部时间下午6:26 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
匹克球爱好者随处可见。
如今，周五宣布的2.25亿美元投资将成立匹克球公司，为这项快速发展的运动提供专属运营主体。
相关机构在一份声明中表示，这笔交易将这项新兴运动中两大最活跃的主体——美国职业匹克球联赛（MLP）和卡瓦纳PPA巡回赛——合并至这家新母公司旗下。
美国职业匹克球联赛专员萨明·奥德瓦尼表示，阿波罗体育资本注入的这笔资金“无疑表明，匹克球已不再是一项新兴运动，而是正迅速成为美国下一项顶级职业体育赛事”。
“匹克球是全球增长最快的运动之一，深受各个年龄段的球员和球迷喜爱，我们很高兴能进行这项结构性投资，”阿波罗体育资本首席执行官阿尔·泰利斯说道。
根据美国体育与健身行业协会4月发布的报告，2025年全球参与匹克球运动的人数超过2400万，较上年增长22%。报告称，这项1965年在华盛顿州发明的运动，过去三年的参与人数增长了171%以上，成为美国增长最快的体育运动。
多位名人与运动员也加入了匹克球热潮，通过收购球队、支持球员来寻求投资回报。超级碗冠军汤姆·布雷迪和网球名人堂明星金·克莱斯特尔斯收购了一支球队，NBA球员勒布朗·詹姆斯、凯文·乐福以及德雷蒙德·格林同样如此。
将有超过150名签约职业球员加入匹克球公司。
这项运动的顶尖球员通过出场费、奖金和赞助合约组合，每年可获得超过100万美元收入。匹克球公司在声明中表示，旗下运动员的奖金和分成总额超过3300万美元，年薪约为26万美元。
但对于大多数球员而言，收入要低得多，许多人都有全职工作，仅兼职参加比赛。
除了将联赛和巡回赛整合至同一主体外，匹克球公司还将整合技术、零售和基础设施平台。
基拉·弗雷泽编辑
梅根·塞鲁洛对本文亦有贡献。
Pickleball Inc. clinches landmark $225 million investment into fast-growing sport
May 1, 2026 / 6:26 PM EDT / CBS News
Pickleball players are everywhere.
Now, a $225 million investment announced Friday establishes Pickleball Inc., a dedicated home to manage the fast-growing sport.
The deal merged Major League Pickleball and the Carvana PPA Tour, two of the nascent sport’s most active entities, under the new parent company, the organizations said in a statement.
MLP Commissioner Samin Odhwani said the capital infusion from Apollo Sports Capital “shows without a doubt that pickleball is no longer an emerging sport, and is instead quickly becoming the next tier one sport in America.”
“Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, appealing to players and fans of all ages, and we are excited to be making this structured investment,” said Al Tylis, CEO of Apollo Sports Capital.
More than 24 million people played pickleball in 2025, a 22% increase from the previous year, according to a Sports & Fitness Industry Association report released in April. Over the past three years, participation in pickleball — invented in Washington state in 1965 — has climbed by more than 171%, making it America’s fastest-growing sport, the report said.
Several celebrities and athletes have also joined the pickleball craze, purchasing teams and supporting players in the hopes of seeing a return on their investment. Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and Tennis Hall of Fame star Kim Clijsters purchased a team, as did NBA players LeBron James, Kevin Love and Draymond Green.
More than 150 signed pro players will be part of Pickleball Inc.
The sport’s best players can take home more than $1 million a year through a combination of appearance fees, prize money and sponsorship deals. Pickleball Inc. said in a statement that its athletes earn a total of more than $33 million in prize money and payouts and earn about $260,000 in annual salary.
For most players, however, the earnings are much smaller, and many hold jobs and play matches part-time.
In addition to bringing the league and tour under one roof, Pickleball Inc. also combines technology, retail and infrastructure platforms.
Edited by Kierra Frazier
Megan Cerullo contributed to this report.
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