Trulieve Cannabis Corp. is launching a partnership with the Carvana PPA Tour and MLP by Margaritaville to sponsor premier pickleball events in Arizona, Florida and Georgia.
The Professional Pickleball Association stands as the largest professional and amateur pickleball tour in the world, offering 25 tour stops nationwide. With over 39,000 amateur players and a 50% growth in registered players from 2022 to 2023, the PPA Tour has also captured the attention of over 275,000 spectators and 20 million fans watching on broadcast in 2023.
Major League Pickleball is a team-based, coed pickleball league featuring nearly 100 players across 22 celebrity-owned teams. The 2024 league schedule will showcase 11 events across 10 different states, bringing MLP's competition to more places and fans than ever before.
"We are excited to welcome Trulieve as a partner for the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball," said Jacob Cohen, vice president of Sales for the United Pickleball Association, the parent organization of the PPA Tour and MLP. "This is an innovative collaboration, and we are looking forward to working with Trulieve as both of us continue to grow rapidly."
Trulieve is sponsoring 12 events, starting with the CIBC Alanta Slam in September, spanning the remaining 2024 and upcoming 2025 schedule. The PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball feature the best players in the world, including the top 75 men's and top 75 women's players. MLP features a collection of regular-season events leading into the season-ending 2024 MLP Playoffs, where 12 of MLP's 22 teams will battle it out at two levels to crown this year's champions.
"Pickleball is experiencing explosive growth across the country, and we are thrilled to partner with both the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball to support the pickleball revolution," said Trulieve's Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers. "As the exclusive cannabis sponsor of these select events, we look forward to connecting with athletes, educating spectators on the benefits of cannabis, and supporting the top players of the fastest-growing sport in America."
As the fastest-growing sport for the third straight year with approximately 13.6 million players in the U.S., according to the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report, this partnership positions Trulieve, the PPA Tour and MLP to engage followers, reach new audiences and foster a sense of community that accelerates cannabis education and acceptance through the joy of pickleball.
