NPL Release/Photo
October 25, 2024 – PWR and NPL have confirmed a partnership that establishes NPL as the exclusive and official tournament and league provider for the Oceania region in 2025.
Through this partnership, NPL’s leagues and tournaments will now be part of the PWR structure, allowing NPL players to earn points towards their PWR ranking and assist in qualifying for the PWR World Series.
PWR is home to the newly created Pickleball World Rankings, along with the PWR World Tour and PWR World Series. As a unified global ranking system, PWR offers a clear path for pickleball players to earn ranking points by competing in regional events. Players accumulate points through the PWR World Tour and can qualify for the PWR World Series.
NPL, the leading pickleball organization in Australia, runs the flagship Professional Teams League (NPL ProTour) and a professional tournament circuit.
As PWR’s exclusive partner in Oceania, only NPL events—both league and tournaments—will award PWR ranking points in the region. This collaboration aims to unify regional bodies under one global structure, supporting the long-term growth and governance of pickleball.
All events will fall under PWR’s established categories: PWR50, PWR100, PWR200, PWR400, PWR700, PWR1000, and PWR2000.
Ron Shell, CEO of NPL, said:
“We are thrilled to partner with PWR for 2025 and support their significant investment in the global pickleball ecosystem. PWR’s vision for the sport is incredibly exciting, providing our players with the opportunity to be part of a global movement while still enjoying regional competition. The introduction of a unified, international ranking pathway is exactly what has been missing. We look forward to delivering top-tier Oceania leagues and tournaments in 2025, helping players progress in their professional pickleball careers.”
Vineet Jain, Managing Director of The Times Group, said:
“The vision of PWR is to unify the global pickleball community and drive the growth of pickleball in global markets. The partnership with NPL is a step in that direction and we are excited to partner with them”
Pranav Kohli, CEO of PWR, added:
“Australia is a key market for the growth of PWR in the Oceania region. We’re excited to collaborate with Ron, David, and the entire NPL Australia team. This partnership is a major step in PWR’s global expansion.”