A celebrity name, a proven commercial blueprint, and the fastest-growing racquet sport in the US – Agassi Sports Entertainment is betting the combination can build a scalable sports property with long-term commercial value.
Agassi Sports Entertainment Corp. has announced plans to launch the World Series of Pickleball, a new championship property it intends to develop from Las Vegas in partnership with TEAM Marketing AG, the Switzerland-based sports marketing firm credited with helping build the commercial architecture of the UEFA Champions League.
The announcement marks the latest attempt to professionalize pickleball – a sport that has evolved in under a decade from recreational pastime to investment target for sports ownership groups, media companies and now high-profile athlete-led ventures seeking to build lasting commercial properties.
From trademark to championship
Agassi Sports Entertainment acquired the trademark and all rights to the “World Series of Pickleball” name in June 2025. The planned event combines an open tournament with a team-based championship week designed for players across all skill levels—from recreational participants to professionals. Large prize purses and celebrity involvement form part of the commercial proposition, with Andre Agassi, a significant shareholder in the company, named as a participant.
The company plans to generate revenue through sponsorship, media rights, ticketing, hospitality, and brand partnerships. It is actively pursuing relationships with hospitality and media organisations to support distribution and audience development.
A proven blueprint applied to a new property
The partnership with TEAM Marketing carries clear logic. Over three decades, the Swiss firm helped transform the Champions League from an experimental format into one of the world’s most lucrative sporting properties. If even a modest version of that playbook can be applied to pickleball, the commercial upside would be substantial.
The pickleball commercial race
The World Series of Pickleball enters a fragmented competitive landscape. Pickleball’s rapid growth in the US—particularly among adults aged 18 to 54—has attracted multiple competing leagues and events, creating a crowded market. Properties are fighting for broadcast deals, sponsorship budgets and venue partnerships. The sport’s challenge has never been participation; it’s translating grassroots engagement into durable commercial value.
That’s precisely the gap the Agassi-TEAM partnership claims to address. The Champions League model TEAM helped build succeeded by combining elite competition with rigorous commercial packaging: sponsorship tiers, broadcast production standards and hospitality programmes that generated revenue well beyond ticket sales. Whether that framework can be transplanted to a sport still defining its professional tier remains the central question for investors and brand partners evaluating the opportunity.
About Agassi Sports Entertainment Corp.
Agassi Sports Entertainment is a Las Vegas-based sports entertainment and technology company focused on consolidating the global racquet sports industry. Co-founded by eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi, ASE develops products and experiences across pickleball, padel, and tennis. Its ecosystem includes the World Series of Pickleball championship and “Agassi Intelligence,” an AI platform built with IBM to deliver professional coaching and analytics to players worldwide.
About TEAM Marketing AG
TEAM Marketing is a Switzerland-based global leader in sporting event development and commercialisation. For over 30 years, TEAM has designed and managed the commercial model for the UEFA Champions League, pioneering exclusive sponsorship tiers, centralised media rights, and broadcast standards that transformed European club football into a multi-billion-euro franchise. The agency now applies this blueprint to high-growth sports properties, providing consultancy in event architecture, media integration, and brand development.
