Professional pickleball is extremely popular in the United States, with many female players earning higher salaries than those playing basketball or soccer.
The average salary for the approximately 60 women who compete on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour and Major League Pickleball is $260,000, which exceeds the WNBA's highest salary and more than double the average salary for players in the National Women's Soccer League.
The numbers are CNBC first reported.
The highest-paid player in the WNBA is Las Vegas Ace Jackie Young, who earns $252,450 annually. According to Front Office Sports.
Caitlin Clark, the most popular WNBA player who began her professional career last season after a stellar four-year collegiate career at the University of Iowa, earned $76,000 as a rookie.
The highest-paid WNBA players earn about half as much as NWSL players.
Portland Thorns forward Sophie Smith is the highest paid female professional soccer player, earning more than $500,000. According to Front Office Sports.
The NWSL's top 12 earners (a group that includes Trinity Rodman, Alex Morgan, Maria Sanchez and Crystal Dunn) earn between $250,000 and $450,000 a year.
However, there is still a huge gap between top-level players and the rest of the league.
The average annual salary is $65,000 per season. According to Essential Sports.
Pickleball's explosion in popularity is reflected in the rapid development of professional sports leagues such as the MLP and PPA Tour. The MLP and PPA tours both operate under the umbrella of the United Pickleball Association, which was formed last year.
According to the league, professional pickleball players earned more than $30 million in salaries last year alone.
Anna Lee Waters, a former tennis player ranked No. 1 in the world in singles, doubles and mixed doubles pickleball, will earn $3 million in salary and endorsements this year. Her rep told Forbes in September.
Waters, the daughter of former University of South Carolina Division I tennis player Lee Waters, was just 12 years old when she began her pickleball career in 2019.
She makes more money than No. 1 ranked men's pickleballer Ben Johns, who is estimated to have earned $2.5 million in salary and endorsements this year. According to CNBC.
Pickleball's growth potential has attracted big-name investors from the sports and business worlds.
Investors in MLP include NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, former NFL legends Tom Brady and Drew Brees, and entrepreneurs Mark Cuban and Gary Vaynerchuk, as well as several private equity investors. The company is also attracting interest from venture capital groups.
