We’ve been hearing for years that pickleball is the “fastest-growing sport in America” and the sport of the future. Judging by the initial ratings for ESPN’s inaugural Pickleball Slam over the weekend, we might have to finally start heeding those warnings.
The broadcast, which featured a showdown involving tennis legends John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, and Michael Chang, garnered some pretty strong ratings on Sunday, averaging 669,000 viewers during the 2.5-hour competition, topping out at 796,000 during the doubles match.
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According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the matchup of four grizzled tennis greats made short work of much of last week’s TV sports lineup, topping no fewer than 79 broadcast and cable telecasts among members of the adults 18-49 demo. Featuring a pair of singles matches and a doubles showdown pitting Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick against John McEnroe and Michael Chang, ESPN’s coverage of the Pickleball Slam averaged 237,000 adults under 50, tying TNT’s Bruins-Blues game as Sunday’s fifth highest-rated sporting event.
ESPN has to be pretty pleased with the numbers given how much they’ve invested in pickleball in the years ahead. They cut a deal with the Professional Pickleball Association in December to air that organization’s team championships final on ABC and also partnered with the Association of Pickleball Professionals for a full season of coverage of the APP Tour, which will mostly stream on ESPN+ with recap shows on ESPN2.
We’ll have to see if the TV success changes McEnroe’s mind on the excitement surrounding the sport. Beforehand, he said that he would prefer to not have to hear about pickleball’s viability ever again.
“I don’t look at pickleball like, ’Oh my God this is great!’” he said. “If I hear one more time that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport I’m gonna throw up.”
Get that barf bag ready, John.
[Sportico]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.