After Tempting Big Money From LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Tom Brady, America?s Newest Fad Reaches Hollywood Stars Like Emma Watson and Many More

After grabbing the attention of NBA stars such as LeBron James, pickleball is all set to take on Hollywood next. On November 17, 2022, fans will get to watch the first-ever celebrity pickleball tournament on CBS and Paramount+. The tournament will reportedly be held to raise funds for Comic Relief, which supports millions of homeless people. The event is a joint operation of Spartina Productions, Funny or Die, and CBS.

There is a chance that many people don’t know what pickleball is. The fact is not surprising because although the sport was invented way back in 1965, it wasn’t until recently that people began to show major interest in it. It could be said that the game is a blend between tennis and ping pong. The outdoor/indoor sport can be played between two-four players. All they would need is a 36-inch-high net, a hollow polymer ball, and paddles.

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The?event will be hosted by talk show host Stephen Colbert and the roster of the teams is rather impressive. The star-studded list of participants includes actress Emma Watson, who is paired up with former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. Joining them are Kelly Rowland, Murray Bartlett, Max Greenfield, and many more. Interestingly, before the sport entered the entertainment industry, it had already snatched the attention of several sports stars such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Tom Brady.

NBA superstar LeBron James invests in pickleball

NBA players such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant are already investors in Major League Pickleball teams. The amount of interest that the sport has garnered over the past two years is pleasantly shocking. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar was part of an investment group that purchased an expansion team in September 2022. Also part of the group was fellow NBA players Draymond Green and Kevin Love. Following suit, Brooklyn Nets superstar KD and NFL superstar Tom Brady too purchased an expansion team respectively in October 2022.

The Pickleball League season 2023 will reportedly start off with 16 teams rather than 12. The reason is the extended list of investors that has enabled the league to expand the doubles events. Given the kind of attention the sport is attracting, it might be safe to say that pickleball sure does have the potential to gather a huge fanbase across the US and potentially beyond.

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Do you think pickleball will be able to garner the same amount of interest as the NBA or NFL one day? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.