2018 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships to Offer Largest Cash Prize in the History of the Sport
Indian Wells, Calif. – Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 – Event sports & entertainment management company Desert Champions, in conjunction with the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), today announced a cash prize purse of $75,000 for the Open and Sr. Open (pro divisions) of the 2018 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, to be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden November 3-11, 2018. Equal prize money will be awarded to athletes for all doubles, mixed doubles and singles medal winners for this year’s event. According to the USAPA, this year’s cash purse represents the largest ever distributed for the sport of pickleball.
USAPA Executive Director Justin Maloof said, “The venue move to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden this year represents a significant step forward in our long-term strategy to elevate the sport of pickleball and showcase our top athletes on a national stage. The cash amount this year is really the icing on the cake and demonstrates a new level of investment and support by the Event partners and sponsors.”
“We are thrilled to host this incredible event at Indian Wells Tennis Garden and are beyond excited about the record-breaking size of the cash purse prize,” said Steve Birdwell, Chief Operating Officer of Desert Champions. “This impressive amount really speaks to the growing popularity of this sport.”
This is truly unbelievable,” said pro pickleball player, Simone Jardim. “Three years ago, when I started playing pickleball, I would have never dreamt that I would be playing at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, let alone for this kind of money. This entire experience is a giant step forward for our sport.”
This event is expected to draw more than 2,200 participants from across the country and will feature an array of daily live entertainment, food, concessions and exciting pickleball action. Admission to the grounds and to the 44 field courts is free. Tickets to the Championship Court are now available at USAPickleballNationals.com.
About Desert Champions
Desert Champions LLC manages and operates a curated selection of sports and entertainment events and properties, the largest of which is the BNP Paribas Open, held annually at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. In addition to hosting this prestigious sporting event, Desert Champions manages the Garden Jam Music Festival, Easter Bowl, the Oracle Challenger Series and the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships. For more information, visit desertchampions.com.
About USA Pickleball Association (USAPA)
The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation and is the governing body for the sport of pickleball in the U.S. USAPA is committed to advancing the growth of pickleball among players of all ages and characteristics. It will continue to provide the infrastructure for the development of the sport through promulgation of official rules, sponsoring and sanctioning tournaments and clinics, ranking players, communicating with its members, training of all levels of players, and otherwise promoting pickleball. For more information, visit usapa.org
About Margaritaville
Margaritaville is a global lifestyle brand inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of singer, songwriter and best-selling author Jimmy Buffett, whose songs evoke a passion for tropical escape and relaxation.
Margaritaville features 14 lodging locations with more than 20 additional projects in the pipeline, four gaming properties and over 60 food and beverage venues including signature concepts such as Margaritaville Restaurant, award-winning JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill and LandShark Bar & Grill. More than 20 million travelers every year change their latitude and attitude with a visit to a Margaritaville resort, residential real estate destination, vacation club, vacation home rental or restaurant.
Consumers can also escape everyday through a collection of Margaritaville lifestyle products including apparel, footwear, frozen concoction makers, home décor, a satellite radio station and more. Additionally, the brand’s food, beverage and spirits lines – including Margaritaville tequilas, rums, LandShark Lager and a new bestselling cookbook – deliver authentic, tropical escapism to fans around the world. Margaritaville, a state of mind since 1977.
