Andre Agassi is one of the biggest ambassadors for pickleball. Not just in the United States of America, but Agassi has always spoken about wanting the sport to get more recognition at an international level. However, he can’t seem to understand how the sport will be transformed into a success on TV.
Despite the tennis-pickleball rivalry, Andre Agassi has spent the past few years in attempting to making the sport popular in his own ways. While he’s been successful to a certain extent, the multiple-time Grand Slam winner is facing a roadblock, i.e. how to monetize the sport. During his recent chat with Boardroom, the Punisher addressed the same concerns as “the million-dollar question”.
“The difference between participation and TV is the million-dollar question,” Agassi said.
Despite not figuring out how he could tackle this issue that the sport is facing, the former World No.1 continued to express his faith by revealing his monetary interests behind it as well.
“While you don’t have to love something you invest in, it’s a double bottom line win if I do,” Agassi added.
“With pickleball, I know it internally. I have more belief in it, and I want to support its growth.”
Being able to play pickleball at the age of 54 seems to be one of the biggest reasons behind Agassi’s affection for the sport and the reason for him spending abundant money in the form of investments.
The Investments Andre Agassi Has Made in Pickleball
Despite being regarded as one of the greatest tennis players ever, Andre Agassi has often claimed pickleball to be the “outlet in his life”.
“First of all, I love it. That’s obvious. It’s a great outlet in my life,” Agassi told Boardroom.
“Secondly, it is a sport that, from a participation standpoint, I believe dramatically in the growth of the marketplace… People put their phones away for two hours. So I’m fully bought into the growth of the sport from a participation standpoint.”
Back in January, Andre Agassi and a bunch of other investors purchased DUPR, a pickleball rating system and also invested a further $8 million in the project. Agassi also spent an undisclosed amount on Komodo, a pickleball equipment company.
With Agassi being invested in pickleball “for life”, it is certain that he will not stop putting in more money, time, and energy to promote the sport.
