You've heard about it, maybe even played it.
Now you can watch the top professionals in the world play
pickleball on CBS, Paramount + and CBS Sports Network.
SALT
LAKE CITY, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pro
Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour is bringing unprecedented play
with the top female and male professionals in the world to the
unprecedented Riviera Country Club in an unprecedented way with the
LIVE broadcast on CBS on Saturday, August
13, 2022, from 1-3 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Time. The broadcast will also be available for
streaming on Paramount+.
The Skechers Invitational Summer Championship kicks off a
multi-year deal between CBS Sports and the PPA to broadcast select
tournaments across the CBS Television Network, Paramount+ and CBS
Sports Network. With the addition of this partnership, CBS Sports
and the CBS Television Network continue to grow in the pickleball
space, following the previously announced PICKLED, a
celebrity-packed pickleball tournament from Stephen Colbert's Spartina, Funny Or Die and CBS
Studios, which will air later this year as a two-hour special event
on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on
Paramount+.
"The PPA Tour is proud to lead the way in advancing the sport of
pickleball, and it will take a giant leap forward with the two-hour
live television broadcast on CBS. We are always looking for ways to
elevate the sport of pickleball. Our headline sponsor Skechers, a
breakthrough performance footwear brand in the sport of pickleball,
exemplifies the growth in the sport," said PPA Tour CEO
Connor Pardoe.
"After the incredible reception we received this year launching
Skechers Viper Court pickleball footwear, we wanted to showcase the
fastest growing sport in America to the nation with a tournament in
Los Angeles, our home of 30
years," said Michael Greenberg,
president of Skechers.
Kicking off the tournament is a Celebrity Pro-Am on Friday, August 12, from 7–8:30 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Time available on the PPA Tour YouTube Channel.
Celebrities and pro athletes alike are a part of the avalanche of
popularity in the sport, along with the 4.8 million active players
in the US and growing.
Then there is no holding back as the top ranked players in the
game go for the trophy on Saturday. Watch Women's Doubles:
mother-daughter duo Leigh Waters and
Anna Leigh Waters vs. Lucy Kovalova and Callie
Jo Smith, followed by Men's Doubles: brothers Ben Johns and Collin
Johns vs. Riley Newman and
Matt Wright.
The final day of competitive action on Sunday, August 14, will be broadcast on CBS
Sports Network from 12-3 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Time, and includes Mixed Doubles: Riley Newman and Catherine Parenteau vs. Matt Wright and Lucy
Kovalova, Men's Singles: Ben
Johns vs. Tyson McGuffin, and
Women's Singles: Anna Leigh Waters
vs. Catherine Parenteau. Who will
take the title?
"Playing on the PPA Tour allows me to play against some of the
best players in the world in both singles and in doubles with my
mom, who kills it on the court," added 15-year-old top seed,
Anna Leigh Waters. "I am looking
forward to playing on the first nationally televised live
pickleball event on CBS," she continued.
"My brother Collin and I can't wait to compete at the
one-of-a-kind location, the prestigious Riviera Country Club. And
the broadcast on CBS will be next level. The sport of pickleball is
hypnotic, and now players and fans across the country can watch the
action," added the 23-year-old top-seeded Ben Johns.
All scheduled matches and events are subject to change. View
Player Profiles
Media Contacts:
Denise Villanueva | PPA Tour |
denise@ppatour.com | 310-383-4339
Caroline Goldberg | CBS Sports |
caroline.goldberg@viacomcbs.com
Jennifer Clay | SKECHERS
USA, Inc. | VP of Corporate
Communications & Marketing | 310-318-7200
ABOUT PPA TOUR
The Professional Pickleball Association
is the professional tour for the sport of Pickleball, organizing
events and rankings for the top male and female pickleball players
in the world and awarding nearly almost $3
million in annual prize money. With more than 20 events in
2022 at world-class facilities like the Lindner Family Tennis
Center in Cincinnati, Life Time in
California, and the Darling Tennis
Center in Las Vegas, the PPA Tour
is the premier provider of professional and amateur events. Founded
in 2018 and based in Salt Lake City,
Utah, the PPA Tour provides an unparalleled experience for
all, inviting players to compete and "play where the pros play," as
well as offering unrivaled venues, food/beverages, live
entertainment, VIP experiences, giveaways and games, pro player
meet-and-greets, shopping, vendors, and more. For more information,
go to www.ppatour.com. See Player Profiles and follow us on social
Twitter Instagram YouTube Facebook LinkedIn
ABOUT CBS SPORTS
CBS Sports, a year-round leader in
cross-platform sports coverage, broadcasts a portfolio of events on
the CBS Television Network, including THE NFL ON CBS; college
football, including the SEC ON CBS; college basketball, including
the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship; golf, including
The Masters®, PGA Championship and PGA TOUR; soccer, including the
UEFA Champions League and NWSL; and CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR. In
addition, the division includes CBS SPORTS NETWORK, the 24-hour
cable home of CBS Sports which televises live sports programming
throughout the year, including college football and basketball
games, UEFA Champions League and Europa League action, Italy's Serie A matches, Concacaf national
team competitions, as well as a full slate of original programming
and studio coverage. CBS Sports also delivers an extensive lineup
of global soccer coverage on Paramount+, including every UEFA club
competition match, all Serie A matches as well as Concacaf national
team competitions, and produces INSIDE THE NFL for Paramount+. CBS
Sports Digital's multi-platform offerings include CBSSports.com and
the CBS Sports apps for mobile and connected TV devices; the 24/7
streaming sports news network CBS Sports HQ; 247Sports; MaxPreps;
CBS Sports fantasy games; and SportsLine.
ABOUT SKECHERS USA,
INC.
Skechers USA, Inc.
(NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company™, based in Southern California, designs, develops and
markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear,
apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company's
collections are available in over 180 countries and territories
through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers
through digital stores and 4,355 Company- and third-party-owned
physical retail stores. The Company manages its international
business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint
venture partners, and distributors. For more information,
please visit about.skechers.com and follow us
on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
and TikTok.
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SOURCE Professional Pickleball Association