Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships Returning to Naples, Florida, for Third Year | Sports Destination Management

Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships Returning to Naples, Florida, for Third Year

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Aug 07, 2017

The Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships, a world-class, international competition, return to East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida, from April 21-April 28, 2018. This tournament, the biggest in the sport’s history, comes into its third year ready to break last year’s records – with plenty of room to spare.

Those who have not yet experienced pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., with more than 2.5 million players, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, will want to attend the upcoming event.

The inaugural 2016 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships exceeded organizers’ expectations, with more than 800 athletes coming from 39 states and seven countries. The 2017 event, with a sell-out field of 1,300 athletes, drew even more.

“We are really excited about the 2018 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships,” stated Terri Graham, the event’s founder. “We’re planning to have expanded facilities, more players at all skill levels and plenty of food, drinks, and entertainment to keep the party rolling day and night. For now, we just want people to mark their calendars for April 21-28.”

East Naples Community Park, the site of the event, has 48 pickleball courts surrounding the Zing Zang Championship Court, where high-visibility matches will be played.  33 courts were recently upgraded and host the highest level of play.

The inaugural event, in addition to hosting between 10,000 and 12,000 spectators, brought a $2.5 million economic boost to the Naples area, according to the Collier County Visitor’s Bureau. It also was named a winner in Sports Destination Management Magazine’s annual awards program, Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism.

Background Information:

Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships : The Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships is organized by Spirit Promotions, LLC, a company formed by Terri Graham, president, and Chris Evon, executive director, in 2015. Spirit Promotions also consults with tennis clubs and park districts on increasing revenue dollars by adding pickleball courts and effective programming to their business model. In addition, Spirit Promotions produces programs for pickleball instruction, including skill clinics, lesson packages and multi-day destination camps.

Information on the Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships is available on the event’s website, usopenpickleballchampionship.com, where visitors can also sign up for e-mail updates about the tournament. For sponsor or other information, e-mail Terri Graham at terri@usopenpickleballchampionship.com.

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