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Thomas Wilson prepares to shoot a shot from Ross Whittaker and Christopher Haworth during the first round of Pro Mens Doubles at the 2023 BioFreeze USA Pickleball National Championships held at Brookhaven Country Club on November 8, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
Bruce Yeung | Getty Images Sports | Getty Images
QVCowner of television and streaming home shopping networks, has signed an agreement with USA Pickleball to bring the sport to its platforms.
In a multi-year partnership, QVC has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body. The deal begins with the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships in November, which will be featured on QVC’s free streaming platform, QVC+/HSN+.
QVC, a subsidiary of John Malone’s Qurate Retail Group, will blend the shopping experience with live games. As part of the partnership, QVC will also be the exclusive retail partner of USA Pickleball.
The deal highlights the media industry’s continued pull toward live sports, which attract some of the largest audiences on both traditional television and streaming.
In the case of QVC, the choice to use pickleball was intentional.
Earlier this year, QVC launched a new brand platform called “Age of Possibility,” aimed at women over 50, said Annette Dunleavy, QVC’s vice president of brand marketing.
“Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America and it really resonates with this population,” Dunleavy said. “We thought what were the perfect two partners to bring together. We wanted to partner with them to bring the sport to life in a different and unique way for our audience.”
Pickleball is booming in the United States and is considered the fastest growing sport in the country. More than 5 million women over the age of 45 actively play the sport, according to QVC and USA Pickleball.
Pickleball courts have appeared in major cities across the United States. At the same time, the sport has signed major media rights deals, such as the partnership between the Professional Pickleball Association Tour and The Tennis Channel.
As QVC expands its streaming platform, it experiments with live shows and events, including its series “The Ultimate Gift Wrapping Challenge” and actress Busy Philipps’ late-night talk show, “Busy This Week “.
“When you look at these examples of relevant and very successful media, they are live sports,” said Stacie Tedesco, vice president of streaming at Qurate Retail Group. “It really was the perfect next place to go.”