Global brands throw weight behind Singapore’s first amateur pickleball world championship

[SINGAPORE] Some 1,300 people from over 60 countries have signed up for the inaugural Epic World Championship – a four-day amateur pickleball tournament supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) – that starts at the end of this month.

The event will take place from Apr 30 to May 3 at the Kallang Tennis Hub, with a guaranteed prize purse of at least US$50,000.

With less than three weeks to go, the organisers announced the competition’s corporate partners, many of which are getting involved with a major pickleball event for the first time.

Some of these include Coca-Cola, QBE Insurance, Genting Dream Cruise and HotelPlanner. Among the other companies that have signed deals to be associated with Epic are Singtel, KPay, Carlsberg, Grab and Oatside.

The latest company to join that list is Stellantis, a multinational automotive giant that was formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and France’s PSA Group.

Stellantis Asean is Epic’s official automotive partner, with Leapmotor by Cycle & Carriage and Alfa Romeo by Red Rock & Rosso Motor both set to be showcased at the competition.

Isaac Yeo, the managing director of Stellantis Asean, said that apart from being a sponsor, the company wants to elevate a lifestyle that resonates with its customers and the sporting community.

“Pickleball is a sport defined by its dynamic energy and rapid evolution – qualities that mirror our own commitment to transforming the future of electric mobility in the region,” he said.

Epic’s head of communications Jason Lim said the “explosive growth” of pickleball in Singapore has resulted in many brands wanting to get a foot into the scene early.

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“The support Epic has received from corporate partners is a clear testament to the power that this sport has to engage, activate and excite players, spectators and communities,” he said.

Multiple categories

The Epic World Championship is sanctioned by the Singapore Pickleball Association and the Asian Pickleball Association, with STB on board for three years.

The tournament features men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, a team category and a corporate championship. There will also be a charity event that supports the Centre for Fathering in Singapore.

There are several ways in which competitors can obtain a spot at Epic.

They can do so either by being a top-ranked Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) player in their respective countries, or by winning a local sanctioned tournament. There is also be a direct entry option that is meant for corporate partners and sponsors.

All players at Epic must have a singles and doubles DPUR 4.99 or lower as of Jan 31 this year to be eligible.

DUPR is the official rating system of the amateur and professional pickleball tours, with some 1.5 million players from more than 9,000 clubs and 175 countries in its database.

DUPR provides a skill rating for players that reflects their ability in both singles and doubles. The system updates a player’s rating based on new match results. Ratings range from 2.00 (beginner) to 8.00+ (professional), with different ranges for novice, intermediate and advanced players.

Registration for the Epic World Championship is open until Apr 20 and more information can be found at the official website.