One of the biggest questions I get is: “Should I pursue professional pickleball?”

It’s a tough one to answer.

I’m not someone who will ever tell a person not to chase their passion or their goals. But there’s an important piece of the conversation that often gets overlooked, and that’s the financial reality of it all. 

I’ve seen players give themselves one year to try it out. Some have made a name for themselves through results. Others have built meaningful connections and discovered a passion for growing the sport off the court. And some have stepped away, at least temporarily, because of how expensive it’s become to compete full-time.

That’s why I want to share a transparent breakdown of my expenses as a full-time professional pickleball player to give emerging pros a realistic picture of what this path can look like.

Life on Tour: Year Four

2025 marked my fourth year on tour. I’m no longer starting from scratch. So now I’m in a different position than many players considering jumping into this full-time. Over four years, I’ve built relationships on and off the court, developed partnerships, and proven my capabilities through results. That foundation matters.

In 2025, I competed in: 11 APP Tour events, 1 PPA Tour event, 4 local Moneyball tournaments, 5 independent events (including the US Open, USA Nationals, LifeTime Singles Open, Global Sports Pro League & Tournament, and a Cayman Islands event). 

Breaking Down My Expenses

Below is a breakdown of my total expenses across APP, PPA, and independent tournaments (excluding local Moneyballs):

Flights - $3,550 

Five of the tournaments were held in Florida, so I was able to drive to those events. For two tournaments, my flights were covered, including the Global Sports League event in India and the PPA Asia tournament in Malaysia.

Lodging - $2,194‍

I was fortunate to stay with hosts for most of my tournaments, people I’ve met through connections, friends, and former colleagues. Honestly, this became one of my favorite parts of traveling. I had the opportunity to meet incredible individuals and families who were welcoming, generous, and deeply passionate about pickleball. On one occasion, it even sparked a new friendship with someone I hadn’t seen since high school! On a few occasions, I shared an Airbnb or hotel with other players, which also helped keep costs down.

‍Rental Car / Transportation - $2,017 

Gas - $262.27

Meals - $3,252

Lunch was provided for the players at all APP Tour stops so that helped with some of our meal expenses

Trainer - $3,165 

This is my own personal trainer. The on-site trainer at tournaments is free to use for players. 

Registration Fees - $1,877

If you’re ranked in the Top 10 of the APP standings for a given quarter, your entry fees are waived for that quarter. However, you must maintain a Top 10 ranking to continue receiving that benefit in subsequent quarters. Because of that, I only paid registration fees for the independent tournaments, including the US Open and USA Nationals, as well as one PPA event (PPA Cape Coral), since I’m a non-contracted player.

To put it in perspective: entry fees can average around $600 to compete in three events at a single tournament (singles, mixed, and gender). If you multiply that by 10 tournaments over the course of a year, you’re looking at approximately $6,000 in registration fees alone.

Total Expenses (4th Year on Tour, 2025): $19,000 - $20,000

Fun fact: the most I spent at a single tournament in 2025 was at APP Newport Beach — $2,363.

There are three main reasons I was able to keep my overall expenses relatively low this year:

1. Staying with host families.
This made a huge difference. I was typically arriving Tuesday night or Wednesday morning and leaving Sunday night or Monday morning, meaning I was on the road for five to six nights at a time. Not having to cover hotel costs for nearly a week per tournament adds up quickly. Beyond the financial benefit, it also created meaningful relationships and experiences I wouldn’t trade.

2. Waived entry fees.
Because of my ranking, I didn’t have to pay entry fees for APP events. As mentioned earlier, registration alone can total around $6,000 over the course of a season. That’s a significant expense many players do have to factor in.

3. Living in South Florida.
Five of the tournaments were already in Florida and within driving distance, so I avoided paying for multiple round-trip flights. On top of that, living in South Florida means being in one of the hubs of professional pickleball. You never run out of players to drill and compete with, and you’re surrounded by athletes who treat this as a full-time pursuit. When you’re in that kind of environment, the standard is high and it becomes easier to want more for yourself.

Breaking Down The Expenses of An Emerging Pro

I’ll share the experience of another pro pickleball player who decided to commit to a full-time pickleball schedule in 2025, being his first year on tour. Here’s the breakdown of his top expense categories. As you can see, along with basic expenses of flights, lodging, and transportation, you run into different expenses versus a player that has been playing longer on tour, and this includes registration fees and equipment costs (due to not having a sponsor…yet!). 

Flights - $3,850

Five of the tournaments were held in Florida, allowing the player to drive to those events. For two others, flights were covered, including the Global Sports League in India and the PPA Asia tournament in Malaysia.

Lodging - $2,300‍

The player stayed with hosts when possible.

Rental Car / Transportation - $1,825

Gas - $160

Meals - $1,575

Registration Fees - $2,650

The player received some funding support, but most events were paid out-of-pocket until reaching Top 10 (which waives fees the following quarter).

Equipment - $1,850

The player spent on equipment expenses, including paddles, shoes, and clothes needed for competition.

Total Expenses (First Year on Tour, 2025): $14,210

At first glance, you might think: “Wait… the emerging pro spent less?” But in this case,I believe a little more context matters. 

• Different revenue streams and therefore flexibility on spending habits
• No personal trainer
• Lower food spending
• Still building schedule and ranking

It’s important to consider if you can afford this investment period. There really is no secret magic or correct path. But it’s making sure you understand the numbers and the sacrifices that come with being a professional athlete. 

For more insight into life as a professional pickleball player, check out our article, “How to Go Pro in Pickleball.”