Quang Duong was the top signing in Pickleball league auction. The Vietnamese player was snapped up by Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors for 27 lakhs. Global Sports Pickleball (GSP) wrapped up its highly awaited Season 2 Pro & Challenger League Auction in Mumbai. Each team had a player budget of ₹66 lakhs, contributing to a total potential spend of ₹6.6 crore across 10 teams.
Megan Fudge (USA), Jack Munro (United States), Bobbi Oshiro (USA) and Roos Van Reek (Netherlands) were among the top five signings.
The big signings show a blend of fresh talent and global experience. The 19-year-old Quang Duong is at the forefront, while seasoned pros like 38-year-old Megan Fudge adds some serious international know-how to the league.
The Pro League had three player categories, whereas the Challenger League had two. For the Pro League, starting bids ranged from ₹2.5 Lakhs to ₹8 Lakhs, based on the players' skill levels.
In the Challenger League, base bids started at ₹50,000 and could go up to ₹1.5 Lakhs. Since the picklers had international exposure and were quite popular, a lot of them ended up selling for much higher prices.
Each team was given a total player budget of ₹66 Lakhs—₹55 Lakhs for the Pro League and ₹11 Lakhs for the Challenger League—allowing for a total spending capacity of ₹6.6 Crores across ten teams.
All ten franchises, which include Ahmedabad Olympians, Bengaluru Blazers, Chennai Cool Cats, Coimbatore Super Smashers, Delhi Snipers, Hyderabad Vikings, Jaipur Stallions, Kolkata Kingz, Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors, and Nashik Ninjas, participated in both leagues.
Hemal Jain, the Chief Architect at Pickleball Growth, shared, “The Season 2 auction was a huge moment for Indian, and in fact Asian pickleball. The intense competition during bidding and the strong valuations really show how much franchises believe in the sport’s future. With both global talent and Indian players joining forces like this, we’re seeing the groundwork laid for pickleball to become a mainstream, professional sport in India.”
Shashank Khaitan, noted filmmaker and co-founder of Global Sports, mentioned, "This auction really shows how much momentum pickleball has gained in such a short period. While the excitement from the teams and the caliber of players picked demonstrated the fierceness at one level; it also is helping build a sustainable sports ecosystem for all involved. Season 2 is going to highlight the talent and thrill that pickleball offers to fans in India and internationally."
Top 5 Pro League signings:
1. Quang Duong (Vietnam) - ₹27 Lakhs - Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors
2. Megan Fudge (USA) - ₹25.50 Lakhs - Ahmedabad Olympians
3. Jack Munro (United States) - ₹25 Lakhs - Jaipur Stallions
4. Bobbi Oshiro (USA) - ₹24.50 Lakhs - Delhi Snipers
5. Roos Van Reek (Netherlands) - ₹23.50 Lakhs - Hyderabad Vikings
Top 3 Challenger League picks:
1. Leah Tauber (India) - ₹5.2 Lakhs - Delhi Snipers
2. Mihika Yadav (India) - ₹4.4 Lakhs - Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors
3. Alex Emery (USA) - ₹4.2 Lakhs - Ahmedabad Olympians
Top 3 Indian Pro League picks were:
Harsh Mehta - ₹21 Lakhs - Chennai Cool Cats
Arjun Singh - ₹8 Lakhs - Nashik Ninjas
Aditya Ruhela - ₹5 Lakhs - Jaipur Stallions
Top 3 Indian Challenger League picks:
Mihika Yadav - ₹4.4 Lakhs - Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors
Aman Patel - ₹4 Lakhs - Jaipur Stallions
Tejas Gulati - ₹3.7 Lakhs - Coimbatore Super Smashers
