Global Sports Pickleball signs Zee5 as official broadcast partner

Global Sports Pickleball (GSPB) has announced a broadcast partnership with Zee5 for the Global Sports Pickleball League & Grand Slam 2025. The tournament will be held from 16-23 December 2025 at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai. As part of the agreement, the event will stream live on Zee5 and be broadcast on Zee Café and &flix.

The partnership aims to expand the sport’s visibility, with the Grand Slam, Pro League and Challenger League set to reach viewers nationwide. Zee5 will serve as the exclusive streaming platform, offering live coverage of all matches across categories and courts. Zee Café and &flix will air key league matches to television audiences.

The 2025 edition will be played on 10 high-performance courts and will feature top players from India and overseas. The Grand Slam, billed as one of the country’s largest pickleball tournaments, will have categories ranging from U-12 to 50+ and offer a prize pool of Rs 5 crore. Matches will be streamed live on Zee5 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Pro League and Challenger League will be broadcast on Zee5 and on television channels Zee Café and &flix.

The Pro League will include 10 teams with five players each, including international and women competitors, while the Challenger League will also feature 10 teams, focusing on emerging Indian talent.

Commenting on the partnership, Hemal Jain, Chief of Pickleball Growth at Global Sports Pickleball, said, “This partnership with ‘Z’ is a significant moment for pickleball in India. With Zee 5 streaming our events live and Zee Café and &flix broadcasting the leagues on television, we are making pickleball accessible to millions of households. This broad visibility is a major step forward for the sport, and we believe it will make pickleball one of India’s most-watched new sports.”

Laxmi Shetty, Head of Advertisement Revenue, Broadcast & Digital, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said, “At 'Z', we’re always looking to back high-potential sports that resonate with today’s audiences. Pickleball is witnessing phenomenal growth, and our partnership with Global Sports Pickleball (GSPB) allows us to bring this dynamic, high-energy sport into Indian living rooms like never before. We believe this collaboration will not only elevate the sport’s visibility but also inspire a new generation of sports enthusiasts across the country. With multi-platform access via Zee 5, Zee Café and &flix, viewers will enjoy a front-row experience to India’s most exciting pickleball season yet.”