Guaranteed Rate Becomes Official Partner of PPA Tour
Sponsorship aims to build on sport’s massive surge in popularity around the world
By Jennifer Zeidler
CHICAGO (October 15, 2021) – The popularity of pickleball is exploding around the globe. To lean into the excitement the sport is generating, Guaranteed Rate, one of the top 5 retail mortgage lenders in the United States, is now the Official Mortgage Company of the Pro Pickleball Association Tour.
“Pickleball grew in 2020 to 4.2 million players in the U.S. alone – an incredible growth rate of 21.3% when compared to 2019,” said Connor Pardoe, commissioner of the PPA. “Those numbers have shown no signs of slowing down, and we are delighted to welcome Guaranteed Rate to the Pro Tour to help us drive even more growth.”
Guaranteed Rate is no stranger to major sports sponsorships, boasting many successful partnerships with organizations including U.S. Figure Skating, UFC, NHL and more. The company’s decision to join the world of pickleball emphasizes the sport’s tremendous growth and its skyrocketing national appeal as a professional, recreational, and spectator sport.
“We are excited to partner with the Professional Pickleball Association as the enthusiasm for playing and watching the sport accelerates,” said Guaranteed Rate Vice President of Sports Marketing & Partnerships, Steve McNelley. “We’re looking forward to kicking off our partnership with the PPA Championship in Las Vegas and helping to bring the PPA Tour into the national spotlight.”
The PPA World Championships will take place October 21-24 at the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas.
Guaranteed Rate also welcomes top-ranked pickleball athletes Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova to their family of Ambassadors. Wright is currently the No. 2 ranked player in both Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Kovalova joins partner Wright at No. 2 in mixed doubles, in addition to topping the rankings as part of the No. 1 women’s doubles team.
The PPA Tour will showcase its partners at more than 20 world-class tournament destinations in 2022. The league expects to welcome more than a quarter million fans on-site, as well as garner over half a million in total viewership for each event, thanks to brand-new deals with broadcasting powerhouses such as FOX Sports, Tennis Channel, CBS Sports and ESPN+.
To learn more about Guaranteed Rate, visit rate.com.
About Guaranteed Rate Companies:
The Guaranteed Rate Companies includes Guaranteed Rate, Inc., one of the top 5 retail mortgage lenders in the United States, Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, and Proper Rate, LLC. Headquartered in Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Companies combined funded over $73 billion in 2020 and have more than 10,000 employees in over 850 offices across the United States. Founded in 2000 and located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Guaranteed Rate has helped homeowners nationwide with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has established itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. In 2017, the company launched Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage. In 2020, the company launched Proper Rate, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and @properties, one of the nation’s largest residential brokerage firms. Collectively, the Guaranteed Rate Companies have earned numerous honors and awards including: Forbes Advisor’s Top 10 Mortgage Lenders for 2021; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; 2018 Top Lender for Online Service by U.S. News & World Report; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for five consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.
About the PPA Tour:
The Professional Pickleball Association is the professional tour for the sport of pickleball, organizing events and rankings for the top male and female pickleball players in the world and awarding over $2.5 million in annual prize money. With more than 20 events in 2022 at world-class facilities like the Linder Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati and the Aviva Center in Toronto, the PPA Tour is the premier provider of professional and amateur events. The PPA Tour’s broadcast partners include FOX Sports, Tennis Channel, CBS Sports, and ESPN. Founded in 2018 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the PPA Tour provides an unparalleled experience for all, inviting players to compete and “play where the pros play,” as well as offering unrivaled venues, food/beverages, live DJ entertainment, VIP experiences, giveaways and games, pro player meet-and-greets, shopping, vendors, and more. For more information, go to www.ppatour.com.
