‘We will make Pickleball biggest sport after cricket’ - Times Group MD Vineet Jain at IPBL Auction 2025 opening

IPBL Auction 2025: Pickleball is stepping out of community courts to step straight into the national spotlight as India is gearing up to host its first-ever sanctioned national pickleball league, launched by The Times Group in partnership with the Indian Pickleball Association.The inaugural event will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from December 1-7, featuring six teams — Mumbai Smashers, Bengaluru Blasters, Capital Warriors Gurgaon, Chennai Super Warriors, Hyderabad Royals, and Lucknow Leopards.Ahead of the player auction, the league has lined up over 50 elite players, including international talents like World No. 3 Quang Duong and US champion Megan Fudge, and Indian stars, including country’s No. 1 Aditya Ruhela.IPBL Auction 2025 Kicking off the IPBL Auction 2025 on Saturday (November 22), Times Group MD Vineet Jain, hailed pickleball as the "fastest-growing sport in the world" and expressed confidence in the league's success. He emphasized a shared mission to make the league a "massive success" and urged unity among the team owners.IPBL Auction 2025: Times Group MD Vineet Jain’s address"A big warm welcome to all our team owners and their amazing teams. Today’s auction is not an ordinary event — it’s a very special moment for the Indian Pickleball League, and I’m truly excited to see how each one of you helps shape the league going forward.Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world as well as in India. With your passion, dedication, patience, and commitment, I’m confident that together we will make Pickleball the biggest sport after cricket.As you plan, strategise, and pick your players and teams, I wish all of you the very best. May you choose players who match your vibe and ambition. I know each one of you want to win; however, please remember that we are one big family with one common mission — to make the Indian Pickleball League a massive success.So let’s come together with the grace and power of royalty, the strength of warriors, and the agility of leopards to make Season One a smashing success. Here’s to having a blast as we create history together."Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, Indian Pickleball Association's President on IPBL Auction 2025Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, President of Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) said, “Leagues are so exciting and I can assure you all the excitement that you've seen here is only the tip of the iceberg. It's going to get more exciting and more energetic once you get to Delhi.”When asked about the future expansion of pickleball, Bhullar stressed, “Pickleball is on the rise. It's already the fastest growing sport in India and the world. So, I see the sport only growing year after year and I see the league getting bigger and making the sport bigger in India. I'm very confident that pickle ball is going to be the second largest sport after cricket in India.”“After the event on the 18t, there's been a huge demand of teams and there are so many people who have been reaching out to me and other people and I think they are going definitely going to be more teams next year,” IPA President added.PWR President Sameer Pathak on IPBL Auction 2025 About Indian Pickleball LeagueLaunched by The Times Group, the Indian Pickleball League (IPBL) is India’s official and only national league for Pickleball, sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), which is recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. The Indian Pickleball Association is the official governing body for pickleball in India and is dedicated to promoting, developing, and organising the sport across the country.Set to debut from December 1, 2025 to December 7, 2025, at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the inaugural edition will establish Delhi as the epicentre of India’s next major sporting revolution. The event will bring together top Indian and international players, franchise-owned city teams, and millions of fans through live and digital platforms.