April 15, 2026
The Pickleball Slam and Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) (“Ares”), a leading global alternative investment manager, today announced a title sponsorship for the annual pickleball franchise event. Beginning with Slam 4, the event will be named the “Ares Pickleball Slam.”
Ares becomes the first title sponsor of the Pickleball Slam, with category exclusivity over a multi-year commitment. Ares is also the presenting sponsor of the annual Pickleball Slam ProAm, an invitation only, premium gathering of pickleball players, celebrities and sponsors, which precedes the primetime broadcast.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ares as the first title sponsor of the Pickleball Slam, a major milestone for our dynamic showcase of the fastest growing sport in America,” said Jon Venison, Executive Vice President and Head of GSE Productions at GSE Worldwide. “The Ares team understands the value of this property and their alignment reinforces the impact of our tentpole event franchise through its high value, engaged primetime audience on ESPN and in person experience at Hard Rock Live. We could not be more excited to have partnered with such a high-quality brand and look forward to taking the Slam to even greater heights.”
“We’re proud to support this dynamic franchise that is helping to fuel the rapid growth of pickleball in America,” said Kipp deVeer, Co-President of Ares. “At Ares, we embrace an entrepreneurial mindset and teamwork to constantly reimagine what’s possible. The Pickleball Slam embodies a similar innovative and collaborative spirit. We’re excited to help bring this lively event to an expanding community of passionate fans and participants.”
The Ares Pickleball Slam will take place on April 15, 2026, at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL, and air on ESPN in primetime at 7 p.m. EST. The event pairs tennis legends against pickleball pros in an ultimate showdown with a $1 million prize purse on the line. Hall of Famer and three-time Pickleball Slam defending champion Andre Agassi will team up with Former ATP No. 4 James Blake and take on the No. 1 ranked Anna Leigh Waters, the most dominant pickleball player of all time, and former WTA No. 5 Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard, who is ranked No. 10 on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour in Women’s Singles.
The Ares Pickleball Slam is co-produced by Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) and GSE Worldwide. For more information, visit thepickleballslam.com.