IT'S NOT A PHASE. The Chippewa Valley is one of many communities investing in pickleball – the country's fastest growing sport – and will be host to the first-ever Wisconsin PPA Challenger event in July 2025. (Lake Hallie Pickleball Courts pictured.)

If you’ve somehow missed the quickly growing hype around pickleball on the national and local levels, let this be your sign that the Chippewa Valley is all-in on the sport. The first-ever Wisconsin Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Challenger tournament is being held in Lake Hallie and Eau Claire next summer, and expects to host hundreds of pickleball players.

The debut event – slated for July 24-27, 2025 – was announced in early December by collaborators Visit Eau Claire, Go Chippewa County, and the Chippewa Valley Pickleball Club. The Lake Hallie Pickleball Courts at Gower Park is the largest pickleball complex in Wisconsin, and were a major factor in bringing the PPA tournament to the Chippewa Valley.

“The PPA is aiming for 400-600 participants in the debut event.”

LUKE ALEXOPOULOS

VISIT EAU CLAIRE

Between the 18-court facility at Gower Park and Northstar Middle School’s 12 courts, located just 1.5 miles apart, the pickleball tournament is expected to bring hundreds to the area. “It is difficult to gauge (the exact number of estimated participants) because it’s a first-time event, but the PPA is aiming for 400-600 participants in the debut event,” Visit Eau Claire’s Luke Alexopoulos said.

“We’ve been excited to create more grassroots opportunities for amateur players, as well as a structured pathway to the Carvana PPA Tour for aspiring professionals, and we have done just that with the Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA,” said Connor Pardoe, CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour, in a recent media release. “This new tour will not only elevate the level of play but also inspire and motivate amateurs to reach new heights in their pickleball journey while bringing the PPA Tour’s brand of electric pickleball action to new levels of intensity.”

While player registration is expected to open in the next few weeks, spectator passes are already on sale for $15 per day of the tournament (kids ages 8 and under are free). Some of the Wisconsin PPA Challenger action will also be streamed live on the Tennis Channel app.

Keep up with the Professional Pickleball Association on Instagram and its website for future updates about registration and more. The Wisconsin PPA Challenger tournament will be held July 24-27, 2025.