Mumbai, India – September 09, 2025 – Global Sports Pickleball (GSP) wrapped up its highly awaited Season 2 Pro & Challenger League Auction in Mumbai. The landmark event has set the tone for an exciting new phase for Pickleball in the region. Each team had a player budget of ₹66 lakhs, contributing to a total potential spend of ₹6.6 crore across 10 teams.
The high-octane auction is a proof of how pickleball is gaining traction and becoming more professional as a sport in India. The day-long event featured some fierce bidding wars and smart strategies from the franchises, with a few standout buys grabbing plenty of attention.
Top 5 Pro League signings:
1. Quang Duong (Vietnam) – ₹27 Lakhs – Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors
2. Megan Fudge (USA) – ₹25.50 Lakhs – Ahmedabad Olympians
3. Jack Munro (United States) – ₹25 Lakhs – Jaipur Stallions
4. Bobbi Oshiro (USA) – ₹24.50 Lakhs – Delhi Snipers
5. Roos Van Reek (Netherlands) – ₹23.50 Lakhs – Hyderabad Vikings
The big signings show a blend of fresh talent and global experience. You’ve got 19-year-old Quang Duong at the forefront, while seasoned pros like 38-year-old Megan Fudge add some serious international know-how to the league. And it’s not just about the top Pro League deals—there was plenty of excitement in the Challenger League too, with up-and-coming stars and Indian players stepping into the limelight.
Top 3 Challenger League picks:
1. Leah Tauber (India) – ₹5.2 Lakhs – Delhi Snipers
2. Mihika Yadav (India) – ₹4.4 Lakhs – Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors
3. Alex Emery (USA) – ₹4.2 Lakhs – Ahmedabad Olympians
The Indian talent shone at the auction as well. The top 3 Indian Pro League picks were:
● Harsh Mehta – ₹21 Lakhs – Chennai Cool Cats
● Arjun Singh – ₹8 Lakhs – Nashik Ninjas
● Aditya Ruhela – ₹5 Lakhs – Jaipur Stallions
Top 3 Indian Challenger League picks:
● Mihika Yadav – ₹4.4 Lakhs – Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors
● Aman Patel – ₹4 Lakhs – Jaipur Stallions
● Tejas Gulati – ₹3.7 Lakhs – Coimbatore Super Smashers
Auction Highlights & Format
● The Pro League had three player categories, whereas the Challenger League had two. For the Pro League, starting bids ranged from ₹2.5 Lakhs to ₹8 Lakhs, based on the players’ skill levels.
● In the Challenger League, base bids started at ₹50,000 and could go up to ₹1.5 Lakhs. Since the picklers had international exposure and were quite popular, a lot of them ended up selling for much higher prices.
● Each team was given a total player budget of ₹66 Lakhs—₹55 Lakhs for the Pro League and ₹11 Lakhs for the Challenger League—allowing for a total spending capacity of ₹6.6 Crores across ten teams.
● All ten franchises, which include Ahmedabad Olympians, Bengaluru Blazers, Chennai Cool Cats, Coimbatore Super Smashers, Delhi Snipers, Hyderabad Vikings, Jaipur Stallions, Kolkata Kingz, Mumbai Chhatrapati Warriors, and Nashik Ninjas, participated in both leagues.
Hemal Jain, the Chief Architect at Pickleball Growth, shared, “The Season 2 auction was a huge moment for Indian, and in fact Asian pickleball. The intense competition during bidding and the strong valuations really show how much franchises believe in the sport’s future. With both global talent and Indian players joining forces like this, we’re seeing the groundwork laid for pickleball to become a mainstream, professional sport in India.”
Shashank Khaitan, noted filmmaker and co-founder of Global Sports, mentioned, “This auction really shows how much momentum pickleball has gained in such a short period. While the excitement from the teams and the caliber of players picked demonstrated the fierceness at one level; it also is helping build a sustainable sports ecosystem for all involved. Season 2 is going to highlight the talent and thrill that pickleball offers to fans in India and internationally.”