PaddleWar Charts National Growth Strategy Following Ownership Transition
The increasingly competitive amateur pickleball league landscape is seeing another expansion push as PaddleWar announced new ownership and an ambitious national growth plan under Naples-based marketing executive and pickleball advocate Nannette Staropoli.
The three-year-old organization, which operates team-based amateur pickleball leagues, revealed that Staropoli has acquired the company and will lead its next phase of development. PaddleWar currently operates or is expanding across nine states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, California, Texas, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey, with plans to reach 20 states by the end of 2026.
Nannette Staropoli – PW Chief Ambassador + SWFL Local League Co-Coordinator
PaddleWar has built its model around structured amateur competition, utilizing a rally-scoring format that features men’s, women’s, and mixed divisions. The league offers a progression system that connects local team play with regional competition and national championship opportunities, creating a pathway that mirrors formats commonly found in traditional recreational and amateur sports leagues.
A key component of the company’s growth strategy is its proprietary technology platform, which includes league management tools, player ratings, scheduling, and competition tracking. The organization is positioning itself as both a competitive league operator and a facility partner capable of helping clubs and venues deepen player engagement through organized programming.
The company also confirmed plans to host its third PaddleWar Nationals championship event in October 2026, bringing together qualifying teams from across its expanding network. National championship experiences have become an increasingly important differentiator among amateur pickleball leagues as operators seek to create aspirational pathways that encourage long-term participation.
Staropoli brings more than three decades of marketing experience to the role and is already well known within the pickleball industry through her agency’s work with the US Open Pickleball Championships as well as her involvement in community initiatives such as Dink for Pink. Under her leadership, PaddleWar plans to expand through facility partnerships, regional coordinators, team captains, and local market operators.
The announcement reflects a broader trend across the pickleball ecosystem, where organized amateur leagues are becoming an increasingly important segment of the sport’s infrastructure. As facility development accelerates nationwide, league operators are racing to provide structured competitive experiences that extend beyond casual open play while helping venues build stronger player communities and recurring participation.
