Pickleball Champ, Parris Todd, newly signed by Top Sports Agent signaling Milestone for Sport

Learn how John Tobias is taking his Tennis Experience and bringing it to his clients to help grow the sport of Pickleball

John Tobias, a prominent sports agent and executive vice president at GSE Worldwide, has signed Parris Todd, winner of this year's U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. This move signals the increasing interest of successful traditional sports agents in America's fastest-growing sport, pickleball.

Parris Todd has endorsements with Alo Yoga, Selkirk, and A-Game, and Tobias aims to further expand her portfolio. He believes that Todd is currently the most marketable female pickleball player globally, thanks to her accomplishments, popularity, and social media following.

In his 20-year career, Tobias has represented top tennis players, including seven Grand Slam champions and six World No. 1-ranked athletes. However, it was his longstanding client, Sam Querrey, who led him to the world of pickleball. Querrey retired from tennis and became a professional pickleball player, asking Tobias to represent him. Although initially unfamiliar with the sport, Tobias agreed and has since negotiated deals for Querrey worth over $600,000 annually.

Querrey introduced Tobias to Todd, prompting him to sign her as a client as well. The rising popularity of pickleball during the pandemic has attracted the attention of various high-profile athletes, such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, and others, indicating that the sport has a promising future.

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Veteran sports agent Kelly Wolf from Octagon has also entered the pickleball realm, representing top-ranked players like Jay Devilliers and Anna Leigh Waters. Chris Patrick, PPA Deputy Commissioner, believes that the involvement of experienced agents in pickleball is beneficial for the sport and expects more companies to join the pickleball industry as it continues to grow.