- Set to ignite Lanka’s pickleball boom
Sri Lanka officially entered the franchise pickleball era with the launch of the Ceylon Pickle League (CPL), the country’s first-ever franchise-based pickleball league, unveiled at a press conference held at the Havelock City Mall Atrium on Wednesday (27).
Set to take place from 16-18 October at the Colombo Pickle Club, the CPL will introduce a totally new dimension to the sport locally – blending professional competition, franchise ownership, player auctions, live broadcast productions and entertainment-led sporting experiences into one modern league property.
Owned and organised by Eventistry Sports in partnership with CPL, the league has already generated significant buzz ahead of its inaugural season, with all eight franchise teams officially sold out before the launch.
The inaugural franchises include Colombo Aces, Trinco Titans, Weligama Sharks, Ella Archers, Kandy Knights, Yal Dinkers, Bentota Nyners and Galle Kings.
Adding major star power to the event is Sri Lanka cricketer Matheesha Pathirana, one of the country’s most recognizable names in global franchise cricket, who has officially purchased the Yaal Dinkers franchise.
His involvement marks a major crossover moment between mainstream professional sport and the rapidly growing world of pickleball.
The league will also feature competition across Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Men’s Singles and Masters Doubles, while also welcoming international players from India as part of the inaugural edition.
CPL will also introduce a professional player auction, scheduled to take place later this year, bringing a franchise-style team building element to the competition similar to some of the world’s leading sporting leagues.
Speaking at the launch, Karin Wijeratne, Founder of Eventistry Sports, said the vision behind the CPL was always to build something far bigger than a conventional tournament.
“CPL is about far more than pickleball. This is about building the future of modern sport in this country. We wanted to create a property that brings together competition, entertainment, franchise culture, broadcast, personalities and fan energy into one experience. Pickleball is exploding globally right now, and we believe Sri Lanka has the chance to become part of that movement in a very genuine way. At Eventistry Sports, we’ve always believed sport should feel exciting, commercially viable and culturally relevant. From the Sri Lanka Padel League to Ceylon Golf League and Island Invitational, our focus has always been building sports properties that people really want to follow, support and be a part of. CPL is another bold step in that direction, and we believe this is only the start for pickleball in Sri Lanka.”
Over the past few years, Eventistry Sports has rapidly emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s leading sports entertainment and marketing companies, having worked across properties including the LPL, Davis Cup, Asia Rugby tournaments, and Olympic-related campaigns, while also developing its own portfolio of original sports properties.
Speaking on behalf of CPL, Co-Founder Subraja Subramaniam said the launch represented a defining moment for the sport domestically.
Further announcements surrounding franchise owners, player signings, the official player auction and additional league experiences are expected in the coming months.
PHOTO ISHAN SANJEEWA