Pro pickleball lands in Overland Park for first KC-area tour stop

Professional pickleball arrived in Overland Park on Thursday, Sept. 17, with the start of the APP Overland Park Open at AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk.

The four-day tournament is the Association of Pickleball Players Tour's first-ever stop in the Kansas City area. It runs through Sunday, Sept. 20, at the multisport complex at 16201 Shawnee Dr. Top players are competing for a share of a $125,000 prize pool.

Visit Overland Park, the city's destination marketing organization, signed a five-year agreement with the APP to make Overland Park an annual tour stop, according to a Visit Overland Park announcement. The Overland Park Open is one of 12 stops on the national APP Tour this year, according to Visit Overland Park. Dillons is the event's title sponsor, the Kansas City Business Journal reported.

Organizers expect the tournament to draw about 200 professional athletes and roughly 1,000 amateur players from across the country. The event features multiple age groups and skill levels.

Schedule and broadcast

Thursday's competition featured men's and women's professional singles. Friday, Sept. 18, brings mixed professional doubles. Saturday, Sept. 19, features men's and women's professional doubles. Sunday, Sept. 20, wraps up with gold and bronze medal championship matches. Play begins at 8 a.m. each day.

National television coverage airs on CBS Sports Network, with additional coverage on YouTube, FOX4 reported.

Tickets

General admission costs $25. Children under 13 get in for $10. VIP tickets with all-inclusive food and beverages are also available. Amateur registration costs $85 plus a $40 to $160 bracket fee depending on skill level.

Overland Park's pickleball push

Overland Park has been recognized as "The Nation's Most Pickleball-Obsessed City" and is home to more than 80 pickleball courts, according to Visit Overland Park.

Mayor Curt Skoog said when the five-year deal was announced in August 2025, "We are thrilled to host the APP in Overland Park for the next five years."

Eric Olson, vice president of sports and events at Visit Overland Park, said at the time that hosting the tournament reflects the organization's goal of attracting major sporting events that drive tourism and economic growth.

AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk, part of the broader Bluhawk development, opened in October 2024. Visit Overland Park's 2025 economic impact report listed the APP tournament among new events the organization attracted to the city. Previous pickleball tournaments in Overland Park generated more than $1 million in direct economic impact, according to Visit Overland Park.

The APP Tour, established in 2019, is the first professional pickleball tour and is officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball.