Viewers will be able to livestream the 2024
USA Pickleball National Championships exclusively on QVC+ and shop
curated products on QVC.com
WEST
CHESTER, Pa., Oct. 3, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- QVC®, a world leader in live shoppable
entertainment, and USA Pickleball,
the National Governing Body of the sport of pickleball, today
announced they are rallying together on a multi-year partnership.
Through this new partnership, QVC will be the Exclusive Retail
Industry Partner and Exclusive Broadcast Partner of
USA Pickleball, including during
select USA Pickleball Golden
Ticket Tournaments throughout the year and Nationals held each
November. Pickleball has been named the fastest-growing
sport in the U.S. for three consecutive years, with over
5 million women 45+ actively playing pickleball.
QVC and USA Pickleball are
bringing a variety of new ways for customers to experience
pickleball. As the first free streaming service to mix live
streaming sports and commerce, the QVC+ and HSN+ Streaming
Experience will offer viewers highly curated shoppable
entertainment – from unique behind-the-scenes content to exclusive
livestream coverage of the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships on
November 9-17 at Arizona Athletic
Grounds in Mesa, Ariz. Also attending Nationals, QVC will have
on-site activities including program hosts, products and more to
engage with spectators at the exciting annual event. QVC has also
curated a new pickleball shopping page, On the Court,
including official USA Pickleball
approved products, offering something for everyone.
The partnership with USA
Pickleball reinforces QVC's mission to champion women over 50 to
live their best lives and have the confidence to try new things. As
part of the Age of Possibility, QVC introduced the
Quintessential 50 (Q50), a collective of successful, inspiring
women 50+ who exemplify the possibilities that this time of life
offers women. The diverse and unique stories of the Q50 help
inspire women to find their next adventure, like the journey of Q50
Ambassador Jennifer Dawson. After
retiring from a successful 30-year career as a Tennis Pro and
Coach, Jennifer began a new chapter and transitioned to pickleball.
At the age of 50, she became the world's first-ever Triple Crown
professional pickleball champion and continues to dominate the
court to this day.
"At QVC, we're leading the way in changing how retail and
entertainment see women over 50, empowered and full of possibility,
and celebrating this next chapter in their lives as the Age of
Possibility along with our Q50 Ambassadors, like Jennifer Dawson," said Annette Dunleavy, VP of Brand Marketing, QVC,
and a Q50 Ambassador. "We're always looking to support women 50+,
and pickleball is quickly becoming one of the most played sports
among this age group."
As both QVC and USA Pickleball
are leaders in their respective industries, it's clear that joining
forces will bring this beloved game to even more viewers across the
country through engaging new programming, content and curated
products that we know they will enjoy.
"We are thrilled to announce a landmark partnership
between QVC and USA
Pickleball which paves the way for a vibrant future for the sport,"
said Mike Nealy, Chief Executive Officer of USA Pickleball. "Having our 2024 USA
Pickleball Biofreeze National Championships streamed on
the QVC+ and HSN+ streaming experience is an opportunity to
showcase the incredible talent of our members and bring the
excitement of pickleball to the global stage."
USA Pickleball (USAP) is a
non-profit organization focused on growing the sport of pickleball
internationally. Founded in the mid-1980's, USAP offers several
membership levels from beginner to advanced tournament competitors
and fosters local leadership through a nationwide ambassador
program. Additionally, USA
Pickleball Serves, the organization's charitable arm, focuses on
supporting underserved communities by providing access to essential
resources and training, reinforcing its mission to make pickleball
accessible for all, nationwide.
"As Vice Chairman of USA
Pickleball, I want to emphasize the invaluable role of our QVC
partnership in fostering global passion for the game," said
Suzanne Guerin, Vice Chairman of the
USA Pickleball Board. "Just as our
pickleball ambassadors throughout the country inspire players of
all ages to embrace the sport, the QVC brand serves as an honorary
ambassador, spreading the excitement of pickleball to an even wider
audience."
Viewers will want to get ready to watch behind-the-scenes
content and the 2024 Biofreeze USA
Pickleball National Championships November
9-17 by downloading the QVC+ and HSN+ TV streaming app to
their favorite Smart TVs and streaming devices for free here, or
watch online at QVCPlus.com. Don't forget to shop On the Court for
all your pickleball playing and watching needs.
About USA
Pickleball
USA Pickleball
is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of pickleball in
the United States. Its mission is
to promote the development and growth of the sport while
sanctioning events and providing annual members with premier
tournaments, educational opportunities, player rankings, official
rules and other exclusive benefits. USA Pickleball is a nonprofit 501(c)(3)
corporation that is governed and operated by a Board of Directors
and a national office staff, who provide the guidance and
infrastructure for the continued expansion of the sport.
About QVC
QVC® is a world leader in video
commerce ("vCommerce"), which includes video-driven shopping across
linear TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social platforms.
QVC empowers shoppers with knowledge and shares insights in a
lively and engaging way. QVC offers an ever-changing collection of
familiar brands and fresh new products – from home and fashion to
beauty, electronics and jewelry – and connects shoppers to
interesting personalities, engaging stories and award-winning
customer service. Based in West Chester,
Pa., and founded in 1986, QVC has retail operations in the
U.S., the U.K., Germany,
Japan and Italy. Worldwide, QVC reaches more than 200
million homes via 13 TV channels, which are widely available on
cable/satellite TV, free over-the-air TV, and digital livestreaming
TV. The retailer also reaches millions of customers via its QVC+
and HSN+ streaming experience, websites, mobile apps and social
pages. To learn more, visit corporate.qvc.com, follow @QVC on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow QVC on Pinterest,
YouTube or LinkedIn.
Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP) is a Fortune
500 company that includes the Qurate Retail GroupSM
portfolio of brands as well as other minority interests. Qurate
Retail Group is the largest player in vCommerce and comprises six
leading retail brands – QVC, HSN®, Ballard
Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin
Road® – all dedicated to providing a more human way to
shop. For more information, visit qurateretailgroup.com, or follow
Qurate Retail Group on YouTube or LinkedIn. QVC, Q and the Q
logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.
About QVC+ and HSN+ Streaming Experience
The QVC+ and HSN+ combined streaming experience is available free
in more than 100 million internet-connected homes across the U.S.
and offers QVC and HSN's most robust, comprehensive video commerce
experience, with live, on-demand and streaming-only content
together in one, easy-to-use, fully shoppable TV app.
QVC® and HSN® are world leaders in video
commerce ("vCommerce"), which includes video-driven shopping across
linear TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social
platforms.
The QVC+ and HSN+ streaming experience combines streaming-only
show episodes, five digital-only linear channels – Fashion Finds,
In The Kitchen, a rotating seasonally-themed channel,
QVC® West and HSN® West, and five linear
broadcast channels – QVC, QVC2, QVC3, HSN and HSN2. Fans can
download the QVC+ and HSN+ TV app to their favorite streaming
devices for free here. The app is available on Roku; Comcast X1,
Xfinity Flex and Xumo TV; Amazon Fire TV; LG; Apple TV; and Android
TV, the Google Play Store, Google TV, Samsung Smart TV, Cox Contour
and Contour Stream Player, and VIZIO Smart TV. For more
information, visit https://plus.qvc.com, or follow QVC+ and HSN+ on
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.
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SOURCE QVC