Senior Director, Central Events

PPA Tour; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

PPA Tour seeks a driven, experienced leader to own the full commercial and marketing operation for our Central Events, including the Pickleball World Championships. Lead a team, own revenue targets across sponsorships, tickets, and registrations, and drive growth and fan engagement at live events.

You will build partnerships, manage a full P&L, and report to senior leadership while working non-traditional hours and traveling for events. Relocation to Dallas, TX is required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience working in sports.
• Proven track record in sponsorship sales and/or tickets.
• Experience in live events, sports leagues, or entertainment is a plus.
• Experience leading and developing a sales or marketing team.
• Strong closer with ability to build and move a pipeline forward.
• Self-starter who needs minimal supervision.
• Understanding of pickleball is a plus.
• Excellent communicator with team, sponsors and leadership.
• Willingness to work non-traditional hours and travel for events.
• Location requirement: willing to relocate to Dallas, Texas.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Central Pod sales and field marketing team day-to-day.
• Own the full revenue target across sponsorship, tickets, and registrations, with commission on sponsorship deals and upsells.
• Prospect and close sponsorship deals at local and regional levels.
• Own the full P&L for the Central Pod, with profitability targets.
• Activate the marketing team to drive awareness, promotion, and on-site fan experience.
• Report on pipeline, performance, and projections to senior leadership.
• Build partnerships with local pickleball clubs, facilities, and community organizations.
• Represent the PPA Tour brand in markets with professionalism and energy.

Skills

Sales leadership

Sponsorship sales

Live events

Team leadership

Communication

Travel flexibility

Job description

Professional pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, and the PPA Tour is at the center of it. We're looking for a driven, experienced leader to own the full commercial and marketing operation for our Central Events - a portfolio that includes the Pickleball World Championships, the biggest event on the tour. This is a rare opportunity to build something, lead a team, and make a direct impact on the growth of a sport that's rewriting the playbook on fan engagement and live events.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the Central Pod sales and field marketing team day-to-day
• Own the full revenue target across sponsorship, tickets, and registrations, with commission earned on sponsorship deals closed and upsells of premium hospitality and sponsorship packages
• Personally prospect and close sponsorship deals at the local and regional level
• Own the full P&L for the Central Pod, commission is earned by achieving and exceeding defined profitability and upsell targets across sponsorship and hospitality packages
• Activate your marketing team to drive awareness, promotion, and on-site fan experience
• Report on pipeline, performance, and projections to senior leadership
• Build partnerships with local pickleball clubs, facilities, and community organizations to drive registrations
• Represent the PPA Tour brand in your markets with professionalism and energy

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience working in sports required.
• Proven track record in sales (sponsorship, tickets, or both).
• Experience in live events, sports leagues, or entertainment is a strong plus.
• Experience leading and developing a sales or marketing team.
• Strong closer - you know how to build a pipeline and move it forward
• Self-starter who doesn't need to be managed
• Understanding of pickleball is a plus.
• Excellent communicator with your team, with sponsors, and with leadership
• Schedule requirement: Ability to work non-traditional hours in non-traditional settings, including some nights, weekends, and holidays, and able and willing to travel to off-site events, etc., as needed.
• Location Requirement: Be willing to relocate to Dallas, Texas.