– Yellow cards are a hot topic ahead of the PPA Masters tournaments to assess the professional level of athletes.
According to statistics, only 16% of pickleball players in the US will be eligible to participate in the PPA Tour (professional pickleball tournament) in 2024, up 7% compared to 2023. The question is what athletes need to be recognized as professional pickleball players.
The US Pickleball Association intends to introduce yellow cards to evaluate the professional level of players.
What does a yellow card do? Who gets one?
A yellow card automatically grants a player entry into PPA events. It also confirms their eligibility to play in the Pickleball Major League. Or it can be understood as a certificate of professional status.
Players who sign a contract with the UPA (United States Pickleball Association) will automatically receive a yellow card. There are two ways to qualify for a UPA contract and a yellow card. One is to win the PPA Tour Challenger Series. The other is to finish in the top 30 on the PPA Tour points system in men’s or women’s doubles.
A yellow card is like a tour card in golf. Players with a tour card automatically enter the PGA Tour and avoid points in other PGA events.
Most professional golfers start on the Korn Ferry Tour, which is designed as a path for golfers who want to join the PGA Tour.
The top 20 players at the end of each Korn Ferry Tour season receive PGA Tour cards, which give them access to the biggest golf tournaments.
A gold card or tour card is the power card that pickleball and golf players aim for on their way to becoming the top.
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