ANCHOR Sports to Lead China Digital Strategy as Social Media Partner
| January 13, 2026
PPA Tour Asia is excited to announce ANCHOR Sports as its China Social Media Partner. The agency will be tasked with strengthening the tour’s digital presence as pickleball continues its rapid growth across the region.
The partnership is set to go beyond content management. ANCHOR Sports will build an active community around the tour, drawing on the experience that has successfully introduced international sports properties to Chinese audiences and cultivated dedicated fanbases hungry for the next emerging sport. Their client portfolio includes the NFL and NBA, as well as major sports teams such as FC Barcelona, Chelsea, and MLB.
ANCHOR Sports’ work with the NFL highlights their track record and fit for the role. The agency has supported grassroots flag football initiatives that have since grown to more than 60 university teams, building in tandem a digital presence that now attracts millions of Super Bowl viewers annually in China. Pickleball, with its accessibility and rapid community driven growth, presents a similar opportunity and trajectory.
Tristan Chen, CEO & Founder of Anchor Sports, said: “We are honored to partner with the UPA, which represents the highest competitive standards and industry benchmarks of pickleball, to promote this emerging sport in the field of social media where we excel. I believe pickleball will attract the participation of a broader audience and become part of the leisure sports lifestyle of urban residents in China.”
Josephine Tan, Marketing Director at UPA Asia, said: “We’re excited to partner with ANCHOR Sports as we continue to grow pickleball across China. Their experience building fan communities for some of the world’s biggest sports properties, makes them the ideal partner for this next phase of the tour.”
Launching last year, PPA Tour Asia held seven tournaments across the region in 2025, including its first event in mainland China with the Vibrant Linping Hangzhou Open in December. Heading into its second year, the tour is focused on expanding its reach and deepening fan engagement across key markets.
With China’s sports consumption surging among younger demographics and social platforms playing a central role in how fans discover and follow new sports, the new partnership positions PPA Tour Asia to capitalize on a market hungry for fresh, exciting content heading into 2026.
