Alliance Bank banks on pickleball’s growth in M’sia, set to co-host a tournament & summit in April

It feels like you can’t go anywhere these days without hearing something about pickleball, or just straight up seeing a pickleball court. Everyone and their mums seem to have tried the sport, and most appear to really enjoy it. 

But even so, it wasn’t on our bingo cards this year for Malaysia’s own Alliance Bank to become a pickleball stan, too. 

First on the court

In a February 28 press release, Alliance Bank announced that it has become the first bank locally to champion pickleball. You might be wondering: why?

Group Chief Consumer Banking Officer of Alliance Bank, Gan Pai Li, said: “The rapid growth of pickleball in Malaysia presents an exciting opportunity for us to engage with this vibrant community.”

To do this, the bank has announced strategic partnerships with Pickle Social Club (PSC), a pickleball court operator, and Courtsite, a local sports platform. 

Gan shared, “The growing presence of both Pickle Social Club and Courtsite in the sports and social scene provides an excellent platform for us to connect with diverse communities. We believe that this partnership will enable us to further engage with the growing pickleball community and set the stage for the sport’s next phase of growth in the country.”

The collaboration also aligns with the bank’s efforts to accelerate the growth of the emerging affluent segment, introducing tailored financial solutions that support their lifestyle and aspirations.

A tournament and a summit 

In accordance with this partnership, Alliance Bank will be the title sponsor of the first-ever KL Open Pickleball Championship 2025, set to take place from April 25 to 27, 2025 at Pickle Social Club, The Courts at KLGCC Resort. 

The landmark event is expected to attract over 600 players, making it one of the largest pickleball tournaments in the country.

Mark Choo, the co-founder of PSC, said: “Our partnership with Alliance Bank—the first bank to champion the sport—marks a major milestone. The upcoming KL Open Pickleball Championship 2025, our biggest tournament to date, reflects just how fast the sport is growing.”

In addition to the KL Open, there will also be the inaugural Pickleball Summit 2025. Organised by Courtsite with support from the Malaysia Pickleball Association, this will take place on April 25, 2025 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. 

The summit will bring together over 300 pickleball facility owners, investors, suppliers, and key stakeholders to provide exclusive insights into Malaysia’s pickleball boom.

There’ll also be investment opportunities, expert-led panels on scaling sports centres, and networking opportunities to foster new partnerships and industry growth.

Their turn to serve

On top of hosting the events, the Alliance Bank Visa Virtual Credit Card (VCC) will also offer benefits for the pickleball community, particularly when booking courts or purchasing pickleball equipment. 

The exclusive privileges for its credit cardholders include:

The CEO of Courtsite, Samuel Siew, shared, “This collaboration came about through shared love and passion for this sport by reaching out to the pickleball community through payments via the VCC. It demonstrates a clear focus on innovation, personalised service, and community engagement in true ESG fashion.”

At Vulcan Post, we’ve seen a lot of new pickleball businesses crop up recently, reflecting a real demand for the sport. With that in mind, it’s great to see a bank like Alliance step in to serve and support this audience. 

Featured Image Credit: Alliance Bank