Marketing Manager, Pickleball Events

The Marketing Manager, Pickleball Events at Life Time leads marketing strategy and execution across Life Time’s pickleball event portfolio, including Life Time-owned regional and national events and select professional pickleball partnerships. The role focuses on driving awareness, registration, and attendance while ensuring consistent brand representation across event and participant touchpoints.

Integrated Event Marketing (Strategy, Calendars, and Messaging)

• Develop and execute integrated marketing plans for Life Time-owned pickleball events at the regional and national level.
• Lead development of integrated event marketing calendars and campaign briefs in partnership with Creative, Social Media, Digital, PR, and other internal teams.
• Develop event positioning, messaging, audience strategy, and go-to-market plans for new and existing pickleball events.
• Maintain consistent brand positioning and messaging across Life Time pickleball event touchpoints.

Participant Acquisition and Registration Growth

• Drive participant acquisition and registration-driving strategies across email, social, digital, paid media, grassroots, Club, and partnership channels.
• Monitor registration, audience, and campaign performance, then adjust marketing tactics to support event growth and business objectives.
• Support launch plans for new markets and event concepts.

Content, Creative, and Storytelling for Events

• Coordinate creative assets, content needs, event communications, and promotional materials across internal and external partners.
• Partner with Social Media and PR teams to identify athlete, creator, media, and storytelling opportunities surrounding events.
• Support development of content and marketing assets that can extend beyond individual events and strengthen the broader Life Time pickleball brand.

Professional Pickleball Partnerships and Brand Entitlements

• Serve as the primary marketing partner for select professional pickleball event and production relationships.
• Coordinate Life Time marketing deliverables, brand entitlements, promotional opportunities, and event integrations associated with professional pickleball partnerships.
• Partner with external production organizations to align on timelines, assets, event promotion, brand visibility, and marketing requirements.
• Ensure Life Time receives and effectively activates contracted marketing and brand benefits across digital, social, on-site, broadcast, and participant-facing channels.
• Identify opportunities to increase the value and visibility of Life Time’s presence within professional pickleball events and programming.

On-Site and Market Execution Support

• Partner with Event Operations and Pickleball teams to ensure marketing plans are reflected appropriately throughout the on-site participant and spectator experience.
• Support select event-weekend execution, including brand presence, partner integrations, content capture, and participant-facing marketing needs.
• Coordinate local and grassroots marketing opportunities with Life Time Clubs, community organizations, and market partners.

Reporting, Planning, and Cross-Functional Coordination

• Develop post-event marketing recaps, reporting, and recommendations based on registration, engagement, and campaign performance.
• Maintain event marketing timelines, budgets, and planning tools.
• Partner with internal teams to forecast marketing needs and prioritize resources across the pickleball event portfolio.
• Manage relationships and workflow with external agencies, vendors, and production partners as needed.
• Identify emerging trends, audience behaviors, and competitive activity within pickleball and recommend opportunities for future growth.

Primary Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience in event marketing, brand marketing, sports marketing, or direct-to-consumer marketing.
• 3+ years of experience supporting or leading integrated marketing campaigns for events, sports, entertainment, or experiential programs.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multiple stakeholders, timelines, and external partners.
• Strong understanding of digital, social, email, paid media, and grassroots marketing.
• Experience using data and performance reporting to inform marketing decisions.
• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across internal teams and external organizations.
• Ability to travel and work select evenings and weekends in support of events.

Compensation and Location

Location: Chanhassen, MN (onsite)

Pay: Salaried position starting at $54,000.00 (or applicable minimum salary, if higher), paying up to $72,000.00 based on experience and qualifications.

Benefits

• A fully subsidized membership
• Discounts on Life Time products and services
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company discretionary match (21 years of age and older)
• Training and professional development
• Paid sick leave where required by law
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
• Short term and long term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Pre-tax flexible spending and dependent care plans
• Parental leave and adoption assistance
• Paid time off, including 5 to 20 vacation days per calendar year (based on tenure) and paid sick leave
• Deferred compensation plan, if the team member meets the required income threshold

Additional (Preferred) Qualifications

• Experience in sports, events, fitness, entertainment, or lifestyle marketing.
• Experience working with professional sports properties, event producers, leagues, or governing bodies.
• Experience managing sponsorship or brand-marketing entitlements.
• Experience marketing new event launches or building event participation.
• Familiarity with pickleball and its participant, fan, and professional ecosystems.