Quick Answer - A Pickleball Christmas Release Date & Details
A Pickleball Christmas premieres Saturday, December 20 2025 at 8 PM ET on Lifetime, starring James Lafferty and Zibby Allen. The holiday rom-com follows a retired tennis star who returns home to Florida, teams up with a pickleball coach and competes in a holiday tournament to save his family’s racquet club - and maybe find love under the mistletoe.
Release Date: December 20 2025
Network: Lifetime (It’s a Wonderful Lifetime lineup)
Cast: James Lafferty, Zibby Allen, John Cassini, Ashley Alexander and Matty Finochio
Genre: Romantic Sports Comedy / Holiday Drama
Why A Pickleball Christmas Is Making Pickleball Hollywood-Famous
Move over Hallmark - pickleball’s getting the holiday glow-up. Lifetime has officially joined the paddle party, proving the sport’s pop-culture takeover is unstoppable.
Want to know why pickleball’s suddenly everywhere? Read Why Is Pickleball So Popular?
Or, if you’re new to the game, start with What Is Pickleball?
Plot Summary: A Pickleball Christmas
Tennis star Luke Hollis (James Lafferty) heads home to Florida after the biggest win of his career, only to learn his family’s club is facing foreclosure. With the help of Caroline (Zibby Allen), the local pickleball coach, he reluctantly enters a high-stakes holiday tournament to save the club.
Cue the snow, slow-motion smashes and maybe a mistle-toe volley... or two.
💬 Because nothing says Christmas like a backhand winner and a soft-court love confession.
🎥 The Cast: From Tree Hill to the Pickleball Court
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James Lafferty (One Tree Hill legend, finally starring in his first Lifetime Christmas film).
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Zibby Allen (Virgin River fan favourite, holding both a pickleball paddle and the spotlight).
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Supporting lineup includes cameo nods from the It’s a Wonderful Lifetime regulars - because no Christmas movie is complete without a wise bartender and a conveniently timed snowstorm.
👀 Bonus: Lifetime teased nods to The Dink, Ben Stiller’s upcoming pickleball comedy.
If you missed that, read our guide to Ben Stiller’s Pickleball Movie The Dink (2025).
Why It Matters for Pickleball Fans
This film isn’t just festive fluff - it’s free marketing for pickleball’s global takeover.
Expect spikes in search terms like holiday pickleball tournament, pickleball Christmas gifts and best pickleball paddle to gift.
🎁 Be ahead of the crowd:
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Shop the Best Pickleball Paddles for every skill level.
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Grab a NILK Pickleball Bag - even Lifetime would feature it in a montage scene.
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Learn how to play with confidence using our competition outdoor pickleball balls , pink indoor pickleball balls and cheatsheet courtesty of Pickleball Rules Explained.
🏆 FAQ: A Pickleball Christmas
When does it premiere?
→ Saturday, December 20 2025 at 8 PM ET on Lifetime.
Where can I watch it?
→ Lifetime Channel or Lifetime app streaming.
Who stars in it?
→ James Lafferty (One Tree Hill) and Zibby Allen (Virgin River).
Is it based on a true story?
→ Nope - but you’ll wish your local rec league had this much holiday drama.
What paddle should I use for my own Christmas rally?
→ The Green Matcha NILK Pickleball Paddle or Red Coco (the best Carbon Fiber pickleball paddle 2025) to match your festive ensemble - perfect balance of control and power for cinematic dinks.
🎬 Final Serve
With A Pickleball Christmas movie, Lifetime proves one thing: the fastest-growing sport in America is now the most wholesome too.
So indulge in a gingerbread latte, grab your NILK pickleball paddle and prepare for dinks, drama and Christmas magic...
Because this year, Santa’s trading reindeer for rallies.
📌 Related NILK Guides
🛍️ Shop NILK Gear | 🎓 Read NILK Blog | 💼 NILK on LinkedIn
📱 Join the rally on Instagram and TikTok
🎯 Remember to tag us @nilkpickleball when you're serving looks and aces - you might just become the NILK content drop everyone’s talking about.
🏓 Your Next Serve: Shop NILK’s Black Friday Pickleball Deals
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