Major League Pickeball
Major League Pickleball, PPA Tour merge behind $50m investment
The two largest professional pickleball organisations, Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the PPA Tour, have announced a merger backed by an investment of $50m (€46m).
Major League Pickleball names final two teams
Major League Pickleball (MLP) has announced its final two teams to be added to the league, with the St. Louis Shock and Orlando Squeeze joining ahead of the 2023 tournament starting later this month
Major League Pickleball unveils further A-list team investors
Major League Pickleball has unveiled a further series of A-list team investors for its expanded 24-team league, headlined by National Football League quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tennis stars Naomi Osaka…
Anne Worcester on the expanding business of pickleball
In this week’s episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Anne Worcester, strategic advisor to Major League Pickleball. Fisher and Russo also discuss the findings of the latest investigation into the National Women’s Soccer League, Fox Sports’ linear television rights deal with Major League Soccer, Jeff Zucker’s arrival to new investment vehicle RedBird IMI, and the pair detail their top sports industry stories of 2022.
Margaritaville named Major League Pickleball title sponsor
Major League Pickleball has named United States-based hospitality company Margaritaville as its inaugural title sponsor, with the league now branded as “MLP by Margaritaville.”
Major League Pickleball expands to 24 teams, hires Levine as interim CEO
Major League Pickleball has announced it will expand to 24 teams for the 2023 season and has named former Goldman Sachs executive Brian Levine as its interim chief executive
Jesse Cole on reinventing the notion of fan engagement
In this week’s episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas. Fisher and Russo also discuss the still-turbulent world of sports streaming amid a new batch of third-quarter earnings reports, the strategic merger between Major League Pickleball and the Vibe Pickleball League, the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX that has led to a bankruptcy filing and dissolution of some sports sponsorships, the National Basketball Association’s move to heighten its strategic investment activity, and deepened chaos for prominent social media platform Twitter under new owner Elon Musk.
MLP, Vibe Pickleball League agree to strategic merger
Just a week after being formed, the Vibe Pickleball League has agreed to a strategic merger with the rival Major League Pickleball, signifying a landmark consolidation move in the fast-growing professional r…
Anheuser-Busch joins pickleball ownership ranks
Brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev has become the latest high-profile pickleball team owner, with the company acquiring a Major League Pickleball expansion franchise starting in the 2023 season
Jon Stainer on extracting new understandings from a rapidly changing media landscape
In this week’s episode podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Jon Stainer, managing director of Nielsen Sports in North America. Fisher and Russo also discuss significant schedule and ownership developments from the National Football League’s recent Fall Meetings, major moves by TelevisaUnivision and Peacock in US Spanish-language sports media, National Basketball Association superstar Kevin Durant’s entry into Major League Pickleball team ownership, FuboTV’s shuttering of its sportsbook operations, and the planned new stadium for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
Durant becomes latest Major League Pickleball celebrity investor
National Basketball Association superstar Kevin Durant has become the latest Major League Pickleball celebrity investor, having acquired an expansion team set to compete in the 2023 season with business…
Andy Dolich | The new alphabet of sports
Former NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL senior executive Andy Dolich explores the bevy of important new acronyms entering the sports industry
Sohrob Farudi on redefining the level of control in the fan experience
In this week’s episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Sohrob Farudi, co-founder and chief executive of Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment. Fisher and Russo also discuss rising athlete investment activity in emerging entities such as Major League Pickleball and Gym Class VR, renewed calls to expand college basketball’s March Madness, the ongoing sexual abuse scandal in the National Women’s Soccer League, the National Football League’s upcoming Fall Meetings, and Major League Baseball's trailblazing sponsorship deal with consumer cannabidiol (CBD) producer Charlotte’s Web.
Tom Brady, Kim Clijsters invest in Major League Pickleball team
Seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and former World No
James, other NBA stars invest in Major League Pickleball team
National Basketball Association stars LeBron James, Draymond Green, and Kevin Love have teamed up to purchase a Major League Pickleball expansion team as part of an A-list ownership group.
NFL legend Brees invests in Major League Pickleball team
National Football League legend Drew Brees has become an investor in Major League Pickleball team Mad Drops Pickleball Club