DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ World's No. 1 pickleball player says he makes $2.5 million a year—up tenfold from 2021: 'We haven't reached the top'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

During Ben Johns' first year as a professional pickleball player, he could barely support himself financially. Now, he's making $2.5 million in pickleball salary alone this year, he tells CNBC Make It — plus more in endorsement deals and sponsorship contracts. Johns, 25, is currently the Professional Pickleball Association Tour's No. 1 ranked player in men's doubles and the top-ranked male player in mixed doubles. In 2021, Johns made $250,000, he told CNBC at the time — which would mean his salary has increased tenfold since then.

Persons: Ben Johns, Johns, He's Organizations: CNBC, Professional Pickleball Locations: pickleball

☆ Professional pickleball signs first international deal, looks to grow the sport in India
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The United Pickleball Association and Global Sports announced a deal on Thursday to bring the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball to the world's most populous country. It's the first international deal and major announcement for the United Pickleball Association, which was created after a merger between Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association last February. The PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball retained their own distinct brands after the merger. "The PPA Tour India and MLP India will create a pathway for players to compete on pickleball's biggest stage and reach the top of the sport. The deal will also launch PPA Tour India, offering ranking points to players at events around the country.

Persons: Jose A, Iglesias, League Pickleball, Major League Pickleball, Connor Pardoe, Shashank Khaitan Organizations: El, El Nuevo Herald, Tribune, Service, Getty, United Pickleball Association, Global Sports, PPA, League, Major League, Professional Pickleball Association, MLP, India, MLP India, APP, Global Locations: Miami, El Nuevo, India, Asia, Australia, United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, pickleball

☆ Major League Pickleball and PPA Tour complete long-awaited merger
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association have completed their long-awaited merger agreement and infused new capital into the sport, the leagues announced Thursday. The agreement comes after months of drama, hostility and negotiations between the competing pickleball leagues as they now join forces to determine the future of professional pickleball. "Today is an exciting day for everyone involved or interested in the world of pickleball," said PPA Tour founder and CEO Connor Pardoe. The merger will bring together more than 150 professional pickleball players, including many top-ranked players in the world. The PPA Tour features individual bracket-style tour, while MLP is a team-based format.

Persons: Lacy Schneemann, Major League Pickleball, Al Tylis, Tom Dundon, Connor Pardoe, haven't, Bruce Popko, Steve Kuhn, Julian DePietro, Brooks Wiley Organizations: Florida, League Pickleball, BLQK, Major League, Professional Pickleball Association, PPA, MLP, SC Holdings, D.C, Pickleball Team, CNBC, CNBC PRO Locations: Columbus , Ohio

☆ Pro pickleball players band together as chaos, a merger and pay cuts grip the sport
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-15 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Major League Pickleball finals at Pickle & Chill on October 16, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Emilee Chinn | Getty ImagesDozens of professional pickleball players have formed a collective to voice their concerns about recent pay cuts and the future of the sport. In a letter obtained by CNBC, the collective shared their dissatisfaction with how they have been treated by Major League Pickleball and the Pro Pickleball Association Tour. The MLP and the PPA Tour are currently negotiating a proposed merger. CNBC spoke with multiple players who say they feel like they've been unfairly treated or received threats for not agreeing to the proposed pay cuts.

Persons: Emilee Chinn, Major League Pickleball, they've, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Patrick Mahomes, Julio DePietro, Steve Kuhn, Brooks Wiley, DePietro, Connor Pardoe, Jillian Braverman, Braverman, It's, Ritchie Tuazon Organizations: League Pickleball, Getty, CNBC, Major League, Pro Pickleball, MLP, PPA, Florida, NYSE, PPA Tour, MLP Challenger, California BLQK Bears Locations: Columbus , Ohio, Pardoe, California

☆ Major League Pickleball asks players to take 40% pay cut on the back of rapid growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Major League Pickleball is requesting that players consent to compensation reductions of 40% in return for a reduction of work obligations, according an email sent to players that was obtained by CNBC. It comes as professional pickleball has seen rapid growth in nearly every category and as Major League Pickleball and Professional Pickleball Association are on the cusp of signing an on-again, off-again, on-again merger agreement. The MLP email notes the PPA has also been communicating with its players and has made similar requests for player compensation reductions. Reactions have been mixed among professional pickleball players. Two-time Major League Pickleball champion Thomas Wilson, however, said players are paid "more than fairly even with the cuts."

Persons: Thomas Wilson, League Pickleball, Brooks Wiley, Steve Kuhn, Dink Pickleball, pickleball, Jillian Braverman, Wilson, Laura Vossberg Gainor Organizations: MLP Mesa Premier League, USA, League, CNBC, MLP, PPA, Professional Pickleball, Twitter Locations: Mesa , Arizona

Carvana PPA Tour Courtesy: Carvana PPA TourProfessional Pickleball is getting a dedicated home: The Tennis Channel. "It's going to create so much more access for people," PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon told CNBC. The pair will also create pickleballtv, a 24/7 standalone free, ad-supported streaming channel featuring matches as well as entertainment surrounding the sport. Dundon added it's a 50-50 partnership between the two entities, noting the PPA Tour will put the capital in and Tennis Channel will bring its production and media expertise. He foresees the joint venture propelling further media rights deals with the help of Tennis Channel executives that are familiar with TV carriage negotiations and building up streaming platforms.

Persons: Pickleball, Tom Dundon, Sinclair, Dundon, Read, Ken Solomon Organizations: Tennis Channel, PPA, Tennis, CNBC, Disney, ESPN, Paramount, CBS, Prime, Fox, Apple, Major League Soccer, MLS Locations: U.S, Pickleball.com

☆ Major League Pickleball merger with PPA is back on after a falling out threatened the deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Lacy Schneemann of the Florida Smash returns a shot during a group play Major League Pickleball match against BLQK at Pickle & Chill on October 15, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. After weeks of drama in professional pickleball, the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball have again agreed to merge, the leagues said Wednesday. "As professional pickleball continues to rapidly grow, we could not be more excited to provide both players and fans with the clarity and consistency of a unified professional pickleball organization," Major League Pickleball founder Steve Kuhn said in a statement. On the professional level, Major League Pickleball teams values have skyrocketed, with some teams going for $10 million. Major League Pickleball owners include many high profile athletes from LeBron James and Kevin Durant to Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.

Persons: Lacy Schneemann, League Pickleball, Tom Dundon, pickleball, Steve Kuhn, Kuhn, Dundon, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes Organizations: Florida, League Pickleball, BLQK, PPA, League, SC Holdings, MLP, pickleball, Major League Pickleball Locations: Columbus , Ohio

☆ Mega pickleball merger between Major League Pickleball and PPA is in jeopardy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Professional Pickleball Association and Major League Pickleball are now at odds after announcing in November that they would join forces and merge team competition leagues. The PPA told CNBC that MLP has not yet signed the partnership deal they verbally agreed to 10 months ago. "I don't know what Steve Kuhn's intentions were the entire time," Connor Pardoe, PPA Tour CEO told CNBC. Kuhn told CNBC that there are "numerous misrepresentations of reality" taking place, without providing specifics. He said if the PPA is willing to pay their players more, he's willing to talk about aligning with the league.

Persons: There's, Major League Pickleball, Tom Dundon, Steve Kuhn, Steve, Connor Pardoe, Pardoe, Kuhn, we'll, Julio DePietro, Zubin Mehta Organizations: Seattle Pioneers, Los Angeles Mad, Premier League, Professional Pickleball Association, Major League, PPA, CNBC, MLP Locations: San, San Clemente , California

☆ Major League Pickleball founder looks to capitalize on the sport's growing 'cool' factor
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

One of the sport's biggest boosters is Steve Kuhn, a former hedge fund manager who founded Major League Pickleball. "I think there was a time when pickleball was considered a sport that was not really a sport. The billionaire, who lives in Austin, has gotten the pro league off the ground by growing the business with sponsorships, media deals and expansion teams. Major League Pickleball teams today are going for as much as $10 million. Professional Pickleball can be seen on almost every major television network and many streamers.

Persons: pickleball, Steve Kuhn, Kuhn, Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Tom Brady Organizations: League Pickleball, America, Major League Pickleball Locations: Austin

☆ Amazon Prime signs on to stream professional pickleball tournaments
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon's Prime Video streaming platform announced on Tuesday it's signed a multiyear deal with the Professional Pickleball Association for global streaming rights to four live PPA Tour events per year, including the 2023-2024 PPA Tour World Championship Series. "When something has an explosion in growth, naturally it catches our eye," Charlie Neiman, head of sports partnerships at Amazon Prime Video, told CNBC. Connor Pardoe, CEO and cofounder of the Pro Pickleball Association, called the deal "monumental" for the burgeoning league. "We're always looking at content and making sure our offerings on Prime Video reflect our customers interests," he said. Earlier this month, the PPA Tour announced that ESPN will cover eight of the league's tournaments.

☆ I teach pickleball on the side. It's fun, easy to get certified and find clients, and a great way to make some extra cash.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Debbie Kaplanink | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

David Fisher is a teacher in Florida who became a pickleball instructor as a side gig last April. The coaching-certification process is reasonableI joined the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR), which you need to do to become a pickleball coach, in April 2022. Given that this is South Florida, there are a lot of tennis pros who retire here and then continue playing and teaching tennis. Since I'm a self-employed pickleball instructor, I save my receipts for anything I purchase relating to the work, like paddles, balls, and the ball hopper. Teaching pickleball is funWhile pickleball is good for any age, I prefer to teach adults at this point.

☆ Tennis Channel will air Major League Pickleball tournament matches, deepening broadcast partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Anna Bright of the Ranchers returns a shot during a group play Major League Pickleball match against Mad Drops Pickleball Club at Pickle & Chill on October 15, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Major League Pickleball announced Thursday the cable channel will broadcast the league's premier level tournament semifinals and finals in Mesa, Arizona, and will make all matches of the tournament available for streaming. The longtime Tennis Channel executive said pickleball has already seen a very natural overlap with existing tennis sponsors. He noted that during MLP professional matches, the ball is in action about 40% of the time, compared with professional tennis matches at 16%. Adding pickleball matches to its streaming offerings means beefing up content at a time when linear television is stagnant, at best.

☆ Pickleball popularity explodes, with more than 36 million playing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The latest numbers unveiled in the 2023 APP Pickleball Participation report, via a study conducted by YouGov, shows that 14% of Americans played pickleball at least once in that 12-month period. The real dillAcross the country, tennis courts and being replaced, and pickleball courts are moving in as other investors are shoring up big money. Since 2022, Life Time has constructed indoor and outdoor pickleball courts at a rate of five new permanent courts each week. "Pickleball participation [at Life Time] in a given month has risen from about 16,000 people to like 160,000. Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association took notice and they have partnered with Life Time to host multiple tournaments across the country this year.

☆ Major League Pickleball merges with PPA's week-old VIBE League
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association's new VIBE Pickleball League have agreed to merge, the organizations said Wednesday. The combined league will continue to operate under the Major League Pickleball brand name and format as the rapidly growing sport surges in popularity. Last week, the PPA announced the creation of the VIBE Pickleball League with Mark Cuban as its first team owner. VIBE said it would be team focused and co-ed, similar to what Major League Pickleball has been doing. Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk have both made investments in Major League Pickleball.

☆ See the Athletes, Investors and Companies Clamoring for a Piece of Professional Pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Joseph De Avila | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady joined the pickleball craze in October. Brady, who returned to the NFL after previously saying he would retire, has also inked a deal with Fox to become a football analyst after he retires. Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

☆ LeBron James Is Buying a Professional Pickleball Team
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Joseph De Avila | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Even LeBron James is getting caught up in the pickleball craze. Mr. James and his business partner Maverick Carter have joined a group of investors that include NBA players Draymond Green and Kevin Love to purchase a Major League Pickleball expansion team, the league said Wednesday.

☆ LeBron James is a pickleball fan. And now he's buying a team
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

LeBron James, the king of basketball courts, is one of the newest owners of a professional pickleball team. "When I started playing pickleball, I immediately connected with the sport's community and its capacity to be both fun and competitive," Carter told CNBC in an interview. "We had this immediate connection over their passion for playing pickleball, their passion for growing pro pickleball grassroots. Worcester said the demand for owning a pickleball team is high with more than 60 different groups expressing interest. "Yes, we would welcome LeBron or Draymond or Kevin Love to think about playing," Worcester said laughing.

Search resuls for: "Professional Pickleball"

17 mentions found