DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Pickleball mania breathes new life into Arizona mall
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Liliana Salgado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TEMPE, Arizona, Aug 8 (Reuters) - The pickleball craze in the U.S. has reached new heights with the opening last weekend of the first "Picklemall," an indoor sports facility inside a mall in Tempe, Arizona. One of the unique features of Picklemall is its replay system, Picklemall CEO West Shaw told Reuters. The founder behind Major League Pickleball and Picklemall, Steve Kuhns, thinks this partnership with Arizona Mills mall will bring new life to dying shopping malls. There's really no other sport like that in the world that is just growing so rapidly with such adamant fans of the sport," Shaw said. "You'll see us opening more Picklemalls and our goal here is to create a great experience for serious Pickleball players, people who love the sport," he said.

Persons: West Shaw, Shaw, Major League Pickleball, Steve Kuhns, Kuhns, There's, Liliana Salgado, Rory Carroll, Stephen Coates Organizations: Arizona Mills, Reuters, Major League, Arizona, Thomson Locations: TEMPE , Arizona, U.S, Tempe , Arizona, Arizona, Phoenix, Picklemall, Arizona Mills, pickleball, Tempe

☆ Picklemall is revamping vacant shopping malls into pickleball courts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPicklemall is revamping vacant shopping malls into pickleball courtsWest Shaw, the CEO of Picklemall, and Steve Kuhn, founder of Major League Pickleball and former hedge fund manager, join 'Power Lunch' to discuss the Picklemall concept, plans to grow Picklemall across the country, and more.

Persons: West Shaw, Steve Kuhn, Major League Pickleball Organizations: Major League

☆ 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

☆ Major League Pickleball Founder on the roots of the fastest-growing sport in America
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMajor League Pickleball Founder on the roots of the fastest-growing sport in AmericaMajor League Pickleball Founder Steve Kuhn discusses how pickleball got its start, how celebrities like Lebron James boosted its 'cool' factor and how he hopes to bring 'the Benjamin Button of sports' to more kids in U.S. schools.

Persons: Steve Kuhn, pickleball, Lebron James, Benjamin Button Organizations: Pickleball, America Major League

☆ Major League Pickleball names new CEO and COO to capitalize on surging popularity
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Jorja Johnson of the Hard Eights holds her Franklin paddle during the Major League Pickleball finals match against BLQK at Pickle & Chill on October 16, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Major League Pickleball is getting new leadership as it looks to capitalize on the rise of America's fastest-growing sport at the professional level. "The additions of Julio and Bruce signify another landmark step forward in the evolution of Major League Pickleball," said MLP founder Steve Kuhn. We're at just the beginning of this hockey-stick growth," DePietro told CNBC. In the year-plus that he's served as an owner in the league, DePietro said, team valuations have seen 100-times growth.

Persons: Jorja Johnson, Franklin, Major League Pickleball, Julio DePietro, Bruce Popko, Julio, Bruce, Steve Kuhn, DePietro, Kuhn, he's, pickleball, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Drew Brees Organizations: League Pickleball, BLQK, Major League, pickleball, NFL, CNBC, Citadel, Florida, MLP, NBA, Anheuser, Busch Locations: Columbus , Ohio

☆ Abandoned stores are coming back to life as pickleball courts, thanks to startups ready to cash in on the trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Pickleball courts are taking over old big-box stores and mall anchor tenants. This Richmond Macy's, which is located inside Regency Square Mall, is just one of dozens of malls, former department stores, and former big-box stores across the country being turned into pickleball facilities. Laaser said former anchor tenants like Macy's are perfect for pickleball, since they're "basically just big boxes" sitting empty inside declining malls. There's a 'gold rush' on indoor pickleball courtsAn indoor pickleball facility operated by The Picklr inside an old Staples store. It's led to an explosion in companies that make pickleball equipment and, more recently, dedicated pickleball facilities.

Persons: —, Jon Laaser, Richmond, Laaser, pickleball, It's, Steve Kuhn, Major League Pickleball, Pickleball, Kuhn, Jorge Barragan, Barragan, There's, liquidators, it's, we've Organizations: Service, Staples, Sports & Fitness Industry Association, Major League, Party City Locations: Richmond , Virginia, Regency, Richmond, pickleball, Arizona Mills, Tempe , Arizona, Utah, Colorado

☆ 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.

☆ Major League Pickleball's newest team owner is Anheuser-Busch
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Zane Navratil and Parris Todd of BLQK celebrate a point during a group play Major League Pickleball match against the Florida Smash at Pickle & Chill on October 15, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Major League Pickleball has named its newest team owner, and it's a major beer brand. The rapidly growing sports league announced on Tuesday that Anheuser-Busch will purchase a Major League Pickleball team. Anheuser-Busch is the first Fortune 500 company to purchase an MLP team. Major League Pickleball also sees the partnership as a big win.

☆ NBA's Durant latest high-profile athlete to invest in pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 20 (Reuters) - Two-time NBA champion and former league Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant on Thursday became the latest high-profile athlete to buy a Major League Pickleball (MLP) expansion team. The Brooklyn Nets forward and business partner Rich Kleiman announced that their Thirty Five Ventures (35V) firm purchased a pickleball team that is set to compete in the 2023 MLP season. "We're especially excited about their plans to bring pickleball to underserved communities – something they have done with basketball for years." Other MLP team owners and partners include four-time NBA champion LeBron James, Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Tom Brady and Drew Brees as well as former world number one tennis player Kim Clijsters. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tom Brady and Kim Clijsters are Major League Pickleball's newest team owners
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throws against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and International Tennis Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters are the latest high-profile athletes to join the pickleball craze. Major League Pickleball announced on Wednesday that Brady and Clijsters are headlining their newest ownership group to buy an expansion team, which will begin playing in 2023. The Brady and Clijsters group is led by Knighthead Capital. In September, Anne Worcester, Major League Pickleball's strategic advisor, told CNBC that demand for teams has grown exponentially and that prices are in the seven-figure range.

☆ LeBron James headlines ownership group with Major League Pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Four-times NBA champion LeBron James is getting into the pickleball business, as his firm LRMR Ventures headlines a new ownership group buying a team with Major League Pickleball (MLP). MLP founder Steve Kuhn said the investment would be instrumental in helping the league achieve its goal of reaching 40 million pickleball players by 2030. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"It’s a watershed moment for pickleball in general," Kuhn said in a statement. Pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport with similarities to tennis, though played on a much smaller court with a net using a perforated plastic ball. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 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: "Steve Kuhn"

17 mentions found