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☆ The retail apocalypse left dead malls and shuttered big-box stores scattered across the US — now, pickleball is coming to the rescue
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 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. The retail apocalypse that swept through brick-and-mortar stores over the last decade-plus left in its wake large, empty shells begging to be repurposed — now, entrepreneurial pickleball enthusiasts are coming to the rescue. 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.

☆ Billionaire Marc Lasry, who sold his stake in the Milwaukee Bucks, sees pickleball offering a better return than investment in the NBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Marc Lasry said his investments in pickleball and other upstart sports leagues could offer a higher return than those in NBA teams. The co-founder of Avenue Capital Group bought a pickleball team with tennis star James Blake for $100,000 in 2021. He told Bloomberg TV that the team is now worth $10 million. The co-founder of Avenue Capital Group told Bloomberg Television he believes his investments in pickleball and other upstart sports leagues could offer a higher return than those in NBA teams. This year, the 63-year-old investor agreed to sell his 25% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.

☆ 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.

☆ Pickleball is replacing Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy at malls
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Pickleball is coming to your local mall, replacing shuttered Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, and Saks Off 5th stores. Malls need new tenants to fill vacant spaces and draw customers beyond their traditional department store anchors and clothing stores. Backers of the game and developers are desperate to find vacant spaces to build courts. The Meadows at Lake Saint Louis, an outdoor mall, plans to fill the space once occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond with a pickleball club. A pickleball facility recently opened in a former Burlington store space at Shore Mall in New Jersey, and a pickleball club took over an Old Navy space at a New Hampshire mall.

☆ Peloton shares are on the up — but will it last? Here's what Wall Street thinks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Shares of Peloton Interactive are making a comeback, with the stock up by 30% this year. But many investors who bought into the connected fitness company during the pandemic are still nursing big losses; shares are down 93% from their all-time high in late 2020, currently trading around $10.40. The consensus price target of 30 analysts ($17) points toward a 63% upside over the next 12 months. They also noted that digital-only subscriptions, which are separate from the connected fitness subscribers, fell marginally in the latest quarter. UBS' price target of $8 represents a more than 20% drop from the current share price.

☆ Normal People Say ‘No Másk’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Gabrielle Bauer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

We’ve won the war. By “we,” I mean normal people who want normal things: community, connection, creativity, with a bit of dancing on the side. For three years, we’ve had to battle those who were unwilling to tolerate any Covid risk and demanded that the world conform to their fears. In 2021 Bloomberg predicted the pandemic would permanently change the fitness industry, with virtual workouts out-muscling the sweaty-bodies format. Travel would also change forever.

☆ Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport. These people hate it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The sound and disruption from pickleball, America’s fastest-growing sport, is driving some neighbors, tennis players, parents of young children, and others crazy. Pickleball is America's fastest-growing sport. Some tennis players are also frustrated because pickleball is taking over tennis courts. There were 11,000 places to play Pickleball at the end of 2022, an increase of around 130 new locations a month, according to USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body. People play pickleball on what were once tennis courts at Allendale Park in Pasadena, CA, in 2022.

☆ Why it’s impossible to find an open squat rack at the gym
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

You’ll have much better luck finding an open elliptical machine than a bench press, squat rack or 30-pound dumbbells. The pandemic led more people to take up weight training, gym owners and industry experts say. Post-pandemic, the surge in the popularity of weight training has helped the gym industry recover. Paul/Fairfax Media/Getty ImagesThe arrival of Nautilus and Universal strength training equipment in the 1970s and 1980s made weightlifting more attractive to a broader range of people. Genesis clubs have added more squat and dumbbell racks to keep up with demand for strength training and downsized cardio areas.

☆ Avoid this 'big mistake'—and more tips for new runners, from a running coach and a personal trainer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But if you're interested in running, you may be wondering how to start and what you'll need to jump in to this new hobby. CNBC Make It reached out to Kai Ng , a running coach and Ashleigh Kast , a personal trainer with years of running experience for advice for new runners. If you're looking for an exercise you can do from anywhere , you've probably already considered running. "When I'm starting people on a running program, I'm not saying 'Here just go out on this hour-long run,'" she says. After establishing what your focus will be, Ng says you should learn how to run properly by training with a coach.

☆ Inside Tracy Anderson's cutthroat fitness empire: Legal threats, paranoia, and trainers who say their bodies were 'breaking apart'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Katie Warren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

One day around 2015, a dozen or so gift boxes showed up at the Brentwood, California, studio of the celebrity fitness trainer Tracy Anderson. "It was an exclusive boutique fitness studio," the former New York trainer said. Darren Gerrish/WireImageThe method demanded that TA trainers, most of whom were also professional dancers, perform the strenuous workouts full out, every time. Let's help you do it correctly so you don't get injured,'" the former New York trainer said. "This is at a time where everyone is already overworked," one of the former New York trainers said.

☆ VCs have swapped out tennis rackets and golf clubs for pickleball paddles. Here's why the sport has become one of the hottest hobbies in Silicon Valley.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Pickleball has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming America's fastest-growing sport. From building relationships to escaping stress, here's why VCs are obsessed with the sport. In the background, pop music floated through the air as the group prepared for a trying battle of wits and athletic prowess — pickleball. Once reserved for the quiet neighborhoods of suburbs and 55-plus retirement communities, pickleball has exploded onto the tech and VC scene in recent years, investors say. A networking toolAnd other aspects of the sport make it an ideal pick for a hobby or networking tool, VCs added.

☆ Influencer Grace Beverley runs 2 companies and is only 25. She shares her morning routine, productivity hacks, and pitch deck that raised $5.7 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Lola Christina Alao | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Grace Beverley, 25, is the founder and CEO of Tala, an activewear brand, and Shreddy, a workout app. Read more: Fitness influencer Grace Beverley starts her day with the hardest task on her to-do list. Read more: Entrepreneur Grace Beverley launched her activewear startup in college that raised $5.7 million. Tala's $5.7 million pitch deckWhen Tala announced last February that it had raised $5.7 million, Beverley gave Insider exclusive access to the pitch deck used to secure it. Read more: Check out the pitch deck fitness influencer Grace Beverley used to raise $5.7 million for her clothing startup

☆ One of the best bets in real estate is no longer a sure thing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The sure thing that's no longer a sure thing. But the shine is starting to come off what is considered one of the safest, and smartest, bets in real estate. The two largest single-family rental REITs — Invitation Homes and American Homes for Rent — have recently seen their ratings downgraded by Wall Street analysts, Insider's Alex Nicoll reports. More on the potential deal, which also might have participation from a former Wall Street CEO. If you want to leave Wall Street but don't know where to start, read this.

☆ I quit a stressful 6-figure job as a VP in finance to start a fitness business. It was scary but worth the career change.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Jenna Gyimesi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

She began teaching fitness classes on the side and eventually gave up finance altogether. I started coaching fitness classes on the sideI did both finance and fitness for two years before quitting my banking job. I coached fitness classes a couple of nights a week and on the weekends in two different studios. Having this time to focus on fitness without fully leaving finance yet allowed me to transition in the most risk-averse way possible. This actually felt really easy to me because I was spending less naturally.

☆ Gyms and at-home fitness battle for prominence this holiday season
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Jack Stebbins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Michael Loccisano | Getty ImagesThe fitness industry appears headed for a strong holiday season, but not everyone will see a boost. Now inflationary pressures and a post-lockdown reset look poised to benefit traditional gyms and trade-down options — threatening connected at-home fitness equipment like the products made by Peloton and Lululemon -owned Mirror. Tarlowe, who covers Planet Fitness and Lululemon, said fitness spending remains steady, even among lower-income, inflation-squeezed consumers. People are trading down and shifting more toward value, he said, "and that bodes well for Planet Fitness." Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondeau said members are exercising more, too: six times a month versus five times a month when Planet Fitness went public in 2015.

☆ 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.

☆ 4 ways an Instagram influencer grew from 4,000 to 140,000 followers in just 3 months
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In May, Jaden Versluis started posting regularly on Instagram to grow his reach and his business. On top of running his own accounts on TikTok and Instagram, Jaden Versluis works as a manager for other creators, primarily in the fitness industry. For two months he exclusively posted Reels, Instagram's short-form videos, after he heard that the platform would shift its focus to video content. One of them, signed in August, paid him $12,000 for a TikTok video and three Instagram Stories. For instance, the caption of an Instagram video showing affordable travel destinations asks, "What's another place that is cheap to travel to?"

☆ Kevin Durant is the latest athlete to buy a Major League Pickleball team
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is the latest celebrity athlete taking his love of pickleball big league. In recent weeks, Major League Pickleball has signed on a number of big-name athlete owners, including basketball legend LeBron James and NFL stars Tom Brady and Drew Brees. In September, a viral video showed Durant playing pickleball at a local recreation center, declaring that he's "getting the hang of it." Kleiman told CNBC that by acquiring a team, owners also get equity in the league. Similar to his work with 35V's "Build It and They Will Ball" initiative, which has refurbished basketball courts globally, Durant plans to bring pickleball to underserved communities.

☆ Why pickleball has Tom Brady and LeBron James investing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, with over 4.8 million people playing the game. By 2030, pickleball is projected to attract an estimated 40 million players across the globe, with even more investors jumping in looking to cash in on the craze. Pickleball has existed since 1965, but it wasn't until people were looking for a participatory sport during the pandemic that its popularity soared. And over the past five years, pickleball saw an average annual growth of 11.5%, while similar sports like badminton and pingpong saw negative growth of -3.7% and -1.2%, respectively. Professional leagues are competing for players, with Major League Pickleball, or MLP, which just launched last year, making headlines with investments in the seven-figure range from celebrity athletes like LeBron James and Tom Brady.

But there are fans of another court-based sport that are greeting the news with much less enthusiasm: tennis players. In apartment complexes and retirement centers across the country, tennis courts are being scrapped in favor of pickleball courts. Its courts are similar to tennis courts, just smaller, so many players repurpose tennis courts with chalk or paint to lay out the pickleball dimensions. Yet dozens of new dedicated pickleball courts are being built all over America, which will soon help ease the problem of overcrowding. So for any tennis players out there worried that pickleball will demolish your own game’s success, you can rest easy.

☆ 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.

☆ Rubin comes up short in tennis, ready to walk tall in pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Rubin, who stands 1.75m tall, said last month that he would take an indefinite break from tennis. He announced his pickleball switch on Monday, poking fun at his height in a video posted on Twitter. Invented in 1965, pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport similar to tennis and badminton, though it is played on a smaller court with a net using a perforated plastic ball. Four-times NBA champion LeBron James's LRMR Ventures is headlining a new ownership group buying a team in Major League Pickleball. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur 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.

☆ Upcoming live events at Insider
▼ + stars: | 2022-01-19 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Below is a list of our upcoming in-person and virtual events, including exclusive fireside chats, compelling panels, and reporter Q&As. Featured Events for Sustainability & Climate ActionInsider Introducing the Optimist's Destination for Climate ActionApril 10, 2023 | 3 PM ETDetails to come! InsiderFor a Better Future: Bridging Culture, Business, and ClimatePresented by DeloitteApril 25, 2023 | 12 PM ETDetails to come! Panelists from Tinuiti, Jungle Scout, Bobsled Marketing, and Cure Hydration will discuss what this trend means — watch hereHow advertisers can navigate the death of the third-party cookie. To submit a potential speaker for an upcoming event, please complete this form.

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