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☆ Tennis in Winter? How about Pickleball? 6 Resorts With Unseasonably Inviting Courts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Margot Dougherty | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

YOU SPEND ALL summer honing the can’t-see-it-coming slice, the killer backhand. Then winter hits and, poof, it seems tennis is over until it’s safe to leave home again without an anorak. Consider these resorts, which entice racket-enraptured guests with everything from weekend clinics and make-your-own tournaments to private lessons and ball machines. Many have added pickleball to their lineups, too, a nod to the fast-growing sport. At Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda, simply give your butler a ring to arrange for time on the court or elsewhere.

☆ ‘It’s Been Awkward.’ Pickleball Is Pitting Neighbor Against Neighbor in Noise-Conscious Communities.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( E.B. Solomont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

It was fun and games at first. But when pickleballers took over the tennis court at River Canyon Estates in Bend, Ore., for hours on end, bringing boom boxes, hurling profanities and letting dogs run loose—not to mention the constant pok-pok-pok of balls hitting paddles—the neighbors said enough is enough. Fearing a lawsuit, the board of the homeowners association enlisted a professional mediator. It commissioned a sound study and considered ways to reduce pickleball noise—to no avail. In February, the board banned pickleball from the community’s tennis court.

☆ NBA champions Shaq and Alonzo Mourning talk charity, pickleball and the state of the NBA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

NBA champions Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning are reuniting to give fans reason to cheer again in Miami. The project is funded by the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation and its long-time partner Icy Hot, as part of their Comebaq Courts program that fixes up rundown courts. Comebaq Courts has also refurbished basketball courts in Las Vegas, Nevada and Newark, New Jersey. The latest "Comebaq Court" is located in Miami, inside Mourning's Overtown Youth Center. It's helped me stay out of trouble," O'Neal said.

☆ Shaq and Alonzo Mourning on the pickleball craze
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | 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 EmailShaq and Alonzo Mourning on the pickleball crazeFormer NBA players Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning discuss the sport of pickleball.

☆ ‘It’s Been Awkward.’ Pickleball Is Pitting Neighbor Against Neighbor in Noise-Conscious Communities
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( E.B. Solomont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ My life in NYC revolved around drinking. After I got laid off from Hinge, I moved across the country and started a non-alcoholic wine brand. I'm never going back.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During the pandemic, she moved across the country and started a non-alcoholic wine company. After I was laid off, I started a non-alcoholic wine companyCourtesy of Molly FedickIn December of 2020, I was laid off from Hinge along with a few other people on the marketing team. It was during that time that I came up with the idea for my business Buzzkill Wines, which is a non-alcoholic wine company. So when I stopped drinking, I Googled non-alcoholic wine. I love how inclusive the "sober-curious" movement isLondon's first adult non-alcoholic drink store.

☆ 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 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

☆ 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.

☆ 22 innovative sports startups that VCs say could transform the industry, from new leagues to betting platforms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Colin Salao | Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Insider asked VC investors which sports startups they find the most innovative. We asked each investor to nominate companies, including one outside their investment portfolio. The top startups are innovating on the models for leagues, betting, athlete performance, and more. Insider asked 10 top venture capitalists who focus on sports to name the most innovative startups in the industry in 2022. Athlete performance is also a hot topic for investors, who highlighted startups like Diamond Kinetics, biomarker scanner Spren, and Veo.

☆ The One Where Matthew Perry Writes an Addiction Memoir
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Elisabeth Egan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

I had eight doctors going at the same time,” Perry said. And then I go to this place, and I’m going to take five because I’m going to be there longer. For the record, Perry isn’t a huge fan of secrecy as it pertains to Alcoholics Anonymous, where he sponsors three members. After his extended stay in a Los Angeles hospital, Perry started tapping out his life story on the Notes app on his phone. Sunshine”) before but, “writing a book I had not really thought of before,” he said.

Persons: ” Perry, “, “ I’ve, don’t, ”, Perry isn’t, pickleball, Perry, Sunshine ” Organizations: Anonymous Locations: Palisades, Los Angeles

☆ 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.

☆ Kevin Durant and other celebs back growing Major League Pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | 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 EmailKevin Durant and other celebs back growing Major League Pickleball35V co-founder Rich Kleiman joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss his decision to buy a Major League Pickleball expansion team alongside Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ How pickleball is taking over America
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow pickleball is taking over AmericaPickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. Entrepreneurs and athlete celebrities like LeBron James, Tom Brady and Drew Brees are all flocking to the investment opportunities to get in on what some are calling a sport gold rush. But such exponential expansion doesn't come without major growing pains, including competing professional leagues, health and safety concerns at tournaments, loopholes in the rulebook, lack of courts to meet the demand and a Wild West-style investment culture.

☆ 15 venture capitalists that early-stage sports tech, health, and wellness founders should know if they're looking to raise capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Other recent investments include Bumble, Goop, Spring Health, Chief, Found, Daily Harvest, and Blueland. Recent investments include the sneaker-trading platform Tradeblock, which touts itself as an alternative to StockX and Goat. Recent investments include AnyDistance, Balanced, and Juna. Her recent investments include Calibrate, DUOS, Dutch, and Buffalo Market, a food distributor focused on plant-based and organic foods. Recent investments include pickleball products company Revolin, live-sports artificial-reality company Quintar, recovery products company Alleviate, and community cycling app Preem.

☆ One Thing Americans Can Agree On? Pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Gretchen Tarrant | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

From TikTok dances to sourdough bread to DIY home decor, many pandemic hobbies were abandoned as quickly as they spread. But that’s not the case with pickleball, a favorite that has not only endured but become the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. The game serves as a source of community for many, including WSJ readers of all locations and ages. When we asked them to comment on their love of the sport, the feedback was notable. Below, a lightly edited version of nine readers’ responses.

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 the Newest Major League Pickleball Owners
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Joseph De Avila | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/tom-brady-is-the-newest-major-league-pickleball-owner-11665589585

☆ 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 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 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.

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