The Texas Ranchers, one of the eight founding teams of Major League Pickleball (MLP), announced a large group of new team owners, including the legendary Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne. He will also take on a strategic advisor role within the organization and plans on helping the Ranchers build pickleball courts in underserved communities.
Beyond the Rancher’s acquisition of Wayne, other stand-out investors include Australian hip-hop artist The Kid LAROI, famous for songs such as STAY and WITHOUT YOU, and NFL analyst and former player Emmanuel Acho, who also happens to be a Texas native. The other members of the new investment group are as follows:
- Alex Moore – 8VC Venture Capital Partner
- Dennis Wong – LA Clippers owner and CEO of Verbena Road Holdings
- Richard & Pam Squires – Real Estate moguls
- Matt Mullenweg – Founder of WordPress
- The Ruia Family – Indian Business Tycoons and Owners of the Essar Group
- Steph Liu – CEO and Founder of Levitate Foundry
The Ranchers have already grown an eclectic ownership group of over 30 investors from a wide range of professional backgrounds. One of their previous ownership announcements included pro football stars Myles Garrett, Micah Parson, Bijan Robinson, and C.J. Stroud, country music star Zach Bryan, and golfer Scottie Scheffler, among others!
We’re excited to see that Wayne will not only be an investor, but he plans on taking an active role in the development of the Ranchers organization. As a strategic advisor, Wayne will provide direction for the Ranchers brand and help build its local and national popularity among pickleball fans.
His strategic advisor role will also include the creative direction and development efforts of apparel collaborations for the team. If Texas leans into Wayne’s proven artistic abilities, expect to see some of the best merch in all of the MLP to come from the Rangers!
Of course, we’d also love to see a Weezy appearance at a future MLP event. Wayne has already expressed his enthusiasm for the sport and seems to be all in with believing in the future of pickleball.
“Pickleball is the moment, and I’m excited to be part of the Texas Ranchers ownership group. I’ve enjoyed watching and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join this team of owners.”
Lil Wayne on becoming an owner of the Texas Ranchers
Evan Floersch, CEO of the Texas Ranchers, sees Wayne as one of the organization’s greatest assets in developing a highly-recognized brand in American sports. “Having Wayne’s guidance, along with the rest of this incredible ownership group, emphasizes our stance on redefining sports ownership and being a positive force for good in our local pickleball community and beyond,” said Floersch.
Hopefully, the presence of Lil Wayne is what the Ranchers need to take home a big win in MLP Dallas next weekend! For more info about the Ranchers organization, check out their website and Instagram.
Now you know I play it, like a pro in the game (of pickleball)
Lil Wayne – Go DJ (The Pickleball Union Edit)
Naw, better yet a veteran, a (pickleball) hall of fame
I got that medicine, I’m better than all the names
Ayy, it’s Cash Money Records, man, a lawless gang (of pickleball players)
