Browsing: Pickleball News

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…

With the rise in popularity of our favorite sport, one of the industry sectors that gets caught in its slipstream is the pickleball equipment market. One of the markets seeing the biggest surge in demand is paddle manufacturing. Tanners, situated in central Arkansas, is a manufacturer well situated to make the most of this boom. Escalating Popularity Tanners is in Hot Springs, about 50 miles southwest of Little Rock, and is a big player in the large-scale production of Vulcan pickleball paddles. The escalating popularity of the sport is paralleled by an increasing need for these products, a trend which…

Grammy-nominated singer Katy Perry and Pirates Of The Caribbean actor Orlando Bloom competed against each other in a friendly pickleball match at the inaugural Light Up The Court Pickleball Tournament on October 22, 2023. Montecito Club The celebrity event at the Montecito Club in Perry’s hometown of Santa Barbara, California, raised money for the Firework Foundation. Perry founded the nonprofit organization in 2017 to bring arts education and mentorship programs to underserved communities. Some of the celebrity pickleball players present at the tournament included Kate Hudson, James Valentine, Jeff Bezos’ fiancee Lauren Sanchez, Corey Gamble, Meghan Trainor, Daryl Sabara, Jason Collins,…

Around 140 athletes and Unified partners representing 14 Special Olympics Programs from the United States and the Caribbean took part in the 2023 Special Olympics North America (SONA) Tennis and Pickleball Championship. Unified Competition Unified competition means individuals with intellectual disabilities or “Special Olympics athletes,” and individuals without intellectual disabilities or “ Unified partners” can train and compete together. Multiple Special Olympics athletes from Watauga County, North Carolina, were among the top-performing groups at the championship held recently in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Athletes and Unified partners from throughout the United States and the Caribbean used to compete in singles…

The Booker T. Anderson Park in Richmond, California currently has two permanent pickleball courts and four multi-use courts that can accommodate both tennis and pickleball.  The city and neighborhood council agreed that sharing the courts for different sports would benefit the community by providing more recreation options, according to LaShonda White, Richmond’s deputy city manager of Community Services. Sharing Can Be Challenging However, court sharing can be challenging for pickleball players, especially older ones, said Darlene Drapkin, president of the East Bay Pickleball Association:  “We have to set up portable nets. Even on the ‘dedicated pickleball courts,’ the city of…

Penny Eifrig, a devoted pickleball player out of Lemont, Pennsylvania, has recently returned from an eventful journey as a global pickleball ambassador in Europe. Her travels took her to Germany and Croatia, where she worked hard to promote the sport, leaving a significant impression on pickleball enthusiasts of various ages and skill levels. World Special Olympics Expo The venture kicked off in June at the World Special Olympics Expo in Berlin, Germany. In her role as a pickleball ambassador, Penny collaborated with a group from Butler University to instruct the game to a diverse range of participants, encompassing individuals of…

Darla Christensen and her family went through a harrowing incident six years ago that left them emotionally scarred. However, she used pickleball as a beacon of hope to help her through her troubling experience. A Tragic Event Now, marking the anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting in Las Vegas, a tragic event that claimed numerous lives and left hundreds wounded, Christensen dedicates every day of the week to giving back through pickleball. This transformative journey has encompassed global travels, pickleball outreach initiatives, and countless hours devoted to acts of charity, redemption, and joy. All of this comes in…

Pickleball facility provider and franchisor Pickleball Kingdom has announced a significant partnership with Jesse and Emily DeMund, looking to elevate the presence of pickleball in Tennessee. Exclusive Rights This collaboration grants the DeMunds exclusive rights to establish 20 cutting-edge indoor pickleball facilities across the state. COO of Pickleball Kingdom, Rob Streett, emphasized the importance of this venture, stating, “Pickleball Kingdom is committed to promoting and advancing pickleball at the grassroots level, and we have chosen the dynamic partnership of Jesse and Emily DeMund as a monumental step towards expanding our brand’s national reach.” As passionate pickleball enthusiasts, Jesse and Emily…

If you live in the Capital District around Albany, New York, you really are spoiled for choice when it comes to pickleballing opportunities. In addition to the already established facilities, we bring you news of three more developments. Xtreme Pickle Xtreme Pickle, situated at 1800 Riverfront Center in Amsterdam, celebrated its soft opening on October 7. It marks the inauguration of the first dedicated indoor pickleball venue in Amsterdam and its immediate vicinity. Owned by Mike Barker, Xtreme Pickle was conceived and constructed by General Manager Corina Gabriel. The facility boasts four indoor pickleball courts with top-tier outdoor surfaces. Apart…

There is a “huge, growing interest” in pickleball in Grand Forks, ND, and it is attracting enthusiastic players of all ages and abilities. Sandy Trautman of Grand Forks, North Dakota, speaks for many of her fellow residents when she talks about her deep affinity for pickleball, stating she is “thoroughly addicted” to the sport. A Notable Increase The rapid growth of the “What’s the Score” subgroup within the Grand Cities Pickleball Club has been remarkable. According to board member Diane Olson, the group expanded from 20 to over 70 members over the first course of this year. In a broader…