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Celebrities and athletes are flooding in as owners of Major League Pickleball teams ahead of the new season for the sport surging in popularity.
Model and television host Heidi Klum, actress Eva Longoria, tennis hall-of-famer Chris Evert, swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps and country singer Dierks Bentley have all invested as part of various ownership groups for new teams, according to the league. The group of new owners also includes basketball stars Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Shawn Marion and Jeremy Lin as well as German soccer star Mesut Ozil, NFL legend Larry Fitzgerald, MLB pitcher Justin Verlander and model Kate Upton.
Pickleball, a 2-on-2 paddle sport that’s like a miniature version of tennis, has seen major growth as investors, networks and brands try to cash in on its rise in popularity. The league — known as MLP — will expand to 24 teams for its upcoming season, adding a slate of 12 new squads based in cities across the U.S., including New York, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas and Chicago. They’ll play across two tiers for $5 million in payouts, with teams getting promoted or relegated based on performance.
MLP has made a concerted effort to lure high-profile investors across sports, entertainment and business, according to board member and strategic adviser Anne Worcester. The celebrity involvement builds hype and awareness as MLP looks boost the sport from about 8 million players today to 40 million by 2030, she said.
“We need more players, more event attendees, more TV viewers, more consumers of sponsor goods — the entire ecosystem,” said Worcester. “The business strategy’s been very simple. It’s to attract these seasoned experts across all these sectors of business and cultural icons including celebrities to help us dramatically expand the reach of pickleball.”
MLP’s expansive list of team owners already included big-name athletes such as LeBron James, Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Patrick Mahomes and Naomi Osaka. Other investors include Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, hedge fund manager and Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk and beer-maker Anheuser-Busch.
Owners invest in the league and obtain the rights to own a team, name it and select its location. They’re also granted some ability to sell jersey sponsorships and create merchandise and licensing products, while the league covers expenses. Major League Pickleball teams are valued in the low seven figures at this point, according to a person familiar with the matter who declined to be named because the information is private.
Sponsorships are MLP’s top revenue driver. At least half of the league’s owners are actively helping management connect with potential sponsors, Worcester said. Earlier this month, MLP signed a deal with casual dining chain Margaritaville to be its title sponsor. Worcester said the league is in talks with several more interested parties ahead of the season.
Fitzgerald, the former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver, said in an interview that he wanted to own a pickleball team because he sees potential in the sport’s trajectory. He’s been active in business since stepping away from football as an adviser to Dick’s Sporting Goods and part-owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. He started playing with his kids in the backyard a few years ago and now hits the court two or three days each week. He even plays in celebrity matches.
“I just want to lead people to the game,” Fitzgerald said in an interview. “It’s at the top of my list.”
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