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Internet influencers Dude Perfect are investing in Major League Pickleball’s (MLP) Frisco Clean Clause, league founder Steve Kuhn has revealed.
Confirmed:
- Kuhn tells Sportico the group’s investment in the Texas-based MLP Premier Level franchise values the team at about US$5 million
- Unclear how much of the team YouTube stars have acquired in transaction
Context:
Based in Frisco, Dude Perfect was founded by a group of university students and the group is known for creating trick shot videos which first caught the attention of viewers on YouTube. Now with 59 million subscribers, they are among the most subscribed YouTube channels globally and have since expanded their business to include a merchandise range, a cruise experience and have plans to build a theme park worth US$100 million in North Texas.
The group joins several other high-profile individuals to have invested in MLP, with National Basketball Association (NBA) icon LeBron James, reigning National Football League (NFL) MVP Patrick Mahomes and former world number one tennis player Kim Clijsters all having bought teams in the league, with some franchises selling for as much as US$6 million.
Coming next:
The Clean Clause will hope for an improved performance at the MLP season’s next event at Daytona Beach later this month, after failing to get out of the group stage at the opening event in January.
