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Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour have agreed to merge, creating a unified professional pickleball holding company.
Confirmed:
- Merger backed by US$50 million investment from SC Holdings, DC Pickleball Team owner Al Tylis
- PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon, and other existing MLP team owners, are also invested
- Combines the individual and team-based professional pickleball formats into a single parent company, providing equal support and promotion to both MLP and the PPA Tour
- Streamlined schedule and single entity overseeing the two brands aims to benefit players, fans and sponsors
Context:
The PPA Tour is the traditional, bracket-style tour format that determines the best pickleball players in the world, while MLP consists of a team-based, co-ed league format.
The decision to join forces follows the news last November that MLP and the PPA had begun the process for a strategic merger to unify the fast-growing sport.
The move also ended fears that the two organisations would clash, given the PPA had initially not allowed its players to compete in MLP. High-profile owners in the respective competitions include LeBron James, Tom Brady and Mark Cuban, as well as brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Comment:
“As professional pickleball continues to rapidly grow, we could not be more excited to provide both players and fans with the clarity and consistency of a unified professional pickleball organisation,” said MLP founder Steve Kuhn.
“This merger will expand and improve opportunities for current and future players, creating a united experience and a better future playing professional pickleball.”
PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon added: “Over the past few years, we have seen ever-increasing interest from investors, sponsors, fans and players who understand the immense value in the future of professional pickleball.
“The holding company unifying the PPA Tour and MLP will create a streamlined sport for fans and add more meaningful opportunities for player competition, broadcasting rights and sponsorship throughout the professional pickleball calendar.”
Coming next:
Fans will now be able to watch both pickleball formats and the sport’s top athletes competing under one umbrella, with the new unified organisation boasting more than 150 players and a broad calendar of team and individual events throughout the year.
