Lebron James Takes on Pickleball
According to some of the latest numbers, there are currently over 5 million pickleball players in the US–and one of them is perhaps the greatest NBA player of all time, Lebron James. But, not only is he a player and fan of the sport we all love, he’s now a team owner in Major League Pickleball (MLP).
We recently wrote about Major League Pickleball and its 12 teams. With this new surge of investors, the still new league has decided to expand to 16 teams, and their overall prize pool has doubled, going from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.
We suppose an influx of professional sports talent and pocketbooks will do that to any league.
Who is Lebron James?
Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the last 15-20 years, you’ve likely at least heard the name. King James is a current player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. He’s won Olympic gold medals, four NBA championships, and multiple MVP awards, and by the time he retires, he will go down as one of the top 5 (depending on who you argue with) greatest basketball players of all time. He transcends sports, though. He has also found great success with his media production company, SpringHill Entertainment–which produces movies and TV shows.
Together with his business partner Maverick Carter and fellow NBA players Draymond Green and Kevin Love, he is now an MLP team owner. Their team name and where the team will play are not known yet, but they are aiming for a 2023 expansion, so news should come fast over the next couple of months.
What is Major League Pickleball?
2022 marked the first season of Major League Pickleball and has featured a draft of players to fill 12 teams. The teams travel across different cities to play tournaments and for an overall championship, similar to other professional leagues like football, baseball, and basketball. You can find all the teams and who plays on each on their website.
With the new investments, MLP will expand from 12 to 16 teams in 2023, with players competing in six tournaments across six U.S. cities for more than $2 million in prizes.
The sport is attracting funding outside the league as well. In Sarasota, Florida, commercial real estate entrepreneurs Brian and Valerie McCarthy, have invested $180 million to build at least 15 indoor private pickleball clubs.
Others are investing in the chain model, mixing food, entertainment and pickleball. “Camp Pickle,” which will feature a restaurant, bar, and indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, plans to open in 10 locations across the country by 2026. Similar concepts include Chicken N Pickle, Smash Park and Electric Pickle.
Among the game’s fans are Bill Gates, Kevin Durant and the Kardashians. There is even a celebrity pickleball tournament hosted by Stephen Colbert coming to CBS sometime this year.
“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, building communities in cities and towns all over the world,” Steve Kuhn, MLP’s founder, said in a statement. (source CNBC)
Are You Ready for Pickleball in Prime Time?
If you’ve been on the fence about getting into pickleball, then it might be time to take the leap. It’s a rare opportunity to hop on a bandwagon as it’s rolling out of the barn. Even though the sport has technically been around since 1965, it’s just catching a ton of momentum over the last couple of years.
Now is the time to learn how to play, grab a paddle, a ball, and a friend, and hit the courts. Who knows, maybe your name will be on a Major League Pickleball roster someday!
