Major League Pickleball: What’s Next for the Sport?
A Personal Look at the League That Changed the Game
The first time I ever stepped into a Major League Pickleball event, I had no idea what I was walking into.
Main court action at a Major League Pickleball event.
Photo by MLP
It was Pictona at Holly Hill, just outside Daytona—my very first MLP stop. I walked in expecting something structured, maybe a little stiff, maybe a bit “pro-tour professional.” Instead, I was immediately hit with this chaotic, joyful, slightly overwhelming energy. It felt like the entire pickleball industry had squeezed itself into one venue, and nobody warned me that the dress code was: be prepared to meet everyone you’ve ever emailed.
And I mean everyone.
The players weren’t just accessible—they were too accessible
At most sporting events, pros are tucked away behind ropes or security. Not at MLP.
Players were grabbing snacks, chatting with fans, leaning on railings, joking around, and walking freely between courts like it was a neighborhood rec center. It was surreal and refreshing—and honestly, it made the sport feel like something truly different.
That was the magic of early MLP: intimacy without elitism.
Steve Kuhn was just… strolling around
One of my earliest memories:
Steve Kuhn—the founder of MLP—casually walking the grounds like he was hosting a backyard barbecue. No entourage. No headset. Just a guy talking to the community he built.
It told me immediately: this league was built with people first.
My crash-course in real time
I met brand owners I had only ever seen through Zoom.
I met players I only ever saw in Instagram reels.
I also met competitors in the space who turned out to be actual humans and not just logos.
My team and I finally met each other—in person—after months of building partnerships through screens. Suddenly we were shoulder-to-shoulder in this loud, buzzing arena with fans screaming, paddles echoing, and courts overflowing with energy.
But my favorite moment was meeting Jilly B for the first time—fresh off leaving her pickleball CEO position to go back to pro, wrapped head-to-toe in actual bubble wrap in the parking lot. She was laughing at herself for falling so many times the day before, joking that it was her new “protective gear” for the weekend.
It was ridiculous, it was authentic, it was so pickleball. And it’s still one of my favorite early-MLP snapshots.
I also met women across the pickleball business world—founders, operators, marketers, creatives—all shaping the sport from behind the scenes. It was grounding, inspiring, and validating all at once.
And then Gary Vee flew in
Kim and Gary Vee during one of the MLP events that helped push the sport into mainstream attention.
Right as the New Jersey 5s were heating up, in walks Gary Vaynerchuk—entrepreneur, investor, owner of VaynerMedia, and one of the most recognizable marketing voices in the world. Alongside him was Ryan Harwood, CEO of Gallery Media Group and longtime partner in the VaynerX ecosystem.
They weren’t observing quietly.
They were in it—courtside yelling, pacing, filming content, hyping up players, and fully invested in the match.
We chatted briefly, snapped a picture, and in that moment it clicked:
If Gary Vee and Ryan Harwood were here, pickleball wasn’t just growing—it had officially crossed into mainstream culture.
And that’s exactly what happened next.
How the league changed after this moment
After those early MLP events—including the one at Pictona—the league exploded into a new era. What once felt like a passionate startup suddenly became a magnet for global names and serious investment.
The celebrity wave hit—hard.
Almost overnight, ownership groups expanded to include:
LeBron James
Tom Brady
Kim Clijsters
Anheuser-Busch
Kevin Durant & Rich Kleiman
Heidi Klum
Naomi Osaka
Justin Verlander & Kate Upton
Michael B. Jordan
Drew Brees
The Changs (SoCal Hard Eights)
Suddenly every major sports headline seemed to include the phrase: “joins ownership group in Major League Pickleball.”
It wasn’t just a league anymore.
It was a cultural moment.
The business side shifted fast, too. I didn't need to explain what pickleball was on sales calls anymore. I just needed to explain why Tom Brady was involved and what a pickleball team even was.
The format evolved.
The operations grew.
The venues expanded.
Team values skyrocketed.
Social media exploded.
TV and streaming footprints matured.
MLP went from “pickleball’s cool experiment” to the league to watch.
What players and fans are saying now
Pros still love the intensity
Kim and Zane Navratil post-match, back when every MLP event felt electric from first serve to last point.
Zane Navratil put it perfectly:
“Every point matters. You can’t check out for even 30 seconds.”
That’s why MLP stands apart—the speed, the drama, the team chemistry.
Fans are passionately invested
Scroll Reddit or TikTok and you’ll see:
heated debates about format
fans defending their teams
players breaking down strategy
new fans discovering MLP through celebrity owners
When people care enough to argue, the league is working.
Why MLP matters for everyday players—including you
1. It validates the sport
When LeBron, Brady, and major global brands invest, it signals: pickleball is here to stay.
2. It reflects the community at its core
Accessibility and connection built this league—and that hasn’t changed.
3. It inspires the next generation
Today’s rec players are tomorrow’s pros, founders, and leaders.
4. It brings people together
MLP matches feel like events and that energy trickles down into local courts.
What’s next for MLP—my honest take
The league has matured. Some of the early scrappy charm is gone—but the mission is the same.
MLP continues to:
elevate the sport
expand the fan base
create storytelling opportunities
build community
attract sponsors
inspire everyday players
I’ll always remember Pictona—the chaos, the excitement, the inclusivity, the feeling of everyone showing up.
But I’m equally excited to see where MLP will go next.
Because whether you’re watching online, cheering from the stands, or playing your own rec game at home…
You’re part of the same story—and the story of MLP is still in its early chapters.