Florida Smash’s Lacy Schneemann returns a shot during a Major League Pickleball team match against BLQK at Pickle & Chill in Columbus, Ohio on October 15, 2022.
Emilee Chin | Getty Images
Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association have completed their long-awaited merger agreement and ushered in a new chapter in the sport, the championships announced Thursday.
The deal will unite the two largest pickleball organizations into one holding company, but the PPA Tour and MLP will retain their own distinct brands and formats. It was not immediately clear what the new company would be called.
The agreement comes after months of drama, animosity and negotiations between the competing pickleball leagues as they now join forces to determine the future of professional pickleball.
The consolidation will also bring a $75 million investment from a group that includes private equity firm SC Holdings, DC Pickleball team owner Al Tylis, PPA Tour owners Tom Dundon and the Pardoe family as well as a roster of existing MLP team owners.
“Today is an exciting day for everyone involved in or interested in the world of pickleball,” said PPA Tour Founder and CEO Connor Pardoe. “MLP and the PPA Tour working together as partners create a viable, sustainable and healthy ecosystem for all key participants in which the best players in the world can play in both exciting formats of pickleball, ensuring that we promote the highest quality, most exciting events.”
The merger will bring together more than 150 professional pickleball players, including many of the top players in the world. As part of the deal, the players have signed new multi-year contracts, with many of them taking part in an expanded calendar that combines PPA Tour and MLP events throughout the year.
The PPA Tour features individual bracket-style touring, while the MLP is a team-based format.
Combined payments under the new unified organization are expected to grow nearly 250 percent this year compared to last year, according to the release.
Several players told CNBC after the merger was announced that they still haven’t been paid for previous tournaments.
“I’ll believe it when they start paying,” said one player.
MLP player Zane Navratil told CNBC he was encouraged by the recent progress.
“To say the last 6 months have been a rough road would be a huge understatement. As someone who has been critical of the PPA in the past, I’m really encouraged by the conversations I’ve had personally with the leadership recently,” Navratil said. I think everyone in pickleball is ready for the fresh start that this provides.”
The combined event is expected to boost professional sport by providing players, fans and sponsors with the benefits of a simplified schedule.
“Commercially, this integration makes us even better partners as sponsors, broadcast partners, venue operators, equipment manufacturers and others will benefit from the combined, expanded 2024 PPA and MLP event schedule,” said Bruce Popko, MLP CEO. .
It was a bumpy ride. The merger deal was first announced in September 2023, but stalled after a bitter dispute between the two organizations led to a competitive arms race for players.
In August, as the merger appeared to be in jeopardy, the leagues began a spending spree to try to lure the top pros to their respective leagues, offering them huge contracts. They were then forced to backtrack and ask the players to take pay cuts as a result of their heavy spending.
In the weeks that followed, MLP suffered significant upheaval as founder Steve Kuhn resigned and newly appointed CEO Julian DePietro and Commissioner Brooks Wiley both left.
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