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When we first came across this announcement, we thought it was a joke. What the hell is Major League Pickleball anyway and why would Anheuser-Busch want to own a team?
Turns out pickleball is a real sport that’s played indoors and outdoors on a badminton sized court, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. And while tennis requires an overhand serve, pickleball serves must be underhand. Picklers (that’s what they call players) serve diagonally to the opposite side of the court.
Unlike tennis balls which are bouncy, a pickleball is light and bounces lower than a tennis ball. Pickleball uses paddles, not racquets and the sport’s court is much smaller than in tennis.
And yes there’s a major league pickleball franchise, the MLP, and Anheuser- Busch has entered into the ownership space with the purchase of pickleball expansion team for the 2023 season.
“We have a proud and longstanding history as a sponsor across all of major sports, and we’re excited to partner with Major League Pickleball – a sport with incredible growth and fan participation,” said Matt Davis, Head of U.S. Sports Marketing and Partnerships at Anheuser-Busch….
“Anheuser-Busch knows that fans are always looking for ways to engage with the sports they love, and we’re thrilled to be getting in on the ground level to bring them closer to Pickleball. We have already seen world-class individuals invest in teams and partnerships, and we share in their belief and excitement for the future success of this league and sport.”
We don’t have a clue how much it costs to purchase a pro pickleball team. Nor did Anheuser-Busch specify what city would be home to their new acquisition, which we found kind of odd.
This from Anheuser-Busch’s Nov 8 announcement…
In this unique ownership model, Anheuser-Busch will be able to build meaningful connections with fans like never before, unlocking new opportunities for growth and creativity.
This agreement will give Anheuser-Busch a founding partnership with the larger MLP league and control over one of the league’s expansion teams – with ownership over everything from who the team drafts to which sponsors they bring on to support.
Additionally, the partnership will extend to the DUPR rating, which is the most accurate and only global pickleball rating system across all recreational and pro players – allowing the company and its brands to tap into the growing population of recreational players and DUPR events around the country.
“Anheuser-Busch is one of the most impactful professional sport sponsors in the US, to have them join as an ownership partner is an incredible opportunity for Major League Pickleball,” said MLP Founder and CEO Steve Kuhn. “ I can’t wait to see how this partnership will elevate the sport of Pickleball in the years to come.”
The MLP is described as the fastest-growing sport in the United States, (so clearly we don’t know what’s going on in that world). In 2023 the league will expand from 12 to 16 teams, double its events from three to six, and increase player prize money to more than $2M.
With this purchase Anheuser-Busch joins an elite company of team owners, including athletes such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Kim Clijsters, famed lecturer and research professor Brené Brown and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks Marc Lasry.
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