Believe it or not, by October 2022, there were about 4.8 million people playing the increasingly popular racquet game – pickleball, in the USA.
7 months later, you can guess how much the sport has grown by June 2023. Also, in 2022, this game was so big that it even got NFL greats like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers investing in it.
Since 2020, this game has been growing fast. In 2022, the owners have a hard time keeping up with the demand for courts. Also, investment offers have been coming in hot and fast.
The interest in Pickleball seems to have risen tremendously during the COVID-19 years. Today, going by the high sales of items such as the best bag for pickleball gear, this game is quite popular.
While most want to play and have fun, the NFL players are going miles ahead. They are investing in this game a lot.
How NFL players are accelerating pickleball’s growth
NFL players make good money in their playing years from salary and endorsements. They are also good investors, and they have a nose for promising investments.
That is why football players are investing in the Major League Pickleball, which was established by Steve Kuhn in 2021.
Since 1965 when this sport was established, it registered slow growth over the years. However, its potential started coming out in 2020 and 2021. Today, it is experiencing accelerated growth, partly because of the interest that NFL players have shown in it.
The Major League Pickleball is pretty newish, but it is expected to grow from 12 teams in the beginning of 2023 to 16 later in the year.
If the NFL players can see the potential in this game, it must be good. Below, you will see the football stars who have put their money where their (racquet) is.
Tom Brady – Among first NFL players to invest in MLP
Tom Brady was one of the first football players to invest in Major League Pickleball. A man who has amassed a fortune throughout his career is worth watching. He certainly hasn’t gotten to this level of wealth by making the wrong decision.
If you see Brady investing somewhere, it is because there is good money to be made!
In a move that Steve Kuhn, the founder of MLP called the watershed for MLP, this was the beginning of great things for this sport.
Brady’s involvement in the consortium that bought an expansion franchise in the Major League Pickleball has garnered attention for the sport.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star is not new to investing in sports. In the past, he has been affiliated with various sports ventures, such as TB12 sports.
According to Kuhn, the objective is to have more than 40 million players of this game by 2030.
Aaron Rodgers
With a significant net worth amassed over his career, Aaron Rodgers has made a splash in MLP, alongside other big-name investors.
Going by the speed at which pickleball is growing, there is every reason to believe that soon, he will see returns on his investment.
Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers quarterback, has several investments under his belt. And now he is the owner of a franchise of the MLP, joining the growing list of sports stars investing in the league.
Other notable NFL players and sports stars investing in the league include the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Kevin Durant, and even tennis star Venus Williams.
Why Pickleball?
People know about the different racquet sports such as tennis, table tennis, and badminton. However, until very recently, the pickleball game was not that well known.
As the Sports and Fitness Association says, in 2021, the game of pickleball showed a growth of 11.5% over 5 years. 4.8 million people played this participatory sport. This sport is growing so fast because players come from all age groups. From children to seniors, everyone who can hold a racquet is playing.
In 2021, Pickleball had a market size of $152.8 million. Absolute Reports says this market is projected to grow to $256.1 million by 2028.
Conclusion
If you look at the entire star-studded ownership of Major League Pickleball, you will have an idea in mind about how far this sport will go.
The athletes investing in this sport are not only from the NFL. They come from all sports. Tennis players, basketball players, and entrepreneurs are investing heavily.
The projected future growth of this sport is informing all the investments that are coming in. All the money is going to good use too because more courts are being constructed in the USA.
As more professional athletes continue hopping on board to invest in the MLP’s franchises, it is going to inspire other entrepreneurs to join.
By all signs, it seems this sport’s growth will even exceed the 40 million players estimate for 2030, as Steve Kuhn says.
