All articles tagged with #pickleball
Prince Harry attended a countdown event for the Invictus Games at Birmingham’s NEC, watching wheelchair rugby and playing pickleball, while Meghan Markle did not attend public UK events this week amid security concerns and ongoing royal-family spotlight.
In May, ultra-high-net-worth family offices made 51 direct sports investments, including a $225 million round for Pickleball Inc., the parent company of Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour. Notable bets include Tom Dundon’s family office with Apollo, Michael Dell’s group taking a stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, and Darco Capital’s backing of PlayerData (GPS vests and smart balls) used by Crystal Palace, highlighting sport as a diversification tool and inflation hedge.
A 31-year-old man, Saif Kaleem of Tannersville, vandalized two pickleball nets at TLC Park and Mountain View Park in Pocono Township after injuring himself during play. Surveillance captured him cutting nets and leaving in a white Hyundai Tucson. Kaleem told police his summer was ruined by the injury, and he’s charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and trespassing.
Investigators say a single-engine Cessna carrying pickleball players to a Texas tournament broke apart in midair and crashed near Wimberley on May 1, 2026; a report details the breakup of the aircraft.
Five members of the Amarillo pickleball club were killed when a twin-engine plane crashed in Texas while en route to a pickleball tournament; investigators from the FAA and NTSB are examining the cause, the other plane in the same group landed safely, and the pickleball community is mourning.
A Texas plane crash killed several pickleball players, triggering widespread mourning in the community; among the victims were a school tennis star and a trauma counselor, with an investigation underway into the cause of the crash.
A small Cessna carrying pickleball players crashed in the Texas Hill Country near Wimberley, killing the pilot and all four passengers on board.
Five Amarillo residents Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, Stacy Hedrick, Glen Appling, and Hayden Dillard were killed when their Cessna 421C crashed near Wimberley, Texas, while en route to a pickleball tournament. The Amarillo Pickleball Club identified the victims, and FAA/NTSB investigators are examining the crash.
Pickleball Inc., the parent of Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour, raised $225 million from Apollo Sports Capital and Dundon Capital Partners, bringing total investment to $315 million and valuing the company at $750 million. The deal unites assets like Pickleball Central and PickleballTournaments.com under one umbrella to build the largest pickleball ecosystem, expanding media, events, and technology while Dundon and the Pardoe family remain majority shareholders. With 24 million U.S. players in 2025 and projected 2026 revenue of about $74 million (plus over $140 million in 2025 revenue for the merged verticals and $60 million in 2025 top-line), the investment underscores pickleball’s rapid growth into a professional, media-driven enterprise.
Jeff Webb, 76, founder of Varsity Spirit and the Universal Cheerleading Association and a conservative media magnate who mentored Charlie Kirk, died after complications from a head injury suffered in a pickleball accident; his death was confirmed by Varsity Spirit. Webb helped pioneer modern cheerleading and built a media empire, including Human Events and purchasing The Post Millennial. He is survived by his wife Gina, son Jeffrey, daughter Caroline, and two grandchildren, with tributes flowing from conservative circles.
Nike signs the sport’s No. 1 player, Anna Leigh Waters, in its first pickleball deal, naming her a global ambassador and outfitting her in apparel and footwear across all events; terms weren’t disclosed as she competes at the Carvana Masters, signaling Nike’s broader push into a rapidly growing sport.
The article humorously discusses Pete Golding's rise as Ole Miss's head coach amid the college football playoff, contrasting him with Lane Kiffin and highlighting the nation's collective loathing for Kiffin, while celebrating Golding's authentic persona and redemption story in college football.
The article argues that injuries among older pickleball players are less risky than inactivity, emphasizing that active movement like pickleball is beneficial for health, especially for women during menopause, and should be encouraged as a form of medicine to maintain strength and independence.
Forge+Bond, previously part of CSS Composites, has rebranded as F+B Sports and is now manufacturing high-end pickleball paddles using their proprietary FusionFiber material, after CSS Composites ceased operations. The move ensures the continuation of FusionFiber technology, despite the company's shift from mountain biking components to pickleball equipment, with paddles priced at around $200.
CSS Composites, a manufacturer of high-end thermoplastic carbon rims for bike brands, went out of business unexpectedly, leaving warranties and supply chains in limbo. Remarkably, its Forge+Bond brand and IP have re-emerged less than a month later as F+B Sports, a pickleball paddle company using the same FusionFiber technology, operating from the same facilities, under the umbrella of Future Comp and the Christensen family's network of companies.