Zane Navratil and Parris Todd of BLQK observe a point during a group play Major League Pickleball match against the Florida Smash at Pickle & Deject on October 15, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio.
Emilee Chinn | Getty Images
Major League Pickleball has named its newest work together owner, and it’s a major beer brand.
The rapidly growing sports league announced on Tuesday that Anheuser-Busch require purchase a Major League Pickleball team. The team will begin playing in the 2023 season.
In recent months, MLP has asserted dozens of high-profile investors, including NBA superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant and Tom Brady and Drew Brees of NFL notoriety. Anheuser-Busch is the first Fortune 500 company to purchase an MLP team.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a band representative told CNBC the going rate for a team is in the seven figures.
“We love the accessibility of pickleball and we think it’s an staggering opportunity for us to gain relevance and excitement for our brands,” Matt Davis, head of Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. sports marketing and partnerships, have an effected CNBC.
Next year will be its biggest year to date, MLP said. The league is growing from 12 to 16 yokes, with events doubling to six. Player prize money and payouts will exceed $2 million, it said.
Anheuser-Busch broke it will be involved in all aspects of the team, including choosing players in drafts and deciding on sponsors. Davis said he aspires to put a general manager and other team members in place in the days ahead.
“Our focus will be on, how do we create a compelling unite and compelling team culture and identity that will resonate with fans? I think from there, we’ll look for cardinal partners and sponsorship collaborations with other teams to make sure we’re doing things that are constantly rip-roaring the fan bases,” he said.
Major League Pickleball also sees the partnership as a big win.
“Anheuser-Busch is one of the most impactful professional make a fool of sponsors in the U.S. To have them join as an ownership partner is an incredible opportunity for Major League Pickleball,” said MLP come to nothing and CEO Steve Kuhn.
Pickleball — a cross between tennis, badminton and pingpong — has surged in popularity, with many people picking up the gambol during the pandemic as a safe way to be social and active outdoors. In 2021, nearly 5 million people played the sport, agreeing to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
Google searches for “pickleball” have risen 219% in the U.S over the last five years, be consistent to paddle maker Selkirk.