CityPickle to Expand Pickleball Club Concept Combining Indoor Courts with Full Bar and Restaurant and Activations in Iconic Public Spaces

NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — The Avenue Sports Fund today announced it has made a significant minority investment in CityPickle, the urban home for pickleball. The new capital will support CityPickle’s plans to expand the locations of its permanent, indoor pickleball club concept in addition to strategic activations at iconic landmarks in metropolitan areas.

Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the United States over the past four years. According to estimates, nearly 40 million people nationally have played pickleball at least once in the past 12 months. CityPickle focused initially on New York City and the Greater New York market, where research suggests 5 to 6 million people played pickleball in 2023, despite limited supply for courts.

Co-founded by two female entrepreneurs, Mary Cannon and Erica Desai, in the summer of 2021, CityPickle is addressing the supply-demand imbalance for courts in dense urban areas by building pickleball clubs that combine indoor, bookable courts with a full bar and restaurant—making it the ideal destination to spend quality time with friends, colleagues, and family. The brand also installs seasonal courts at high-profile locations. CityPickle offers a variety of playing options to book, including: court reservations, clinics, open play, one-on-one coaching, private and corporate events.

In fall 2023, CityPickle opened its first permanent pickleball club in Long Island City, New York and is the seasonal partner of Wollman Park Partners, which operates the iconic Wollman Rink in Central Park. CityPickle at Wollman Rink is the largest pickleball installation in the Northeast with 14 permanent courts, providing 182 hours of play a day. CityPickle operates other seasonal pickleball experiences including a seven-court, indoor location at Brooklyn’s Industry City in addition to activations at Hudson Yards, Union Square Park, and Philadelphia’s City Hall. In June 2024 it was announced CityPickle has been selected by NYC Parks to revitalize Anchorage Plaza, the 60,000 square foot space under Brooklyn Bridge, with pickleball courts, public art, community programming, food trucks and more and will debut in Spring 2025.

“There is a significant opportunity to provide permanent and pop-up pickleball locations to service the growing and passionate demand for this sport,” said Marc Lasry, Avenue Capital’s Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder. “CityPickle, led by co-founders Erica Desai and Mary Cannon, has established a special brand that is relevant to urban locations nationwide. We are excited to join with the CityPickle team to support its expansion strategy.”

“We are thrilled to have the Avenue Sports Fund join our team at CityPickle as we further our mission to spread the joy and community of pickleball in New York City and other metropolitan areas,” said Mary Cannon, CityPickle Co-founder. “We’ve experienced an overwhelming demand for more access to pickleball and are looking forward to expanding our ability to offer a best-in-class experience to the rapidly growing player population alongside our new partners at Avenue Sports Fund,” added Erica Desai, CityPickle Co-founder.

About Avenue Sports Fund
Launched in 2023, Avenue Sports Fund provides capital solutions to a wide variety of established teams and leagues across the globe, as well as investments in emerging sport properties to capitalize on areas of exponential growth. The Sports Fund also invests in sports-related media and entertainment rights, real estate, and other adjacent businesses. Avenue Sports Fund, led by Marc Lasry, is a fund of Avenue Capital group, a global investment firm focused on making opportunistic credit and other special situation investments across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Avenue, founded in 1995 by Mr. Lasry and Sonia Gardner, draws on the skills and experience of over 60 investment professionals and more than 180 employees operating from its headquarters in New York and offices in Europe, Asia and Abu Dhabi. Avenue has assets under management of approximately $12.5 billion.

About CityPickle
CityPickle is the urban home for pickleball. CityPickle opened its first, permanent pickleball club in Long Island City in 2023, which combines indoor, bookable courts with a full bar and restaurant, making it the ideal destination to spend quality time with friends, colleagues and family. CityPickle is also Wollman Rink in Central Park’s official seasonal partner where it operates the largest pickleball installation in the Northeast with 14 permanent courts and 182 hours of play a day. CityPickle operates other seasonal pickleball experiences like a seven-court, indoor location at Brooklyn’s Industry City in addition to activations at Hudson Yards, Union Square Park, and Philadelphia’s City Hall. CityPickle will continue to partner with high-profile destinations in cities as it strategically develops new club locations.

SOURCE Avenue Capital Group

PURCHASE, N.Y., Dec. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Ahead of the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals, STARRY® and NBA® 2K24 are dropping a gaming-ready combo at Pizza Hut® that will make it easy for players to snack and game simultaneously.

Starting December 5, when players order the NBA® 2K24 STARRY® combo, which includes the choice of any Pizza Hut Melts® and 20 oz. crisp, clear, refreshing, lemon-lime flavored STARRY, they will score a Locker Code for NBA® 2K24*. Once players redeem their NBA Locker Code in NBA® 2K24, they will have access to in-game apparel and MyPLAYER skill boosts for 10-games. Additionally, players can earn 2X Rep during wear and earn events, purchase apparel in Swags including a denim patch jacket, suit, tie-dye tee, pizza box jersey, and branded jersey, play in a theater event, and earn their own bike with branded embellishments.

“In its first year as the official soft drink of the NBA, fans have seen first-hand that STARRY Hits Different and shows up during basketball’s biggest moments,” said Scott Finlow, CMO of PepsiCo Global Foodservice. “We’re pumped that gamers and basketball fans can level up their meal at Pizza Hut and experience unique in-game offerings with STARRY.”

The NBA® 2K24 STARRY® combo is available at PizzaHut.com or on the Pizza Hut app for $8.49. For more information about the NBA® 2K24 STARRY® combo or to gain access to a Locker Code, in-game apparel, and perks, follow @starrylemonlime and @nba2k on social media.

*NBA® 2K24 Locker Codes are available with online orders of the NBA® 2K24 STARRY® Combo only through February 18th, 2024, while supplies last. Locker Code redemption requires a copy of NBA 2K24 (sold separately) and an NBA 2K Account (must be 13+). NBA 2K Accounts are free. Limit (1) one code per customer a day, with no more than (5) five codes per NBA 2K Account. Locker codes will be delivered within 24 – 48 hours after qualifying purchase via the email connected with the qualifying purchase. Locker Codes must be redeemed by March 31, 2024. Availability, prices, and participation may vary. STARRY® is a registered trademark of Portfolio Concentrate Solutions UC. © 2023 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved.

About 2K
Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment for video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber and HB Studios. 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®️ 2K; renowned BioShock®️, Borderlands®️, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®️ and XCOM®️ brands; popular WWE®️ 2K and WWE®️ SuperCard franchises; as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®️ 2K. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2K.com and on the Company’s official social media channels. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc..

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $86 billion in net revenue in 2022, driven by a beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

About Pizza Hut®
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and since then has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original Pan® and Original Stuffed Crust® pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order. Today, Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards®, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order. Hut Rewards is open to U.S. residents 16+. See applicable terms at https://hutrewards.pizzahut.com/terms/. A global leader in the pizza category, Pizza Hut operates more than 19,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its enormous presence, Pizza Hut works to unlock opportunity for its team members and communities around the world. For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com. You can remain up to date on what’s happening at Pizza Hut by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

SOURCE PepsiCo

Chicago-based agency will stage 34 games over 51 days, beginning Nov. 10 with the first-ever basketball game at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia

CHICAGO /PRNewswire/ — Intersport tips off its college basketball season this weekend with its first of 10 nationwide events during the 2023-24 schedule. The award-winning agency will stage 34 games in the span of 51 days with distribution on 11 channels over multiple platforms, bringing an elite lineup to basketball fans nationwide.

It all begins on Friday, Nov. 10, when Intersport will help bring the first-ever college basketball event to life at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Regional men’s programs Radford and Marshall will face off on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET. The matchup launches a long-term partnership between Intersport and the Greenbrier, which is slated to continue in 2024 with an annual multi-team event.

“We have an exciting slate of consequential, non-conference matchups that will shape college basketball this season,” said Mark Starsiak, who has served as Intersport’s vice president of basketball since 2018. “We’re proud of the collaborative relationships we’ve built with premier college programs, coaches, administrators, networks and sponsors through our reputation as a trusted partner and resource for unmatched events. It has allowed Intersport to substantially grow our presence in the college basketball space as an industry leader. Like fans everywhere, we can’t wait to get the season started.”

Intersport’s schedule will be highlighted by:

• Game broadcasts in partnership with three major networks (CBS, FOX and NBC), five leading sports cable channels (ESPN, ESPN2, SEC Network, FS1 and CBS Sports Network) and three streaming partners (ESPN+, Women’s Sports Network and FSWBucs.com)
• Three multi-team events in November: the Arizona Tip-Off, Fort Myers Tip-Off and Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off
• Two Associated Press top-25 women’s programs—No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 23 Illinois—competing at the neutral site Citi Shamrock Classic contest in Washington, D.C.
• No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 11 Tennessee women’s programs going head-to-head in a Thanksgiving Day broadcast on FOX at 6 p.m. ET
• Five neutral site events in December featuring a bevy of top-25 programs, including No. 6 and defending national champion UConn, No. 11 Gonzaga, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 19 North Carolina and No. 21 USC, among others
• Eleven men’s teams and eight women’s teams ranked or receiving votes in the pre-season Associated Press or coaches poll
• Competitions taking place in nine venues across seven states and Washington, D.C.

Nationally recognized brands are aligned with the Intersport basketball portfolio, including title partners Continental Tire, Elevance Health and the National Basketball Retired Players Association as well as Old Trapper Beef Jerky, State Farm, Libman, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Zappos.

Beyond the loaded early season schedule, Intersport will also hold its annual postseason events: the High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships and the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships. New this season, Intersport is reintroducing the Women’s College Basketball All-Star Game, which is scheduled to take place in Cleveland on April 6, 2024.

For the latest basketball news and behind-the-scenes access, follow Intersport’s dedicated basketball account (@IntersportHoops) on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter). Additional information about Intersport’s capabilities and events is available on Intersport’s primary social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).

About Intersport:

Intersport is an award-winning agency and leader in the creation of ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, customer engagement, experiential marketing, hospitality, production and sponsorship consulting. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Since staging just one early season event in 2019, Intersport has grown its basketball portfolio to manage nine different events during the first two months of the season—all with national broadcast partners. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985, with additional offices in Boston, Detroit and New York. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).

SOURCE Intersport