Professional Pickleball Players Form Collective, Express Concerns Over Pay Cuts and Sport’s Future

Dozens of professional pickleball players have come together to form a collective, expressing their concerns about recent pay cuts and the future of the sport. The collective’s dissatisfaction stems from their treatment by Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Pro Pickleball Association Tour (PPA Tour), as outlined in a letter obtained by CNBC. MLP had requested players to take a 40% pay cut in exchange for reduced work obligations, aiming to ensure the league’s long-term financial viability. However, players have voiced their discontent not only with the proposed cuts but also with the lack of transparency and handling of the situation by the leagues.

Several players, speaking anonymously due to fear of retribution, have revealed instances of feeling unfairly treated and receiving threats for not agreeing to the proposed pay cuts. The collective alleges lies, threats, deceitfulness, false deadlines, and a disregard for written agreements within the league. The players’ concerns are further intensified by recent leadership changes within MLP, including the departure of founder Steve Kuhn, Commissioner Brooks Wiley, and CEO Julio DePietro.

The proposed merger between MLP and the PPA Tour is still under negotiation, but players are disheartened that PPA Tour CEO Connor Pardoe has been involved in negotiating their contracts. Many players had chosen MLP specifically to distance themselves from Pardoe, and now they find themselves compelled to negotiate with him. The collective highlights the supposedly immoral, unethical, and potentially illegal negotiation tactics employed by the leagues, leading them to form the collective to address these issues.

The collective represents the interests of the majority of MLP’s approximately 100 players and has hired employment and antitrust attorneys to support their cause. They have also received funding from an angel investor. Survey results shared in the collective’s letter indicate that the majority of players feel they have not been treated fairly during the pay cut negotiation process. Similarly, opinions about the PPA Tour leadership were overwhelmingly negative, with many players feeling victimized, harassed, or bullied.

MLP and the PPA Tour issued a joint statement acknowledging the collaboration displayed by the players during the negotiation process. However, the collective’s letter, which includes survey results and expresses disappointment in the leagues’ actions, challenges their claims. MLP, in a separate letter to players, stated that the majority of premiere-level players had accepted the reductions and new agreements associated with the proposed merger. Yet, the collective, along with the Pickleball Union, disputes these assertions, suggesting a significantly lower acceptance rate.

The future of MLP remains uncertain, with the league warning that if the merger is not completed by January 31, 2024, the new agreements will be void, potentially jeopardizing the league’s viability. As the collective continues to advocate for fair treatment and transparency, their actions serve as a wake-up call to the league’s owners, shedding light on the severity of the situation and the players’ concerns about the future of the sport they love.

Story on CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/15/pro-pickleball-players-form-collective-amid-pay-cuts-merger.html