Anheuser Busch Joins King James, Brady and KD as MLP Owner

Let's recap Major League Pickleball's 2023 team owners: Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Lebron James, and now, Anheuser Busch.

One of these things is not like the other!

That's right, Big Beer has come to pickleball. The company supplying Budweiser and dozens of other brews now owns an MLP team. It makes sense...for many, the official drink of live sports isn't Gatorade or soda, it's an ice cold brewski.

Let's crack one open together (or shotgun one with Tyson McGuffin)!

Counter Spin with Spin

Zane Navratil is a master of spin in pickleball. His chainsaw serve revolutionized the game, but we're not talking about serves today.

In a recent video, Zane encourages students to run a unique drill to familiarize themselves with spin. Two players will play out a singles point, but here's the catch: the server may only hit slice shots and the returner must use topspin.

"A lot of time people are intimidated when the other person is hitting with slice," preaches Navratil. His goal is to eliminate the fear by leaning into the spin.

When a sliced ball is struck with topspin, the effect is amplified. It is amplified again when the topspin ball is countered with slice.

These practice points put more action on the ball than you've ever seen, allowing you to harness the power of spin from an offensive and defensive perspective.

Gucci Zane also wants you to know what is happening at the point of contact.

• A topspin ball will jump up off the paddle at contact

• A sliceball will dive down off the paddle at contact

Add this drill to your routine. Make spin a friend instead of an enemy.

AvaLee is Pickleball’s first and only paddle and performance-wear brand designed exclusively for women, by women.

Created by sisters-in-law Lauren Bethany Barnes and Lauren Arlyne Barnes, AvaLee proudly derives its name from the Barnes daughters and represents the future of pickleball with themes of individuality, fashion, and femininity.

By uniting high-performance court fashion with comfort, quality, and wearability, AvaLee meets the needs of modern women everywhere. Because function, fit, and fashion all matter. (In no particular order!)

Together we are AvaLee. #womenofpickleball

Anheuser Busch Completes the MLP Expansion

Major League Pickleball announced yesterday that Anheuser Busch will be the final owner added in the 2023 expansion. The world's largest brewing company joins Lebron James, Tom Brady, and Kevin Durant as owners in the league's move to sixteen teams.

“Anheuser-Busch is one of the most impactful professional sport sponsors in the US, to have them join as an ownership partner is an incredible opportunity for Major League Pickleball” - MLP Founder, Steve Kuhn

A product that is synonymous with sporting events in America is BEER, from the $14 beer at an NFL stadium to the generous $2 pour at your local sports bar. Anheuser Busch is all too familiar with the beer + sports relationship. The company owned the St. Louis Cardinals from 1953-1996 and still maintains their stadium's naming rights.

AB Inbev's brands Budweiser, Bud Light, etc. are also known for some of the best Super Bowl commercials of all time. Now the beer giant will be lending its sport marketing talents to the burgeoning pickleball league.

Pickleball's Golden Ticket

One of the most coveted events on the pickleball calendar is the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships. The event is played every year at the Indian Wells Tennis and Pickleball Garden in Southern California.

The National Championships have been a landmark event for the pickleball community since their inception. Amateur players throughout the country compete in 'Golden Ticket' qualifier tournaments for the right to play in the event. Those that do not qualify enter a lottery system for their chance to participate.

Indian Wells is the home of the BNP Paribas Open and the world's second largest tennis stadium. Nationals has been hosted there since 2018. This year, fans will see a full slate of pros and senior pros compete throughout the week.

One of the most anticipated matchups is the possible clash of season-long mixed partners. Anna Leigh Waters will be playing with Riley Newman, and they could collide with the team of Ben Johns and Catherine Parenteau.

Tune into the action live.

Nov 10 - M/W Pro Singles | Nov 11 - Pro Mixed Doubles Nov 12 - M/W Pro Doubles | Nov 13 - Championship Sunday

Carnival's Dink Deck

Forget crowded pools and jetski rentals. Cruisers on Carnival’s Conquest can play pickleball on a dedicated top deck court.

The popular cruise line finally realized that there’s some market overlap between people who love to play pickleball and people who love to sit on a floating resort for 10 days.

Previously, the ship only featured nets for players to set up on basketball courts. This new court on Conquest is permanent, complete with a protective cage so your failed attempt at a speedup doesn’t go flying into the sea.

This is the only Carnival ship that features a dedicated court. Other Carnival ships’ guests will just have to share space with basketball players.

Frazier Signs with Selkirk

Twenty-year-old Dylan Frazier has quickly ascended to the top of the pro pickleball landscape. He has racked up over 20 pro medals this year and boasts a sky-high singles DUPR of 6.89.

Frazier picked up the Selkirk Labs 002 paddle and has not put it down since. Yesterday, Frazier and Selkirk made it official. Dylan Frazier is the newest member of Team Selkirk.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• New Zealanders are picking up pickleball paddles

• More court options in Florida at Pensacola

• Life Time health clubs partner with MLP

• Find courts while traveling

• Pickleball’s uphill climb to mainstream success

Highlights

• Call him "Stretch Armstrong"

• It's only stupid until it works

• Shooting for the hip

• Does this Padel shot count as an erne?

Pickleball Bucket List

As thousands of players arrive at Indian Wells, California, it's time kick off a collab with Pickleball in the Sun to feature one of their all-time favorite pickleball destination resorts: The Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa.

Just minutes from Indian Wells Tennis Garden, this luxury resort boasts breathtaking views, four onsite pickleball courts, spacious villas and suites featuring a private balcony, outdoor spa, and the HyTides waterpark. For more post-game relaxation, check out their Agua Serena Spa to soak in the sun at the reflection pool or enjoy a specialty treatment.

Learn more about this resort here.