Drake and Michael B. Jordan are investing in a pro pickleball team
The pickleball craze may have taken off during the height of the pandemic, but it’s still spreading like wildfire. And now, it has caught the attention of two major stars.
Rapper Drake and American actor Michael B. Jordan recently announced an exciting new venture – they are investing in the Brooklyn Aces, a Major League Pickleball (MLP) team.
Boardroom.com’s Shlomo Sprung reported Thursday that Drake and Jordan are among the new investors in the team, which is co-owned by NBA player Kevin Durant.
Excited to have this ace up our sleeve with the announcement that @Drake and @michaelb4jordan lead our newest group of investors in the Brooklyn Aces! @35Ventures @richkleiman https://t.co/2OolWAf8LN pic.twitter.com/pdl7HyyKBF
— Major League Pickleball (@MajorLeaguePB) July 20, 2023
Rich Kleiman, Durant’s business manager and majority owner of the Aces, expressed his delight, saying, “We’re thrilled to have this incredible group of investors join the Brooklyn Aces as we continue to grow the team and raise the profile of Major League Pickleball as a whole.”
“It’s the idea of bringing people in that we could share in this with and utilize resources as the Aces evolve,” Kleiman added. “Our investor group includes some of the savviest entrepreneurs in the business, and having this network on our cap table.”
The team recently unveiled their new logo, which incorporates an image of the New York skyline into a pickleball.
majorleaguepickleball.net
Other famous athletes like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Naomi Osaka have also invested in pickleball teams in the United States over the past few years.
For those who don’t recall or are not familiar with the game, pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It is played on a smaller court with a lower net, and players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over the net.
The MLP is currently comprised of 24 teams grouped into two categories: MLP Premier Level and MLP Challenger Level. The Premier Level hosts the top 48 players, while the Challenger Level features the next generation of talented players aiming to climb the ranks.
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