Brees passed for 4,000 + yards in 12 consecutive seasons , the longest streak in league history .
PHOTO BY MICHAEL C . HEBERT / NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
I just love the sport and love the people involved with MLP .”
Back in early June , Major League Pickleball unveiled its season-opening event in Austin , Texas . Its second team competition was staged in early August in Newport Beach , California , and boasted the largest purse in pickleball history , $ 319,000 , with the winning team cashing a check for $ 100,000 . Next up on the MLP playing calendar is Columbus , Ohio , Oct . 14-16 .
Team matches are comprised of four games ( women ’ s and men ’ s doubles and two mixed doubles ) and a Dreambreaker singles tiebreaker .
“ Pickleball is the fastest-growing and most accessible sport in America , and MLP has created a uniquely compelling team-based professional league that will continue to drive its growth ,” says Zubin Mehta , general manager of Mad Drops Pickleball Club . “ We are excited to partner with a terrific group of strategic investors as owners of Mad Drops PC and look forward to supporting MLP ’ s mission to be the premier provider of pickleball content .”
Another member of the Mad Drops ownership group is Ryan Serhant . You may know him as one of the high-end New York City realtors and a reality TV star on the popular Bravo series “ Million Dollar Listing New York ” and its spin-off , “ Sell it Like Serhant .” Jim Buss , part-owner of the NBA ’ s Los Angeles Lakers , has also offered his financial support of the Mad Drops .
Brees adds , “ As a longtime professional athlete and competitor myself , I look forward to working with the Mad Drops PC team in our relentless quest to win many championships in the years to come .”
But unquestionably , it is Drew Brees — whose bronze sculpted bust will soon be a full-time resident in the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton , Ohio — who has further elevated the stature and notoriety of Major League Pickleball .
As pickleball continues its meteoric rise across all demographics , it is the game ’ s recognition and attraction of world-class athletes like Brees and Blake , and soon other notable figures , that highlights it as a sport that can cater to all levels of fitness and talent . Their journeys are just the beginning of what many consider an eventual stop at a future Olympic Games and beyond . •