LeBron James is leading the new ownership group of Major League Baseball Pickleball, whose other shareholders include Warriors star Dream Green and Cavaliers star Kevin Love. Kimchi ball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, and LeBron James wants a piece of the pie.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates said on his personal blog that he was both surprised and happy that his favorite sport, Kimchi Ball, had become the fastest-growing sport in the United States.
"Having NBA stars like James, Green of Dreams, and their incredible team as owners and investors in Major League Baseball Pickleball is not only great for MLP, but it's a watershed for Pickleball overall," said MLP founder Steve Kuhn.
Major League Pickleball is the first professional team league of its kind in the United States. "Pickleball is the fastest-growing movement in the United States, building communities in towns around the world," Kuhn said. "This investment and the platform provided by the group will greatly help us achieve our goal of reaching 40 million kimchi players by 2030."
The Lakers star is already part of the owner of MLB's Boston Red Sox, Premier League's Liverpool Football Club, NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and RFK Racing Team.
Jason Stein, managing partner of SC Holdings, said in a statement: "Pickleball is one of the most exciting growth opportunities in the sports world because of its loyal and engaged communities across the United States. ”
"People are obsessed with gaming, both participants and fans, and we're excited to leverage our collective experience and expertise in sports, media and entertainment to reach new players and expand the community." We're excited to be part of Major League Baseball—as a league and a sport that's just getting started. ”
MLP is relatively new, but it has shown how fast it is growing. The league debuted in 2021 with 8 teams and expanded to 12 teams by 2022. MLP will add four more teams next year. In the 2023 season, players will play six games in six U.S. cities with more than $2 million in prize money.
The 2022 season will end October 14-16 in Columbus, Ohio.
"Having SC Holdings, LRMR Ventures and their incredible team as owners and investors in Major League Baseball Pickleball is not only great for MLP, but also a watershed for Pickleball overall," MLP founder Steve Kuhn said in an official press release. "Pickleball is the fastest growing movement in the country, building communities in towns around the world. This investment and the platform provided by the organization will greatly help us achieve our goal of reaching 40 million Pickleball players by 2030." ”