(Reuters) – Pickleball’s surging growth had cold water thrown on it when Major League Pickleball (MLP) asked its players to take a 40% pay cut, CNBC reported on Wednesday.
The MLP had asked for a reduction of players’ annual work days from 200 to 120 and planned to cut their salaries proportionally, the network reported, citing an email sent to players.
Players who agreed to the terms would be guaranteed a minimum of 10 slots at Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) events, CNBC said.
“We have carefully studied the economics of the business and determined that certain changes need to be made to ensure a sustainable and viable business that will not only survive but thrive in 2024 and beyond for the benefit of all stakeholders,” the email said.
MLP said it would also cut operational and event-related costs for 2024 and added that it had parted ways with Commissioner Brooks Wiley.
Neither MLP nor the PPA Tour, rival leagues that in September announced plans to merge, responded to a request for comment from Reuters.
Pickleball, a fast-paced paddle sport similar to tennis and badminton, was invented in 1965 but interest in it has skyrocketed in recent years and it is now the fastest growing sport in the United States.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; editing by Clare Fallon)
