Racket Sports Briefing No. 37

WORTH A READ

Emerging Is Live: The Real Lessons Behind The Racquet Sports Boom

Ben Nichols and I sit down with the founders, operators and investors building padel and pickleball, new episodes every other Tuesday… read more.

Roger Federer Put $50M Into A Swiss Running Shoe Company. His Stake Is Now Worth $500M+

He joined On as an investor in 2019, the company went public two years later at an $11.3B valuation, and it's now making football boots with Mbappé… read more.

While The Picklr Stumbles, Dill Dinkers Just Hit 32 Clubs In 15 States

The Maryland franchise only launched in 2022 and is still adding clubs, weeks after a rival franchisor's troubles went public… read more.

Premier Padel Is Selling Live Betting On 2,400 Matches A Year

Starting in 2027, iGame Media gets exclusive betting data and streams fast enough for point by point wagering, sent to more than 150 sportsbooks… read more.

Coco Gauff Is Now A Team Owner, And She's Suiting Up For Her Own Club In December

She takes a stake in World Team Tennis's Florida Flamingos and joins Tommy Paul, Learner Tien and Brandon Nakashima for two nights near her Delray Beach hometown… read more.

MLP Needs A New Commissioner. Here Are 10 People Who Could Get The Job.

Samin Odhwani is leaving for Apollo Sports Group, which led the $225M investment in Pickleball Inc., and the shortlist runs from a UPA insider to the USGA's CEO… read more.

Lacoste Is Coming For Padel With Two Rackets And A Full Collection

The French brand built its rackets with Tecnifibre and added shoes, bags and apparel, on sale across Europe and the Americas now… read more.

What We Learned At Our First Pickle Money Ball Event

Pickle Money Ball has paid out about $1 million to 700 amateur players across four events this year, and its next stop in Fort Lauderdale guarantees $625,000… read more.

Alcaraz, Zverev And Fritz Traded Their Kits For Brunello Cucinelli At The Laver Cup

GQ's shoot at Greenwich's Old Royal Naval College makes the case for the beige suit, and Cobolli says in another life he'd be a model… read more.

WORTH A LISTEN

Emerging: The Racquet Sports Rise

Business Behind the Racquet Sports Boom listen.