Tom Brady is the latest star athlete to jump in on the pickleball craze by owning a piece of a Major League Pickleball expansion team. Brady joins retired tennis star Kim Clijsters in investing in the team that is headed up by Knighthead Capital Management.
Brady has been playing pickleball for about four years after the game was introduced to him by Tom Wagner, who is the owner of Knighthead Capital Management. He loves to play with his kids, but it’s no
surprise that Brady gets really competitive.
Brady is 45 years old and is currently the oldest active player in the NFL. He jokes that he’s been looking for ways to extend his sports career past his 40s, and now he has. He said, “Look, you know how I do with
competition, right? I love that it’s become such a popular neighborhood sport. It’s a great way to get out of the house, but I’m coming to win. I’m coming to dominate the sport. Alright, pickleball. Let’s f–king go!”
Kim Clijsters sees the investment opportunity with the popularity that pickleball is generating right now. She also wants to be part of the growth of the sport. Clijsters states, “What excites me the most about
becoming an MLP owner is that I get to help shape the future of pickleball, a sport I have come to love, with great people — who also happen to be some of my best friends. I’m thrilled to help showcase
professional pickleball and make an impact on the sport through my experience gained in the top levels of professional tennis.”
The sport keeps growing, and with the support of sports royalty, the future is bright for pickleball.