High on Pickleball? Cannabis Meets Pickleball 🍃

Good evening, picklers.

Here’s what’s on the docket today:

• Pickle Talk: Cannabis & Pickleball: A Game-Changing Duo?

• Bite-sized: Ex-Tennis Pros Taking Over Pickleball Courts

• Golden Pickle: Dallas Dominates New York – Sweeps the Series Again

PICKLE TALK

Cannabis & Pickleball: A Game-Changing Duo?

Pickleball’s on fire, and now, one of the biggest U.S. cannabis operators wants to fan the flames even higher. 🥵

Trulieve Cannabis (CSE: TRUL) is blazing a new trail, literally, joining forces with the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) to become the first exclusive cannabis sponsor of pickleball tournaments across the U.S.

So what’s up, Trulieve? Why now? 🤨

Well…it all comes down to numbers and business.

As one of the largest cannabis companies in the U.S., Trulieve sees more than just a niche audience in pickleball.

Here’s the kicker: pickleball is bringing in players of all ages, creating a unique opportunity for brands aiming to tap into multiple demographics.💰

The Growth Curve: Over the past few years, pickleball has grown by a jaw-dropping 159%, and with nearly 36.5 million Americans now calling themselves pickleball players, Trulieve’s timing couldn’t be better.

Sure. Some people might not be happy with the sponsorship, but hey, business is business and it takes 2 to tango.

Pro pickleball shook on that deal, too. 🤝🤝

Let’s get into the cannabis Market Potential: With cannabis sales predicted to hit $72 billion by 2030 and 23 states currently offering legal adult-use markets, cannabis is moving toward mainstream acceptance.

And with states like Ohio recently legalizing adult use, the overlap between cannabis-friendly consumers and pickleball enthusiasts is only expected to grow.

Cannabis Sponsorships Across Other Sports

Think pickleball is the only shaking hand with the High King?

The Trulieve-pickleball partnership isn’t the cannabis industry’s first foray into sports. Cannabis companies have been tapping into the sports market to reach active, wellness-focused audiences in recent years.

Here’s a look at a few standout sponsorships:

• UFC: Aurora Cannabis partnered with the UFC in 2019, making it one of the first cannabis companies to enter mainstream sports. The partnership involved research into the benefits of CBD for athletes, as well as brand visibility during UFC events.

• Big3 Basketball League: Founded by rapper Ice Cube, Big3 Basketball was the first U.S. sports league to openly allow CBD sponsorships. Al Harrington’s company, Viola Brands, which focuses on CBD, partnered with Big3 to promote wellness and recovery.

The Trulieve & Pickleball Game Plan

•🎲 12 Tournaments: Trulieve is set to sponsor a dozen pickleball tournaments across the U.S., increasing its visibility with a crowd that skews older but is increasingly open to cannabis for health and wellness benefits.

• 🔑 Key Market Presence: Trulieve operates hundreds of dispensaries across the U.S., including flagship locations in cannabis-strong states like Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

By sponsoring pickleball, they’re reaching consumers who might not frequent cannabis events but enjoy an active lifestyle.

Pickleball: The New Investment Magnet

You’ve heard of Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Mark Cuban investing in MLP, but the brand power doesn’t stop there.

The list is growing everyday of people and companies who want a piece of the pickleball pie.

Trulieve joins a roster that now includes alcohol giant Anheuser-Busch and investors from Hollywood, like Vince Vaughn.

For Trulieve, pickleball is a fresh way to reach the health-conscious and 50+ demographic, a group that spends $12 billion annually on pain management and wellness—making cannabis a potential game-changer for injury recovery, inflammation relief, and overall wellness.

So what’s Next?

The pickleball-cannabis partnership is unprecedented, and it’s more than just a marketing play.

With pickleball’s popularity growth seeing no limit right now and cannabis becoming more mainstream, Trulieve’s marketing and PR plan could lead the charge in an unlikely but lucrative alliance, broadening the appeal of both industries.

BITE-SIZED PICKLES to watch out for this week 👀

1/ Ex-Tennis Pros Taking Over Pickleball Courts

The tennis-to-pickleball crossover club is growing fast. 👨🏼‍🏫👨🏼‍🏫

But if you think it’s just a few players, think again.

By Tennis.com’s count, there are 22 other PPA players who once chased ATP and WTA titles before switching to the 20-by-44-foot courts of pro pickleball.

Here are the deets:

Highlights from the Tennis-to-Pickleball Pipeline

• Collin Johns: Known as the sidekick and brother to Ben Johns (pickleball’s #1 star)…Did you know that Collin once reached a career-high ATP ranking of No. 978 in singles and No. 939 in doubles.

• Altalf Merchant: Former No. 1 junior player in India who once represented the country at the Orange Bowl.

• Parris Todd: Started competing at 14 on the ITF tour, earned himself an impress 85+ titles before jumping into pickleball full on.

College Cred & Star Power

Out of 144 players on the PPA tour, 90% have tennis backgrounds, and some boast impressive college achievements:

• Lea Jansen: First-team All-American.

• Pablo Tellez: NCAA champion.

• Yates & Hunter Johnson: Twin terrors in college doubles and PPA doubles partners. Hunter also took down ATP stars Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime in his tennis days, reaching No. 198 in world doubles.

From Coaching to Competing

For some, tennis gigs at country clubs were the gateway to pickleball:

• Tyson McGuffin: This former tennis head pro switched to pickleball after six years, becoming a force on the PPA scene.

• Anna Leigh Waters: The female #1 and phenom was 12 when she went pro in pickleball after getting her start in tennis. Today, she’s one of the sport’s biggest names.

The Tennis-Pickleball Convergence Is Real

With 130 out of 144 PPA players having tennis in their DNA, it’s safe to say pickleball’s pro ranks are serving up something special.

If only Serena would come out of retirement and steal the pickleball game.

That would make things really interesting.

2/ Utah Tech Takes Down Defending Champs in Epic Collegiate Pickleball Showdown

It was a showdown for the ages as No. 1 seed Utah Tech took on reigning 2023 champs, the University of Virginia (UVA).

Spoiler: Utah Tech clinched the win, earning the title and a $15,000 prize—all while dethroning the champions in style. 👨🏼‍🏫

Here’s a quick look into their path to victory

It’s easy to assume that it was all fun and games. But look…Utah Tech didn’t have it easy.

They battled through a gauntlet of top teams, knocking out:

• George Mason

• Penn State

• UT Austin

• No. 2 Indiana

• UNC (2022 DUPR Collegiate Champs)

• And finally… UVA in the championship match.

Each victory brought them closer, but nothing matched the intensity of this rematch with UVA, a team Utah Tech was determined to beat after last year’s close semifinal loss.

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The Win FLOW…🏆

Women’s Doubles: Averee Beck and Kamryn Bliss edged out a nerve-wracking 22-20 win to set the tone for Utah Tech.

Men’s Doubles: Liam Duffin and Benson Parry held steady, taking the match 21-15 and shifting momentum toward Utah Tech.

Mixed Doubles: With all the momentum, Bliss and Duffin delivered a clutch win at 21-19.

The Aftermath🥇

Reflecting on the victory, Utah Tech Coach Chloee Butterfield summed up the game plan that paid off:

“It really came down to discipline. Who could stick with the patterns we prepared and execute in those high-pressure moments. That’s what made the difference.”

Championship Glory

As Bliss, Duffin, Beck, and Parry hoisted their trophy and claimed their $15,000 cash prize, they were clearly on cloud nine.

Bottom Line:

Utah Tech’s disciplined play, mental toughness, and sheer determination dethroned UVA, leaving no doubt they’ve earned their spot at the top of collegiate pickleball.

GOLDEN PICKLE: Your must-clicks of the week

Just a few crumbs before you go…😉

1. University Games Steps Up as Sponsor for Pickleball World Championships.🧩 If you’ve ever played the games Flickin’ Chicken or Smart Ass, the main company University Games is now part of the world of pickleball, sponsoring the PPA Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships coming up on November 4th through the 10th.

2. Pickleball Tours in Spain. 🇪🇸Paddle, paella, and picturesque views—Pickleball Tour Spain is blending pickeball with a Spanish adventure.
   

3. Texas Ranchers Comeback 🥇 Send DC Pickleball home, advancing to the MLP Premier Level semifinals (Nov. 22-24). The come back was nothing short of amusing to watch. Watch here.
   

4. Dallas Flash Dominates New York. 🏆 They sweep the New York Hustlers 3-0, securing the final spot in the MLP Premier level semifinals (Nov. 22-24). Watch here.

5. Miss the last Pickle Talk?👉🏻 Unexpected Pickleball Stars – A 2-Parter. Pickleball’s newest players aren’t who you’d expect. USA Pickleball reveals the New Legacy Trophy…the Mt. Rushmore of Trophies.