Trump and Harris are battling for votes... with pickleball?

Good day, picklers.

Here’s what’s on the docket today:

• Pickle Talk: Trump and Harris are battling for votes… with pickleball?

• Bite-sized: Travis Kelce’s $6M mansion has a pickleball court (because of course it does)

• Golden Pickle: The nastiest pickleball points in history, a montage

PICKLE TALK

Trump and Harris are battling for votes… with pickleball?

Politics just got a new favorite sport, and it’s not golf. 🚨

Pickleball has become the surprise star of the 2024 election campaign, UNOFFICIALLY, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both using the game to court voters ahead of the big November 5th showdown.

That’s right—pickleball, the sport that’s growing faster than TikTok dance trends. You shake that blazer, Kamala. 👩🏽‍💼

But really…why pickleball?

Well, when it comes to politics, there is ALWAYS an agenda at play here.

The sport has seen a crazy rise in popularity, duh.

And like all elections, it comes down to the numbers. The sport’s appeal is broadening fast—and that’s exactly why both Harris and Trump are hitching their campaigns to it, similar to what Biden did before he dropped out. 😅

Where are the receipts tho…?🧾

Trump’s campaign isn’t just talking about pickleball—they’re selling it. Trump is a business man after all, and I’ve got to say, they look Presidential. 💰

Back in September, the Trump Store dropped the $118 Trump Pickleball Set (complete with paddles and balls, naturally)…

…and single paddle for $180. Because nothing says “Make America Great Again” like a solid backhand at the kitchen line. 🏓

Meanwhile, Harris has allegedly been busy rallying the Democratic base with pickleball pop-up events, especially targeting older voters.

So, Why Does This Matter? 🤨

The connection is clear. Trump and Harris know that pickleball’s audience is now a powerful voting bloc. And as cringy as it might seem to us outsiders, either one would be stupid for not using pickleball as part of their marketing campaigns to get into the Oval Office. 📍

For both campaigns, this isn’t just a clever gimmick.

It’s a smart play to engage a fast-growing demographic that swings elections, especially in critical battleground states.

The Bottom Line…both Trump and Harris know this, and they’re betting on the fact that, just like a close match, every point (and every vote) counts.

BITE-SIZED PICKLE

1/ Travis Kelce’s $6M mansion has a pickleball court (because of course it does)

If you’re Travis Kelce, life’s basically a highlight reel on Instagram. 🎞️

• You’re crushing it in the NFL

• Dating Taylor Swift (despite allegations that it’s all a PR stunt)

• And on your way to a fourth Super Bowl ring.

Not to mention, you’ve got a nice $17.1M per year rolling in just from playing football.

celebrities.homes

View more on Instagram

So, where do you spend all that cash? 💸

Oh, just on a $6M mansion in Leadwood, Kansas. This 17,000-square-foot pad has it all—6 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a two-story movie theater, a pickleball court (naturally), and even a mini golf course. Not bad, right?

2/ PickleRage scores big money, preps for world domination (or at least 200 new locations)

So, pickleball just got a little bit richer—PickleRage, the trendy indoor pickleball club, snagged a deal with GreenPeak Venture Partners, a private equity firm with more cash than they probably know what to do with (over $2 billion, just casually).

What’s the plan? Oh, nothing big—just opening 200 new locations over the next two years. No pressure.

Apparently, this is just a warm-up, because by 2029, PickleRage wants to flex 500+ locations. Yep, total pickleball world domination.

Jared Feldman, head honcho at GreenPeak, is pumped, saying, “We’re psyched to partner with PickleRage! We’ve got the real estate chops to make this huge.”

Translation: They know how to find good buildings, and they’ve got deep pockets.

PickleRage is already a hit with their CushionX courts 👀 (you know, the ones pro players use at the U.S. Open—casual flex), video-enabled courts so you can rewatch your amazing serve, and LED lights that make the whole experience feel like a pickleball rave.

Oh, and you can book online because it’s 2024, and standing in line is so last century.

Hope you’re ready to rage, bruh.

GOLDEN PICKLE, ANYONE?

Just a few crumbs before you go…😉

1. Thinking about sinking some cash into a pickleball facility? You’re not alone. These dedicated pickleball enthusiasts have crunched the numbers, and they’re revealing whether it’s worth it. Curious if the ROI will make it rain? Check out their insights.

2. Remember our last Pickle Talk (#5) about Vulcan’s horrendous ball? Well, they’ve just dropped the official announcement for their latest creation: the Generation 2 VPRO FLIGHT Pickleball. Let’s hope this one doesn’t have Ben Johns shedding tears on the court.

3. Pickleball can break ankles—but only if the points are spicy enough. Shea Underwood has put together a video montage of the absolute NASTIEST points in pickleball history. Tune in and maybe snag a few moves to add to your arsenal.

4. Selkirk, what’s the secret to lightning-fast hands during volleys? Lucky for you, Selkirk TV is here to spill the beans in just 3.141592653589793238 seconds.

5. Did you miss the last Pickle Talk? Catch up on the $2.5 million pickleball that’s got pros riled up, 12-year-olds breaking ankles for gold, and Naomi Osaka making her pickleball debut. Just five more minutes—you can tell your doubles partner!