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UPDATE: Collin Johns responds to "leaked" MLP comments

UPDATE: Collin Johns responds to "leaked" MLP comments

PLUS: The Picklr Bait and Switching with their Policies + Meet the “airless”, 3D-printed, USAP approved, quiet pickleball

Good day, picklers.

The United States is leading the Olympic medal count right now with 87 medals total.

But in the world of paddle sports, it’s been a huge week for Serbia & China.

Novak Djokovic finally secures the elusive singles gold medal he’s been trying to earn since the start of his career. And Zheng Qinwen from China wins the gold medal in women’s singles, becoming the first Asian player to win a tennis singles event. Both nail-biting performances.

Here’s what’s on the docket today:

Pickle Talk: Collin Johns responds to “leaked” MLP comments
Hot Topics: The Picklr Bait and Switching with their Policies
Bite-sized: Brothers aiming to set a pickleball world record
Golden Pickle: Meet the “airless”, 3D-printed, USAP approved, quiet pickleball

Let’s start off with a visually stunning banger, shall we? 😵‍💫

The golden shot that secured Novak the gold.

From his own mouth: it’s the “biggest success I’ve ever had.”

Congrats Novak.

@nbcsports

PICKLE TALK

1/ Collin Johns responds to “leaked” comments

Last week, we covered the private messages allegedly written to MLP by Collin Johns.

In case you missed it, you can read the full message here.

This week, after much speculation, Collin responds to the alleged messages and says this:

“The list of grievances allegedly written by me and currently being shared is based on a number of texts that were privately shared in casual conversation. I never made any official communication or sent any emails to MLP. My opinions were reframed and forwarded to MLP without my consent, then subsequently leaked to the general public, which was never my intention. I fully admit that, like all people, I occasionally communicate my thoughts and ideas to friends and family, but the fact that my words were taken out of context, misrepresented, and released publicly is unfair and extremely frustrating. It is my duty to address concerns with MLP directly and privately as a catalyst to drive positive change within the sport that I want to see succeed. I appreciate the opportunity to compete in pickleball in any capacity, and any perceived diminishment to the sport of pickleball caused by this series of events is something that is regrettable. The list of complaints shared across the internet is not indicative of how I would choose to express myself.”

Alright, so what does this tell us?

According to John, nothing was supposed to be directly shared with MLP, and whoever did send & “reframe” the messaging did so out of malice, or so it seems.

We still don’t known who sent the message to MLP and leaked it to the general public. The story is still unfolding.

If and when the leaker is cornered and revealed, the consequences should be major.

To be continued…

2/ The world’s first compostable pickleball?

Pro-Pickle makes headlines this week, answering the age old pickleball question: What are we to do with these broken pickleballs?

Named the Compost-A-Ball, Pro-Pickle has created a pickleball made with a patented blend of wheat straw and rice husk that supposedly decomposes in around 1,000 days in landfills.

The goal here is to eliminate the 77 million pounds of plastic created by the 500 million pickleballs produced each year.

So the next question is: how does it play?

Right now, no one knows.

But according to Angel Morales, Chief Product Officer of Pro-Pickle and a professional player himself, he and his team have gone over 1,000 formulations to create a ball that performs like the standard pickleball balls we see on courts now.

On August 9, the Compost-a-Ball will be demonstrated at PickleCon 2024 August 9.

If it’s well received by the general public, this will be a game changer in the effort to make the game more eco-friendly.

Interested? Pre-order is available now here so you can try it out yourself.

HOT TOPICS on Reddit

The Picklr Bait and Switching with their Policies

According to this reddit post, the Tom Brady-associated The Picklr is making people not-so-happy with its sudden policy changes.

Here’s part of the post to give you some context:

I have been notified, today, that our local picklr, due to insufficient membership numbers, have again changed their policies from their original agreed upon terms. They are no longer allowing an unconditional 4 guest passes a month to us, but have now decided that individuals may only be invited to the picklr once a quarter ( every three months )

Their logic behind this move is, ostensibly, to induce more membership sign ups. The notion that it will have a positive effect on memberships is doubtful, considering they're stripping incentives away from existing members, proving they cannot uphold agreed upon terms, and are preventing members from inviting friends to play or drill indoors. Members will still play with those friends who they cannot invite, but they will now be doing it outside of the Picklr. They're shooting themselves in the foot with this one.

Is it just me or are you not surprised?

Pickleball has never been more popular and as a result, we are seeing a boom in pickleball facilities and courts opening up all over the United States to meet the demand. But are they profitable?

While it is not uncommon for new facilities to operate at a loss with a handful of overhead costs to cover, the problem comes when owners are over optimistic and situations like this one happen.

For The Picklr, it would be easy to assume that the original policy was established in order to get people into the doors as a marketing strategy and hopefully, capture newcomers and convert them into paying members.

But it’s possible that it’s not working the way they expected, the guest policy change.

Here's what other people are saying:

JOIN THE CONVO on Reddit:

💬 QUITTING ALREADY?: What happened with Ivy Tschetter?

💬 REACTION: Collin Johns responds to leaked “text”

💬 ODD ONE OUT: New Vulcan Balls Play Great IMO

BITE-SIZED PICKLES

1/ ANOTHER SHUT DOWN: The ROC Dome Pickleball Club in Henrietta, New York closed on July 24, just nine months after its launch due to financial issues.

General Manager Zachary Agliata and members were surprised by the sudden closure, with many learning the news unofficially. Despite its costly $500,000 conversion, low attendance and lack of air conditioning contributed to its struggles.

According to one member, it was not uncommon to see an empty venue and no running A/C.

2/ WORLD RECORD: The Rossetti Brothers aim to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball volley.

On Aug. 17, at Pickleball America, the Rossetti Brothers will attempt to surpass 10,000 consecutive pickleball volleys. Despite their history of record-breaking volleys, this ambitious challenge comes with high stakes and the pressure of previous successes and failures.

The event will also serve as a benefit for Save the Children, where the Rossetti Brothers have previously raised over $250,000. Hosting the event at Pickleball America, the largest U.S. indoor pickleball center, will help maximize donations and support their charitable efforts.

3/ BREAK UP: Pro player Parris Todd has announced her departure from Selkirk, where she has been a sponsored athlete since 2022.

Known for her competitive spirit and positive influence, Parris's exit marks a significant change. Her contributions, including a signature paddle and clothing line, have left a lasting impact on the brand. With her ranking 8th in Women's Singles on the PPA Tour and numerous accolades, her next move is highly anticipated.

While it remains to be seen which brand she will join next, there is confidence that Parris has many options. Her departure opens new opportunities for her and the brands vying for her endorsement.

4/ TENNIS CONVERT: John Isner, a top tennis player with 16 singles titles, has signed with Selkirk, following limited experience in professional pickleball. This comes shortly after Parris Todd, a significant Selkirk athlete, announced her departure.

Isner’s transition to pickleball is exciting but raises questions given his brief exposure to the sport. His involvement follows Parris Todd's exit, who was influential in Selkirk's product development and brand.

Isner joining Selkirk’s roster, alongside notable players like Jack Sock, indicates Selkirk's strategy to enhance their pickleball presence. Fans can expect to see more of Isner, potentially boosting the sport's visibility.