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UPDATE: It's come down to this. Pros form The Player Collective to fight MLP/PPA treatment

UPDATE: It's come down to this. Pros form The Player Collective to fight MLP/PPA treatment

PLUS: The 1st ever pickleball murder mystery book + HELP: Fiancé choosing pickleball over her

Welcome back, picklers.

Read time: 4.5 min

Moira Rose, you are exactly right.

Once the MLP news broke, I knew that a player union had to be in the works.

Today, I’m happy to announce that it has come true.

ENTER: The Player Collective

Let’s get into the update 👇🏾👇🏾

TODAY’S MENU

Daily Scoop: UPDATE→ Pro players form The Player Collective to fight MLP/PPA
News Stash: Skincare meets pickleball. The 1st ever pickleball murder mystery book. Pickleball taking over holiday parties.
Kitchen Talk: HELP→ Fiancé choosing pickleball over her. What should she do?

DAILY SCOOP

UPDATE: Pro players form The Player Collective to fight MLP/PPA

It’s about time.

As first reported by The Dink, a group of pro players has organized The Player Collective to address concerns with Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour amidst demands for player salary reductions.

What I know so far is that The Collective has retained funding and legal representation.

Here are the key issues:

MLP asked players to accept up to 40% pay cuts, while PPA proposed 0–10%. Yet PPA salaries are already 20–40% higher.
93% of players surveyed felt they lacked information to judge the cuts, and 94% said leadership could not address their questions.
89% believe they were treated unfairly during negotiations, with reports of "threatening mothers" and "artificial deadlines."
79% gave the PPA a vote of no confidence in response to its "moral character and integrity."

The discord has seriously eroded trust between players and the leagues they showed loyalty to.

While some players have agreed that financial changes may be necessary to keep the future of the game alive, the biggest issues surrounding communication and transparency have created resentment over the process and outcomes.

Feedback highlighted further grievances around disrespect, deceitfulness, and PPA overstepping boundaries on Major League's behalf.

As of now, players are seeking cooperation grounded in honesty and compassion.

Resolving the rifts from recent negotiations will be key to ensuring a cohesive, sustainable future for professional pickleball on terms fair to all essential stakeholders.

Open dialogues guided by integrity on both sides remain pivotal moving forward.

NEWS STASH

Skincare meets pickleball, a collaboration

Happenings: Skincare has shimmied its way into the world of pickleball.

For the first time in pickleball history, the skincare brand Supergoop! has partnered with the novel pickleball brand Recess to bring you skincare and pickleball in 1.

For $225, you can get 2 Recess pickleball paddles, 3 pickleballs, a net bag, and, of course, a tube of Supergoop! Play sunscreen.

According to Trendhunter.com, this pairing works like butter and toast because both are in demand, receiving a trend score of 8.2.

I can only wonder if this skincare/pickleball trend will work long-term and if the gigantic brands will catch on.

The first ever pickleball murder mystery book

Happenings: I love a good murder mystery book. But have you ever heard of a pickleball murder mystery?

In a recent Amazon browsing session, I came across the book Killing The Royals: A Pickleball Murder Mystery and was instantly intrigued.

Here’s the plot: Al, a recent widower, moves to a new town to help him recover from his loss. Once an advanced pickleball player, he finds community in the new area of Rio Viejo, but soon discovers his new pickleball friends are being murdered left and right. His curiosity drives him to find out who the murderer is.

So far, it has 21 reviews with a 4.5 rating. This might be one to check out and support an amateur author!

If you are interested, check it out here.

NO to holiday parties; YES to pickleball

Happenings:Many companies are moving away from traditional holiday parties with drinks and instead exploring more inclusive team-building activities; this shift led education startup Outschool to opt for a pickleball lesson rather than a typical dinner event.

The rise in demand for creative spaces that facilitate connection is also driving increased interest in venues like outdoor pickleball courts and pools for corporate gatherings, according to Swimply CEO Derek Callow.

Replacing old-school office parties with sports like pickleball allows companies to bring together employees in a fresh way that is accessible, enjoyable, and not centered on alcohol consumption.