by Joe James
What’s the story?
The Frisco Pandas in the Major Pickleball League (MLP) have relocated to Nashville, Tennessee and will be rebranded as the Nashville Pandas.
The Pandas, formerly located in Texas, have an ownership group that includes NFL star Dak Prescott and YouTube sensations Dude Perfect, but this marks the franchise’s first major move since The Kitchen Pickleball took control of the team’s marketing, operations and sponsorships sales in November 2024.
Jared Paul, the founder of The Kitchen, a major social media force in pickleball that boasts over 1.4 million followers across social media, is at the heart of the move.
Paul, General Manager of the Nashville Pandas, said: “The excitement and energy around pickleball in Nashville is incredible.
“This city is perfect place to grow the game, build a passionate fanbase and bring in new sponsors who want to be part of something special.”
The American has now taken on the challenge of transforming the Frisco Pandas into a successful franchise in their new home of Nashville.
Paul, who Forbes called the ‘pied piper of pickleball social media’, began his pickleball journey in 2020 because of Covid, where his plans to raise money for a music startup were scuppered by lockdown leading to him playing in near his home in Austin, Texas.
In what is another truly unexpected turn of events, the Nashville Pandas will be holding open try-outs where one man and one woman will be offered a United Pickleball Association (UPA) contract, making them eligible for the MLP draft in March, which has never happened before in professional pickleball.
The Recap
Jared Paul’s pickleball journey began in 2020 when his music startup stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But a casual invite to play lit a fire inside him and he created a Facebook group called “Pickleball Austin”. The group then turned into The Kitchen, which is now the largest pickleball community in the world and Paul’s restless and meticulous approach to content curation has been key to The Kitchen’s success.
The Kitchen now has over 1.4 million followers across social media platforms and focuses on delivering the most important pickleball news and content. Dane Iliff and Jason Aspes, the co-collaborators of The Kitchen also have backgrounds in marketing, sales and advertising which helps to sponsor events and continue to be influential in the pickleball sphere.
The Pandas were one of the original eight MLP franchises but wanted to elevate their brand and marketability. Paul, instead of just assisting with sales, suggested he became General Manager whilst his company took over marketing, operations and sponsorship sales.
With The Kitchen having a massive social media presence and experience in brand building, they were in a perfect position to grow the fanbase and increase the team’s value. Paul intends to market the team as fun, whilst leaning into Nashville’s rich cultural history, not just in sport but areas like music too. There are also plans in the future to maximise the value of the franchise to put it in the best position for a sale as the numbers are eyewatering.
The unique try-outs, which are scheduled for February 19, and seen as an unprecedented first in major professional sport, will offer a UPA contract, a shoe deal and a Proton Sponsorship to one man and woman, opening the door to a professional pickleball career.
Dude Perfect, one of YouTube’s biggest brands, acquired a majority share of the team in March 2023 but have since partnered with private equity firm Highmount Capital and will be taking a step back from pickleball to focus on other areas of expansion.
The Nashville Pandas current roster lineup is Michael Loyd, Tamaryn “Tammy” Emmrich, Ewa Radzikowska and Stefan Auvergne.
The Verdict
The new era of the Nashville Pandas, orchestrated by Jared Paul, is massive news in the MLP and the pickleball world.
This whole story comes from someone who took the sport up as a hobby during the pandemic and has now fleshed out an entire business which is also able to take control of the operations at a pickleball franchise.
It is impressive, and this is a truly innovative approach to building a community and a sports franchise. The team’s relocation to Nashville, the emphasis on community and accessibility with open try-outs, and Paul’s unique vision for the sport thanks to The Kitchen, all point towards an exciting future for the MLP in the United States.
Pickleball is continuing to expand, and it is a great time to be involved, irrespective of being a player, fan or in the world of business. The opportunities to develop financially and competitively are clear to see and there are little signs of this slowing down anytime soon.
The blend of Paul’s social media savviness and business experience, combined with a focus on fun, community and opportunity, makes the Nashville Pandas a franchise to watch, both on and off the court.