Pickleball Marketing News – January 5, 2024

Happy New Year! 2024 is already off to an incredible start for Brian Gainor and me. It is with great pleasure that he announces the launch of Gainor Sports, an innovative sports marketing and advisory practice that Brian has been diligently building over the years as he’s worked the last 15+ years for Legends, 4Front and GMR Marketing.

I met Brian 17 years ago, and since then, I have always admired his work ethic, creative ideas, and unwavering support for me and my agency, Vossberg Gainor, that I launched 4 years ago.

It is a tremendous honor to now embrace entrepreneurship together under one roof! We look forward to individually enjoying living and working on what we love, running our respective practices. With the opportunity for some crossover and collaboration as the world of pickleball continues to grow.

Brian will focus on assisting teams, leagues, and organizations worldwide in driving significant new sponsorship, revenue, and fan growth. Meanwhile, I will continue my dedication to helping brands, agencies, destinations, players, and communities navigate the dynamic world of pickleball through my consulting agency, Vossberg Gainor.

Additionally, I am thrilled to continue celebrating the pickleball lifestyle and curating unique, experiential events for brands, celebrities and communities through the Pickleball in the Sun brand.

Here’s to a successful and fulfilling venture ahead, while shouting unique ideas across the house, to our respective offices 🙂 As well as to be able to get out more together in the local Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra, Florida communities.

It’s truly an honor to both be fulfilling our dreams and demonstrating how hard work can lead to building a company, all with the aim of inspiring our incredible kiddos, Clara and Garrett. And bringing them on as junior associates.

We wish everyone a happy and healthy 2024, with much success doing what you love!

The Gainors

Gainor Sports Unveils Innovative Sports Marketing and Advisory Practice

Leading Sports Executive Brian Gainor Launches Gainor Sports, Specializing in Helping Teams, Leagues and Organizations Worldwide Drive Significant New Sponsorship, Revenue and Fan Growth.

Jacksonville, FL l January 4, 2024: Today marks the official launch of Gainor Sports, an innovative sports marketing and advisory practice founded by industry veteran Brian Gainor.

With two decades of experience, Gainor has advised over 200 professional sports teams, leagues, brands, organizations and attractions around the world and is now bringing his wealth of expertise to strategically help sports teams, leagues and organizations facing increasing pressures to grow, evolve and generate significant incremental revenues from sponsorships, ticket sales, game operations, international expansion, premium fan experiences, social media and more.

Gainor Sports specializes in helping partners innovate and create new and never-been-done sponsorship, revenue generation and fan growth and engagement strategies.

“I am thrilled to announce the launch of Gainor Sports and have an incredible opportunity to inspire and help sports and entertainment organizations here in the United States and around the world develop new, best-in-class strategies to creatively generate revenue, maximize sponsorships and reach and engage new fan audiences,” said Brian Gainor. “We are reaching a critical inflection point in the sports and entertainment industry where organizations need to be more creative and insight-driven than ever before to grow their businesses and generate the revenues necessary to survive, thrive and evolve. I’m excited for Gainor Sports to be a partner that they can turn to for trusted counsel, creative strategies, and ongoing support.”

Gainor Sports offers a comprehensive suite of specialized offerings, including:

1. Sponsorship Consulting

• Creating new sellable sponsorship platforms, assets and “million-dollar” ideas

• Providing dedicated sponsorship management, evaluation and optimization

• Developing new, best-in-class approaches to selling naming rights and major sponsorship assets

• Helping partners effectively renew and grow sponsorships and prospect more efficiently

2. Creative Revenue Strategies

• Creating strategies to help partners grow their brand and fanbase nationally and internationally

• Helping partners accelerate their organizations to grow revenue, relevancy and positioning

• Advising partners on new ways to leverage and monetize their venues 365 days per year

• Developing creative approaches to drive significant new ticket sales and ancillary revenue

3. Fan Growth & Engagement Strategies

• Helping partners develop strategies to reach and engage new fan audiences

• Providing solutions to help partners enhance and extend the game day experience

• Creating ways to drive greater reach and impact in the community and online/social

• Connecting partners with leaders in sports, music, art, space and gaming to attract new fans

4. Revenue & Growth Workshops

• Hosting working sessions to help align and inspire staff to dream big, think organizationally and creatively generate new revenue

• Leading U.S. Study Tours and planning Partner Summits to help inspire new growth opportunities

For more information about Gainor Sports and its services, please visit:

Website: GainorSports.com

Instagram: @GainorSports

About Gainor Sports

Gainor Sports is a leading sports marketing and advisory practice specializing in helping teams, leagues, brands and organizations generate more revenue, more fans and more impact.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Laura Gainor
Vossberg Gainor
Founder & CEO
[email protected]
704.941.4191

Everyone’s holiday wish list includes pickleball products, and what better way to celebrate the season than with a holiday getaway playing some #pickleballinthesun? Laura Gainor, the founder of Pickleball in the Sun, chats with John Cowley, Director of Vendor Relations for Pickleball Central, on Pickleball Boulevard at the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships.

They discuss the ultimate holiday gift guides for all types of pickleball players. Among the recommendations are apparel, paddles, and delightful stocking stuffers like OS1st pickleball socks, lead tape, lock laces, and more. Explore the full 2023 Pickleball in the Sun Holiday Gift Guide below.

Stocking Stuffers from Pickleball Central

October 2023 officially marks the fourth anniversary of the launch of Vossberg Gainor. Over these years, it has been an incredible honor to play a part in the growth of this exciting sport as the world’s first pickleball marketing agency. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with remarkable organizations, brands, industry professionals, and talented athletes within the pickleball community.

Additionally, as the creator of the Pickleball in the Sun brand, a lifestyle and leisure brand sharing the best pickleball destinations and experiences, I absolutely love being a passionate pickleball enthusiast myself and living that pickleball lifestyle with so many of you.

I could write a book on the experiences I’ve had over the last four years, but here are 15 Top Highlights from marketing for America’s fastest-growing sport….with so many more to come…

Laura Gainor

For nearly the past year, I’ve truly enjoyed creating this Pickleball Marketing Newsletter each week. It’s become a valuable avenue for me to reconnect with former marketing colleagues and clients who are deeply involved in brand activations within the fastest-growing sport in America.

Among these agencies is GMR Marketing, a firm that played a pivotal role in shaping my experiential marketing career. I had the privilege of contributing to remarkable programs alongside some of the industry’s most esteemed marketing leaders.

Today, I’m excited to share a remarkable collaboration between Humana and the Trust for the National Mall, aimed at bringing Pickleball to the heart of the National Mall.

From September 28th – 30th, nine temporary pickleball courts will grace the JFK Hockey Fields, adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

This three-day extravaganza is entirely free and designed for public participation. Attendees can look forward to an array of engaging programs, including celebrity matches featuring the likes of Katie Couric and Rob Riggle, on-site pickleball lessons and clinics, exhibition matches with Major League Pickleball’s D.C. Pickleball Team, an “in the kitchen” cooking demo with Tiffany Benjamin, and much more.

“At its core, Humana is committed to championing seniors, promoting healthy and active lifestyles, and fostering social connections,” said Bruce Broussard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Humana. “We are excited to bring pickleball—an accessible, inclusive and friendly sport—to one of the most special places in our country where everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to connect, be active, and live their healthiest life.”

The reservations for court time and clinics are already full, but visit their website for more details about all of the free events that are open to the public and view the full schedule of events below.

This pop-up event serves as a stellar illustration of how brands can leverage pickleball to align with their core values and cultivate community engagement. It exemplifies a creative and strategic approach to marketing and brand development, leaving enthusiasts eagerly anticipating future events hosted by Humana.

Pickleball at the National Mall Schedule of Events 

Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour have announced a merger that is backed by $50M investment led by private equity firm SC Holdings and Financier/MLP Team Owner Al Tylis, along with PPA Tour Owner Tom Dundon and various MLP team owners.

I will share more in the days and weeks ahead as we learn more information about the merger and the future of professional pickleball.

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PRESS RELEASE: 

AUSTIN and DALLAS, TX., September 13, 2023 — Today, leading professional pickleball organizations MLP by Margaritaville (MLP) and Carvana PPA Tour (PPA Tour) announced an agreement to merge under a unified and definitive professional pickleball holding company. The consolidation of the two entities is backed by a $50M investment from SC Holdings, D.C. Pickleball Team owner Al Tylis, PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon, and a roster of existing MLP team owners.

The new combined organization will provide players, fans, and sponsors with the benefits of a streamlined schedule and single entity overseeing the two still-distinct brands. The merger combines the leading individual and team-based professional pickleball formats into a single parent company, equally supporting and promoting both MLP and the PPA Tour. The new holding company will provide players and sponsors great confidence and opportunity in the future of professional pickleball.

The PPA Tour is the traditional, bracket-style tour format that determines the best players in the world and showcases individual athletes and their unique journeys to reach the top.

MLP is the innovative team-based, coed league format that brings thrilling fan-centric experiences and competition throughout the regular season and championships.

“As professional pickleball continues to rapidly grow, we could not be more excited to provide both players and fans with the clarity and consistency of a unified professional pickleball organization,” said Major League Pickleball Founder Steve Kuhn. “This merger will expand and improve opportunities for current and future players, creating a united experience and a better future playing professional pickleball.”

“Over the past few years, we have seen ever-increasing interest from investors, sponsors, fans and players who understand the immense value in the future of professional pickleball,” said PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon. “The holding company unifying the PPA Tour and MLP will create a streamlined sport for fans and add more meaningful opportunities for player competition, broadcasting rights and sponsorship throughout the professional pickleball calendar.”

Professional pickleball fans will now be able to watch both exciting formats and the best players in the sport competing under one competitive umbrella, with the new unified organization boasting over 150 of the leading professional pickleball players and an extensive calendar of team and individual events throughout the year.

The parent company’s board of directors and team owners include an impressive roster of business leaders, leading investors and professional athletes. The new board of directors will include: Jason Stein from SC Holdings, D.C. Pickleball Team owner Al Tylis, PPA Tour owner Tom Dundon, MLP founder Steve Kuhn , and former Goldman Sachs Partner Brian Levine.