Happy Friday! We are getting closer to 2023 and all that is in store for pickleball as we wrap up the biggest year in pickleball yet.

Last night Major League Pickleball hosted their 2023 draft show and I share 5 Highlights for me from the draft:

ONE: 15-year-old Anna Leigh Waters the #1 draft pick joining Gary Vaynerchuk and Ryan Harwood‘s MLP team – The 5s. Anna Leigh recently shared a photo of her from her first day playing pickleball to showing just one of the triple crowns she’s won this year. So much more to come for Anna Leigh as we all watch in awe this year. PHOTO

TWO: Camryn Irwin showing America how she’s the best pickleball commentator in the game! As she’s been a seasoned on-air commentator for a long time, this MLP draft will be just the beginning of her successful career utilizing her pickleball expertise and professionalism to add more color to the sport. Be sure to follow Camryn Irwin!

THREE: 7 out of the 12 first-round draft picks were women! One of those women being Vivienne David as she made an iconic speech to inspire other young up-and-coming female athletes as she was drafted by her tennis idol, Kim Clijsters, to join her MLP team. Many will look back at these humble beginnings and Vivienne’s dad shared what it meant to him.

FOUR: Zane Navratil‘s shirt. As the fiancé of the former Miss Wisconsin, we’ll all look back at this draft and remember the iconic shirt choice as 2-time MLP championship winner, Zane Navratil, previously on the BLQK team, was drafted by Clean Cause. See the Shirt!

FIVE: Last night was history-in-the-making! Major League Pickleball is paving the way for the sport by creating valuable partnerships and bringing in passionate investors into the game that will continue to make pickleball the fastest growing sport year after year. We will look back at this draft as just the beginning. Well done by the Major League Pickleball team and we’re excited for electrifying team events to happen this year! #40by30

I’m personally ready for 2023 and to share some Pickleball in the Sun with the world as we “paddle up” for MLP by Margaritaville. 

Selkirk Debuts the First Ad Age-Worthy Pickleball Ad

As noted below, 2022 was a big year for pickleball, including getting both more competitive on and off the court as brands fight for the attention of the 5 million players… and growing. 

One brand killing it in the ad game – Selkirk. Debuting last night during the Major League Pickleball draft, Selkirk featured the “biggest name in pickleball,” Tyson McGuffin,  showing what it takes to be a professional pickleball athlete in their ad “The Face of Pro Pickleball – Selkirk Pro Tyson McGuffin #WeArePickleball.” Which in my opinion, is the first Ad Age-worthy ad in pickleball so far. 

The ad is a first for the sport as brands like Selkirk lead the way in showcasing the grit and determination it takes to make your way to the top in professional pickleball, utilizing one of the players that is a role model for other up-and-coming pros. Tyson McGuffin has been named “the most electrifying man in sports” by Barstool Sports and he’s a case study in showing how to strengthen your personal brand in a sport that is just in the beginning of its growth. 

Check out the ad below and visit Selkirk.com if Tyson has convinced you to hit the gym and grow a mullet to become the next face of pro pickleball. 

The Ringer: The Year of the Dink. 2022 Was a Big Year for Pickleball.

2022 was a big year for pickleball. Parents ignored calls from their kids because they were pickling—then introduced those kids to the sport. Even LeBron James and Brené Brown got in on the action by buying professional teams. But is this just the beginning for the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.?

Read more

Ad Age: Margaritaville becomes Major League Pickleball’s First-Ever Title Sponsor

Margaritaville will serve as the title sponsor of Major League Pickleball throughout the professional league’s 2023 season, the hotel and resort chain announced today. 

This sponsorship will rebrand Major League Pickleball as “MLP by Margaritaville,” with Margaritaville set to “play a large part in the branding and strategy of on-site fan activations” at MLP’s upcoming events and pickleball matches, according to a press release. Margaritaville’s announcement comes on the heels of MLP’s release of a redesigned league format for its 2023 season that will triple its number of teams from eight to 24 and boost the overall championship prize money to $5 million. 

Read more

Holland America Line Named Exclusive Cruise Line Partner of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour)

Holland America Line has just been christened the Official Cruise Line of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA).

By February 2023, every ship in the Holland America Line fleet will feature pickleball courts with top-deck views. By April 2023, every ship will offer complimentary beginner lessons from instructors who will teach the rules and basics of playing pickleball, including where the “kitchen” is and what it means to hit a “dink” shot.

In addition to live instruction, “How to Play Pickleball” tutorial videos will be featured on in-stateroom TV programming.

Read more from Forbes’

The November / December 2022 Issue of Pickleball Magazine

Check out the latest full issue of Pickleball Magazine featuring the USA Pickleball National Championships Triple Crown Winner, Anna Leigh Waters, on the cover!

Included in the issue is a full recap of the National Championships, product spotlights as you browse their ads, and enjoy a work of art on the Pickleball in the Sun page featuring our custom coastal design by local artist, Melissa Rinaldi.

Read the full issue.

The 2023 Major League Pickleball Teams

Congratulations to the 2023 MLP Draft Picks! These top-ranked players will be exciting to watch throughout the year both during the MLP events, as well as on the pro tour as the sport gets so much more competitive to come out on top.

The first event takes place January 26-29 at Legacy Sports USA in Mesa, Arizona. Check out the 2023 calendar of events and visit the Major League Pickleball website as they release more details on each team and their owners.

The Pickleball Club Lakewood Ranch Newest Member

The Pickleball Club will soon opens its doors in Sarasota, Florida in the ever-growing Lakewood Ranch area and they are already rallying for members! One of those first members being none-other than Jerry Springer where they utilized this famous pickleballer in an ad to drive new members.

Check out the video on their LinkedIn Profile. 

Toss & Spin Hosts a Pickleball Tournament & Clinic at the United Center presented by Michelob Ultra on December 30th 

Join Toss & Spin as they host the first-ever Pickleball outing at the United Center on December 30, presented by Michelob ULTRA, prior to the Bulls vs. Pistons game later that night. 

Learn more from Toss & Spin as Chris Clark continues to grow the sport by hosting tournaments and clinics across the country.

Click here for more info.

Thank you to Brian Gainor, my family and friends for planning a surprise 40th Birthday Party!

What I love most about pickleball is the community and friendships that come with it. This past weekend my husband, Brian Gainor, surprised me by having my family and friends at the house for a 40th birthday celebration, pickleball-themed of course. Thanks to my mom, there was a custom pickleball cake, my kitchen was full of pickleball friends that I have been fortunate to gain as friends since moving to Florida, and two amazing friends from Chicago flew in to bring me to tears by walking through the door.

It was an incredible day and I’m grateful to everyone that supports this pickleball entrepreneur lifestyle and allowing me to constantly talk about the sport;)

For more information on being a featured brand, email [email protected].

Happy Friday! Welcome to this week’s edition of “Pickleball Marketing News,” brought to you by Vossberg Gainor and Pickleball in the Sun. Subscribe on LinkedIn and dive into this week’s issue: 

Right when you thought your holiday decorations were right up there with Clark Griswold’s, then Jamie Foxx, pickleball fanatic and founder of The Best Paddle, posts an Instagram video that shows something that no one on this earth has ever seen before. A 40-acre mountain view estate completely decorated with breathtaking, Christmas lights, and the grand finale of the lights display ending on the best part, his 3 pickleball courts that he calls “The Best Paddle Compound” lit up brighter than Margo’s shiny silver suit.

There wasn’t an official contest, per say, but we award Jamie with the Best Pickleball Court Holiday Lights Display. If you have one that can beat it, please send us the drone footage.

Watch Jamie’s drone footage on his Instagram Channel that shows off his incredible estate that is home to the The Best Paddle Compound, making us all jealous we don’t live at the foxxhole.

IN THIS WEEK’S PICKLEBALL MARKETING NEWS:

• The Galentine’s Day Pickleball Tournament hosted by celebrity gals
• Pints and Paddle bringing the taproom to the courts in Minnesota
• Pickleball players banned from NYC park
• Premier Pickleball Destination: Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
• Pickleball in the Sun Holiday Gift Guide to get your gifts in time for the holidays
• National Pickleball League announces a team format tour for Pro Players 50+
• Minto US Open Pickleball Championships Sweepstakes to win the perfect pickleball getaway
• Nettie Pickleball Co. paddles now available at Dick’s Sporting Goods 

SPONSOR OPPORTUNITY: GALENTINE’S DAY PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT HOSTED BY CELEBRITY GALS

If you watched Stephen Colbert’s Pickled, you saw one of my favorite actresses, June Diane Raphael, making us all laugh as she competed for the Colbert Cup with her husband, Paul Scheer as her partner.

Well, get ready gals! June is now hosting the inaugural Galentine’s Day Pickleball Tournament in Los Angeles on February 12th with her fellow The Deep Dive podcast co-star, Jessica St. Clair, and friends Casey Wilson and Danielle Schneider, hosts of Bitch Sesh.

Right when I saw June and her gal pals promote this pickleball tournament, I reached out to June’s PR team to get more info on the sponsorship opportunities to get the details to share with you all. Not only do all of these gals have a combined 800K+ Instagram following, and more than 2 million lifetime downloads of their podcast, but the “Dream Team” celebrity list that will be playing at this event is amazing!

As I’ve told Brian Gainor many times before, my dream is to live like Grace and Frankie in a beach house with my closest friends and now add that Pickleball in the Sun lifelstyle to it, this Galentine’s Day Pickleball Tournament is going to be the beginning of some beautiful things ahead, so I suggest you get in on sponsoring it.

My flight to Los Angeles will be booked soon, so reach out to me to discuss sponsorship opportunities and my suggestions to help make this an incredible event for these celebrity gals! – [email protected].

Ticket info for The Galentine’s Day Pickleball Tournament.

Coming Soon: Pints and Paddle in Maple Grove, Minnesota

Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine: Pickleball’s grip on the racket sports world rivals Taylor Swift’s Midnights domination. Though it’s not the first in the Twin Cities—or even the largest—Pints and Paddle is taking courtside carb-o-loading to the suburbs.

As a midwestern girl, I am excited to see this opening in Minnesota and to get back up to the Twin Cities to play pickleball indoors with my friends!

Read more…

Pickleball players banned from NYC park after turf war with kids

New York Post: The city has served up some bad news for pickleball lovers.

The fad racquet sport has been banned at a West Village playground, where parents complained for months that adult pickleball fans were hogging up all the blacktop space and making it impossible for kids to have fun.

Read more…

Mauna Lani on The Island of Hawai’i

Pickleball is making its way throughout all 50 states in the USA, and Hawaii is not one to be forgotten! An oceanfront hotel steeped in Hawaiian culture, Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection is a premiere pickleball destination that is truly an unforgettable experience you and your family will surely want to enjoy.

Visit PickleballintheSun.com for more details on this premier pickleballdestination.

Final Week to Browse Our Holiday Gift Guide to Have Gifts Shipped in Time!

PICKLEBALL IN THE SUN BEACH TOWEL

The Pickleball in the Sun beach towel is the perfect gift for the pickleball enthusiasts in your life that have sun and pickleball travel on their 2023 vision boards. Featuring the exclusive Pickleball in the Sun coastal illustration designed by Florida-based artist, Melissa Rinaldi of Go Coastal.

Now available in the Pickleball in the Sun shop for $45.

Visit PickleballintheSun.com to view our full Holiday Gift Guide with recommendations on paddles, apparel, accessories, destinations & more!

Skal Pickleball Paddles

Another new paddle is on the market! Thanks to Skal Pickleball, I got the chance to try out their paddle, designed and tested in Park City, Utah. With the honeycomb core and rough textured surface, it made for a great morning of playing and some wins. Plus, the fun design makes this a high quality and affordable paddle.

Visit SkalPickleball.com to purchase this paddle for $111.98.

From Court to Poolside. Skal Pickleball video. 

National Pickleball League Announces Team League for Players 50+

There is another team league that is making room for the top ranked professional players age 50+! The National Pickleball League (NPL) has announced the formation of a nationwide team competition for Champions Division (50+) professional pickleball players. Launching in mid-2023, team owners will select the city they represent, as well as building their team through a live player draft that will include the division’s biggest stars.

The league features #1 ranked players, Beth Bellamy and Rick Witsken. I personally have watched all of these top ranked champions players, and there is no lack of entertainment when watching these fierce players compete.

I had the chance to interview Beth and Rick following their win at the Newport Beach Tennis & Pickleball Club this past year, and I’m excited to watch what these two players do to continue to grow the sport:

Bloomberg Reports on The National Pickleball League.

Minto US Open Pickleball Championships Sweepstakes is Returning this January!

COMING SOON! The Minto US OPEN Sweepstakes is returning this January! Stay tuned for more details on how you can enter to win one of three amazing Grand Prize Packages plus some great weekly instant win prizes.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.

For more details on being included in a future newsletter, please email [email protected].

This holiday season, Pickleball in the Sun is helping you pick the best pickleball gifts for the entire family!

Peruse through the following guide full of paddle options to bring on your next destination with family and friends, apparel to wear on and off the courts, accessories, and of course, some of our top pickleball destination recommendations to book your next vacation.

Plus, we are extremely excited to officially launch an exclusive collaboration with Go Coastal, a Florida-based artist and friend who has designed a coastal “Pickleball in the Sun” piece that creates a unique gift for your family and friends. Check out some of the items available below and visit our Pickleball in the Sun shop.

Pickleball Paddles for the Whole Family

Franklin Sports

Franklin Sports is known for being a family brand and recently sponsored some of the best pros in the world, Julie, JW and Jorja Johnson. Their Signature Pickleball Paddle is $100 and comes in multiple colors to get one for every member in your family.

Visit FranklinSports.com to purchase your paddles!

Selkirk

Started by the Barnes family, Selkirk is a leader in pickleball paddle innovation and technology. Paddles range from $49.99 to $333 and they make it easy to shop for the right paddle for you by categorizing with the player in mind, such as best paddle for beginners, and best paddles for spin.

Visit Selkirk.com to check out their complete paddle selection for all levels of playing.

Tangerine Paddles

Tangerine is a fresh pickleball brand and having just announced their line of pickleball paddles to go along with their classic style bags, you now have the opportunity to custom order paddles with your club or brand logo on them!

Contact them for more details, but in the meantime, browse their three paddle designs that will make everyone look stylish on the courts, for an affordable price of $85 per paddle.

Visit TangerinePaddle.com to shop their pickleball bags and paddles.

Paddletek

Paddletek is one of the most seasoned paddle brands in the business, founded in 2010. As a well-respected brand in the game, whether you’re a recreational or competitive player, they have a variety of paddle options to work your way up from beginner to pro. They sponsor some of the best professional athletes in the game, including 15-year-old Anna Leigh Waters and her mom, Leigh Waters. Be sure to also check out Catherine Parenteau’s signature paddle.

Browse the Paddletek paddles available on PickleballCentral.com, ranging from $69.99 to $179.99.

Costa Pickleball

The Costa Pickleball paddles have been some of our favorite paddles since we were first introduced last year! All paddles are $99. Made with a Honeycomb Carbon Core and offering a variety of designs, these paddles will not only help your competitive game but also look stylish in your court selfies and podium photos.

Be sure to check out the “Little Monster” collection that your kids and uncles will enjoy. Visit CostaPickleball.com to check out their paddles.

Pickleball Apparel

Pickleball in the Sun Apparel

We have been proudly sporting our Pickleball in the Sun logo and now apparel items are available to you in our shop…with more on the way! This winter as you’re either playing pickleball in cooler temperatures, or cozying up on the couch with your pickleball partner, we’ll be honored if you’re wearing the Pickleball in the Sun logo.

Visit the Pickleball in the Sun shop to pre-order your holidays gifts.

AvaLee by Selkirk

Recently launched, the AvaLee line from Selkirk is some of the softest and perfectly designed apparel for women in pickleball. Created by the wives of Selkirk’s founders, AvaLee is named after their two daughters Ava and Lee and we couldn’t be more in love with the brand and story behind it.

Visit Selkirk.com to view the apparel items and paddles available. Use code ADV-PBINTHESUN at checkout to earn gift cards with each purchase. Shop for your friends and family, and after checking out the Selkirk team will send you a gift card as a thank you.

• Orders from $50-$100 will receive a $10 digital gift card

• Orders from $101-$200 will receive a $20 digital gift card

• Orders from $201-$300 will receive a $30 digital gift card

• Orders over $300 will receive a $40 digital gift card

• Orders over $500 will receive a $50 gift card

Pickleball Accessories & Gifts

Pickleball in the Sun Beach Towel

Featured in Forbes Holiday Gift Guide as a gift that is “perfect for a vacation” and “a pickleballer’s paradise!” The Pickleball in the Sun Beach towel is plush and oversized for your next getaway. 

Designed exclusively for Pickleball in the Sun by Florida-based artist, Melissa Rinaldi, of Go Coastal. The perfect gift! 

Visit the Pickleball in the Sun shop to purchase yours for $45. 

Swinton Pickleballs in a Winer Bag

Headed on a pickleball getaway for the holidays and not sure where to hold your pickleballs or your wine? Look no further than the unique “Pickleballs in a Wine Bag” carrier Swinton Pickleball has created where you can buy two and carry three pickleballs in one, and your booze in the other.

Plus, they also sell uniquely designed pickleball paddles with their top-notch Swinton branding. Visit SwintonPickleball.com to purchase.

Portable Pickleball Net

One of the reasons why the sport has grown so fast is because you can put a pickleball court just about anywhere! Pickleball brings families together just how the game first began in 1965 on Bainbridge Island.

This holiday season, purchase a portable pickleball net and get your entire family out in the driveway, in an open parking lot, at your local community park, wherever you find a 20×44 foot space, play some pickleball. Visit PickleballCentral.com to purchase.

Georgie & Lou Pickleball Bags

Mixing function and fashion, the Georgie & Lou pickleball bags will look great on and off the court. We can already picture us stepping onto an airplane with our computer and sunglasses in the bag ready for business, and paddle handle and added touch as a conversation piece for new friends to invite us onto the court.

Visit GeorgieandLou.com to view their unique designs and enter code “PBintheSUN” for 10% off.

Pickleball Blanket

A 6-foot pickleball blanket may just be what your friend or dog wants this holiday season. Soft, comfy and shaped like a pickleball, this blanket is $25.99 and you can use the code “INTHESUN” at checkout to receive 10% off.

Visit Amazon.com to purchase the pickleball blanket!

Gift a Pickleball Destination

Pickleball has made the headlines over the last couple of years because people have discovered this incredible lifestyle of getting to play a fun game that provides exercise, a social opportunity to play with friends and meet new ones, bringing families together of all ages with a common interest, and as more resorts and hotels add pickleball courts as an amenity to attract guests, we’re easily packing out paddles in our suitcases and exploring new destinations from coast to coast.

Experiences are one of the best gifts you can give to your loved ones. Add in pickleball, and that’s even better. We’ve provided our top 4 pickleball destination recommendations to jumpstart your getaway plans. Don’t forget to bring along your Pickleball in the Sun beach towel!

Find a Court on Vacation!

Already have a vacation planned and not sure if there are courts nearby? Download the PicklePlay app to easily search for pickleball courts where you’re visiting, connect with people to play together and find details on open play times.

Pickleball on a Cruise

A Pickleball in the Sun, all-time favorite vacation – a cruise! Cruise ship directors are fully aware of the pickleball addiction and the need to play while on vacation, even if you’re in the middle of the ocean. We recently cruised on the Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas and we can’t get enough as we’ll be jumping back on a couple more times this year.

On most of their ships, they have specific open play times on the sports court where they provide the pickleball net, court lines and equipment for the whole family to play with an incredible ocean view.

Visit RoyalCaribbean.com to explore your cruise options.

Omni Amelia Island Resort – Amelia Island, FL

Nestled on 1,350 acres at the tip of a barrier island off the Florida coast, the beautiful Omni Amelia Island Resort offers luxurious oceanfront accommodations with unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean, world-class resort pools, championship golf, and a full-service spa.

After strolling on the beach each morning, or spending the day kayaking, head over to the tennis center where they host 7 pickleball courts surrounded by canopy trees. As part of their Cliff Drysdale program, signup for lessons with their onsite pro or reserve a court to play with your family and friends.

Visit OmniHotels.com for more details.

Laura Gainor joined Greg Matzek, host of Wisconsin’s Afternoon News on WTMJ to talk about the growth of pickleball, big names like Drew Brees, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Kevin Durant and other well-known celebrities investing in Major League Pickleball, the addition of pickleball entertainment clubs around the Midwest like Real Dill Pickleball Clubs, and where local Milwaukee fans can play pickleball. 

MAJOR LEAGUE PICKLEBALL INVESTORS

Over the past few weeks Major League Pickleball has announced big name investors who have purchased teams to grow their league from 12 teams to 16 teams in the 2023 season. These strategic partners to help grow the game include LeBron James, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Kim Clijsters and Kevin Durant. For more information, visit MajorLeaguePickleball.net.

Front Office Sports and The Dink also report on these exciting announcements.

PICKLEBALL NIGHT WITH THE BUCKS – OCTOBER 29TH

For those in the Milwaukee area, be sure to check out the Pickleball Night with The Milwaukee Bucks on October 29th. Visit their website for more details.

REAL DILL PICKLEBALL CLUBS

In Laura’s interview with WTMJ, she talks about how pickleball entertainment venues are helpign grow the sport and bringing more courts to the U.S. to keep up with the demand for the sport. For more information about our client, Real Dill Pickleball Clubs, and their mission to bring multiple clubs across the U.S. in the coming years, visit PlayRealDill.com. 

Feature story for the Pickleball Magazine July/August 2022 Issue written by Jennifer Brozak. Read the full issue HERE.

As the saying goes, when opportunity knocks, open the door. Over the past few years, Laura Gainor has heeded this ageless wisdom by transforming an unexpected opportunity into a flourishing career promoting the sport of pickleball.

Gainor is the founder of Vossberg Gainor, an agency focused squarely on pickleball marketing. She is also the creator of “Pickleball in the Sun,” a website that promotes pickleball as a luxury lifestyle and destination sport.

After a successful 15-year career in corporate and sports marketing—including a period of time that required weekly commutes between Milwaukee and Chicago–Gainor decided to launch her own agency so that she could spend more time with her young children.

“In 2019, as we were living in Chicago and I was commuting a few days a week back and forth between Milwaukee and Chicago, I decided it was time for me to venture off on my own and start my own business with the goal of getting a client or two—not knowing what was about to come and change my life,” said Gainor.

Shortly after launching her agency, Gainor’s husband Brian, a sports marketing executive, introduced her to George Bauernfeind, a marketing director with USA Pickleball. Baurenfeind had been searching for someone to assist with the organization’s rebranding efforts.

“I always say I wish I had that first call with George recorded, because I had no idea what pickleball was,” says Gainor. “I was royally confused when he was talking about the sport, but I was committed to jump in and figure it out.”

Intrigued, Gainor asked three of her friends to sign up to learn how to play pickleball at the local community center, which was hosting free clinics to teach people how to play the sport.

“Like everyone else who plays for the first time, we were hooked,” she said. “We were laughing so much and having so much fun that by the end of the night, we officially knew how to play pickleball.”

While living in Chicago, Gainor used her professional event-organizing skills to start the Chicago Pickleball Club, which met at a local gym on Friday nights. As an entrepreneur, Gainor quickly realized the potential both for the sport and for her budding agency.

“While the sport of pickleball is continuing to grow at an immense rate, there are not many marketing agencies that focus solely on the promotion of the sport, its player, and its brands,” she said. “With the need for pickleball marketing growing just as fast as the sport itself, I knew that there would be a need for agencies like Vossberg Gainor to help pickleball players and brands to distinguish themselves throughout the pickleball community.”

“We were playing pickleball weekly, but that came to an abrupt halt when indoor events were shut down,” she said. “It was devastating.”

However, in the summer of 2020, another opportunity presented itself—this time, for her family of four to relocate to one of the country’s pickleball hot spots: Florida.

“In June of 2020, after the four of us were about to hit our breaking points of being inside and forbidden to do what we loved most, we went down to Florida to visit my sister and family, who had just moved to the Nocatee community, which had 12 brand new pickleball courts and multiple waterparks for the kids,” she said.

Shortly after the visit, the Gainors made the decision to sell their home in Chicago and move to Florida to live near family. The move also allowed pickleball to become a lifestyle. Following the move, on the one-year anniversary of her business, Gainor decided to pivot her agency to become the first-ever pickleball marketing agency. The agency’s goal, she says, is to help pickleball brands, organizations, and players successfully market themselves throughout the worldwide pickleball community.

This past year, inspired by her love of travel, lifestyle, and leisure, she launched her passion project, “Pickleball in the Sun,” a website that promotes the “luxurious side of pickleball,” including exclusive destinations around the world that pickleball players can visit to play the sport. The website also partners with a variety of brands that are helping to grow the sport, such as paddles, eyewear, social clubs, activewear, and more.

“Together, this brand is focused on defining pickleball as a destination travel-worthy game, while simultaneously sharing deluxe brands and lifestyle opportunities the sport offers along the way,” she said.

As pickleball continues to grow along with her marketing agency and website, Gainor hopes that more people will find a passion for the game and discover the lifestyle that accompanies it.

“I’m excited to see more pickleball enthusiasts build more courts so that more people can have the chance to play the game,” she said. “We have a lot of exciting opportunities in the works that will bring this game from 5 million players to 10 million players faster than you think. I look forward to looking back 10 years from now and remembering these ‘early’ days, when pickleball was the hottest topic in the nation!”