2023 Kansas City Open The Drop - Podcast: Tour Wars

 

Pickleball's Game-Changing Decision: Anna Bright's Bold Move and the Future of the Sport In a surprising turn of events that has sent shockwaves throughout the pickleball community, Anna Bright, a prominent figure in the sport, has made a game-changing decision. Her choice to align with Major League Pickleball (MLP) rather than the established Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) has left fans and players speculating about the future direction of the sport. Anna Bright, known for her skill on the court and her engaging presence in the pickleball world, announced her decision on "The Drop," podcast. She cited several factors behind her choice, including her belief in the team format as the path to pickleball's growth and success. In her view, MLP's emphasis on team-based play offers a unique and more exciting perspective for fans, creating a heightened sense of competition when top players like Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters aren't dominating the scene. The Decision episode of "The Drop" shed light on the philosophical differences between MLP and PPA. While the PPA focuses on individual success and a traditional tournament structure, MLP aims to build brands through team dynamics and collaboration. Bright emphasized that in the world of team sports, dominance is never guaranteed, and the focus shifts from individual star power to teamwork. However, Anna Bright's move is just one piece of the puzzle. The larger context is the ongoing battle between MLP and PPA for supremacy in the rapidly growing sport of pickleball. The rivalry between the two organizations has been brewing for some time, characterized by philosophical disagreements and the pursuit of top talent. It's a battle not only for player allegiance but also for the future trajectory of the sport itself. The financial aspect of this decision cannot be overlooked. Both MLP and PPA have been offering lucrative deals to players, and it's no secret that money plays a significant role in these negotiations. Anna Bright mentioned that the PPA offered more money, but her decision was not solely motivated by financial gain. She expressed gratitude toward MLP for honoring their prior agreements even after the merger with PPA, which showcased their commitment to player relations. Bright's decision also highlights some of the challenges the PPA has faced in recent times, including criticism over transparency, rules, and the treatment of unsigned players. These issues have led some players to question the organization's decisions and align themselves with MLP, which is perceived by some as more player-friendly and transparent. As pickleball continues its rapid growth and development, Anna Bright's bold move may be a harbinger of change within the sport. It's clear that the battle for dominance between MLP and PPA is far from over, and player decisions like Bright's will shape the future landscape of pickleball. The pickleball community now eagerly awaits the unfolding of this dramatic saga, as the sport's top players make choices that will not only impact their careers but also influence the direction in which pickleball evolves. The game, once known primarily as a leisure activity, is now firmly on the path to becoming a major sport, and every player's move counts in the grand scheme of things. Anna Bright's Decision Shakes Up Pickleball: The Money Game and the Sport's Uncertain Future In a turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the world of professional pickleball, Anna Bright, one of the sport's most prominent players, has made a groundbreaking decision that underscores the changing landscape of pickleball, the influence of money, and the uncertainty surrounding its future. Anna's Decision: MLP vs. PPA The announcement came during a recent episode of "The Drop - Pickleball Podcast," where Anna discussed her pivotal decision-making process. The Pickleball Pro Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) were vying for her commitment, symbolizing a broader tug-of-war for top talents in the sport. Anna's decision to join MLP came after a period of intense pressure and deliberation. She revealed how the tournament's atmosphere was charged with tension as players were inundated with calls and decisions. Ultimately, Anna's choice was to align herself with MLP, a move that reverberated throughout the pickleball community. The Money Game Anna's decision is not solely about the sport but is inextricably linked to the significant financial incentives offered by MLP. This development signifies a seismic shift in the professional pickleball landscape, transforming it into a viable career path for athletes. The financial stability and security offered by MLP contracts have made pickleball more than just a passion but a profession. MLP's comprehensive approach to player compensation, which includes travel expenses, guaranteed payments, and health insurance, has been pivotal in attracting top-tier players. It is this financial commitment that has raised the stakes in the battle for talent and caused a ripple effect across the sport. The Uncertain Future As Anna's decision illustrates, the future of professional pickleball remains uncertain. The sport's community is now divided between two major leagues, each vying for dominance. The question of whether a merger between the PPA and MLP is possible looms large, though it appears unlikely given the sudden and assertive moves made by MLP. The ramifications of this division extend to fans and the development of the sport. Fans, while witnessing elite-level play, are missing out on the opportunity to see the best compete against the best due to this schism. This separation could potentially hinder the growth and exposure of the sport, especially if it leads to a prolonged divide. Furthermore, the emergence of significant financial incentives in pickleball could attract new, talented players, changing the competitive landscape. It remains to be seen whether this will dilute the skill level of the sport or elevate it to new heights. In Conclusion Anna's decision, driven by financial considerations and professional opportunities, is emblematic of the transformation underway in professional pickleball. The influence of money, the division between leagues, and the uncertainty regarding the sport's future are all defining factors in this evolving landscape. Pickleball enthusiasts and players alike now find themselves in uncharted territory, navigating a sport that is rapidly evolving in unprecedented ways. Only time will reveal how these developments will shape the future of pickleball and its standing in the world of professional sports. Anna Bright Weighs in on Pickleball's Future Amidst the Battle of Giants In a recent episode of "The Drop - Pickleball Podcast," professional pickleball player Anna Bright shared her insights on the ongoing battle for the future of the sport. The podcast episode provided a glimpse into the decision-making process of top players like Anna and shed light on the impact of recent signings by both the Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA). The Battle for Pickleball's Future: At the heart of the discussion was the battle between MLP and PPA for supremacy in the world of professional pickleball. Anna emphasized that this ongoing struggle is not just about money; it's about securing the future of pickleball itself. She noted that the victor in this showdown would have the power to shape the sport as they see fit. Differing Approaches: Anna pointed out that MLP and PPA are taking different approaches to their tournaments. While both leagues will offer team and individual events, there seems to be an emphasis on team events for MLP and individual events for PPA. This distinction could have a significant impact on the future landscape of the sport. The Possibility of Reconciliation: While the battle rages on, Anna expressed some hope for reconciliation between the leagues. She speculated that a limited partnership, allowing players to participate in both leagues, might be possible. However, she also acknowledged that a full merger between the two entities appeared unlikely due to contractual clauses that hadn't been fulfilled. The Prospects of an MLP-PPA Partnership: Anna Bright expressed her enthusiasm for the potential of an MLP-PPA partnership in 2024 and beyond. She stressed that her interest in playing in both leagues wasn't driven by financial gain, as she was already well-compensated. Instead, she sees it as a way to contribute to the sport's growth and entertainment value. Jack Sock's Impact: The podcast also touched on the significance of Jack Sock's signing with the PPA. Anna considered this one of the most substantial signings, highlighting Sock's incredible upside and athleticism, which could make him a dominant force in pickleball, despite some technical deficiencies. The Future Mixed Doubles Partnerships: Anna raised questions about future mixed doubles partnerships, particularly who would play with Jack Sock. Several female players have reportedly reached out, recognizing the unique opportunity to partner with an athlete of Sock's caliber. Inclusivity and Optimism: Throughout the podcast, Anna Bright maintained a tone of inclusivity and optimism. She expressed happiness for all players presented with life-changing opportunities and hoped for reconciliation between the leagues. She reminded fans that, regardless of the outcome, the sport of pickleball was still in a good place, with plenty of exciting times ahead. As the battle for pickleball's future continues, the insights of players like Anna Bright offer valuable perspectives on the sport's evolving landscape. The decisions made by both players and leagues in the coming months will undoubtedly shape the destiny of this rapidly growing and increasingly competitive sport.

Podcast Summary

• Anna discussed her decision to sign with Major League Pickleball (MLP) over the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA). She felt the team format of MLP was the future of the sport and a more exciting spectacle for fans. She also felt MLP had treated her well and shown care for the players.
• The weekend in Kansas City where the signings took place was extremely chaotic, with players constantly on their phones negotiating contracts. Both MLP and PPA pressured players to make quick decisions.
• Anna tried to project confidence in her decision to help influence other players. She was anxious as more top players like Lucy and Cali initially went to the PPA. But by Sunday she felt better as more players had joined MLP.
• For 2023, Anna hopes to still compete in remaining PPA events she's committed to. But she acknowledged players may choose not to or be prevented from playing PPA events after signing with MLP.
• Beyond 2023, she thinks a full merger between PPA and MLP is unlikely given the philosophical differences. But some partnerships could happen.
• Anna is very happy that the big contracts will allow more players to play pickleball as a full-time profession. She doesn't think choosing MLP will hinder her development against the best competition.
• She shouted out Jack Sock as a huge signing for PPA and is interested to see if he plays with Annalee Waters in 2024. She thinks he has huge potential in pickleball.
• Overall she tried to give perspective on her decision and hopes for the best outcome for the sport, the fans, and all players as things move forward. 

Here are some additional key points from the transcript:

• - Anna discussed the importance of having more depth on the women's side, and felt MLP was in a good position after signing the Kawamoto sisters. She thinks the decision of top women players has an outsized impact.
• - Regarding fans, she acknowledged they won't get to see all the top players compete together. But she thinks both tours will still have exciting matches and new stars will emerge with the money attracting newcomers.
• - Anna believes the PPA made some "cutthroat" decisions that helped them dominate pickleball in 2022, like not supporting unsigned players as much. But some of those decisions may have hurt them now.
• - She mentioned that Riley Newman seemed "off" when she saw him play, speculating his decision process may have been affecting his play. 
• - Anna talked about trying to learn from watching Anna Leigh's shots and strategy, saying players need years more experience to match her skill level. She doesn't think going to MLP is "dodging" the top competition.
• - She is interested in the idea of a complete redraft for MLP teams in 2023 since rosters are now uncertain. She suggested doing it live at an event which would be chaotic but exciting. 
• - Regarding her own improvement, Anna said motivation is intrinsic and she is always analyzing her game and shots. She doesn't think joining MLP will hinder her growth as a player.
• - Anna closed by saying she tried to give an insider perspective into the wild weekend of signings while staying relatively neutral, and she is happy for all players benefiting from the new opportunities.

Podcast Time Code List

2:15 On the Phone In Kansas City, everyone was constantly on their phones making calls about the MLP and PPA situation. I saw Dekel, Riley, and Julian on the phone the most. It was very difficult to play and focus with so many distractions. 4:50 Anna's Decision James and I were some of the first players to decide to go with Major League Pickleball. This surprised us, as we did not know it was coming. I believe the team format is the way for pickleball to become big. I want to help grow the popularity of the sport, not just play the same events week after week. I also have great relationships with the MLP founders. They have been very generous and I want to show loyalty in return. 12:30 The money The PPA is offering more money to many players compared to MLP. However, we are still seeing players choose MLP. I think this is due to relationships, vision, philosophy, and respect for what MLP has done for players already. 13:30 Respect The people at MLP have always been generous to me. When I first started playing pro pickleball, Steve Kuhn hired me at DUPER and allowed me to play pickleball while working. I will not forget that opportunity. 14:45 PPA relationship This year with the PPA has been great. However, last year they did not provide promised help and support until contract negotiation time. As a player, you do not forget things like that. But I want to emphasize this year with the PPA has been fantastic. 21:00 The contracts come out On mixed day when the MLP signings started being announced, it was chaotic. We were all stressed trying to decide what to do quickly. I chose MLP and felt peaceful about it at first. But as more announcements came out, especially of top players going PPA, I started to feel anxious. 24:00 The Decision and timing Both MLP and PPA pressured us to decide quickly. Some wanted a decision within hours, which was too extreme. James and I relied on our families for advice, not other players. We did not want outside opinions to influence our thoughts. I meditated and decided I was done thinking about it on Friday night to prepare for playing on Saturday. 26:00 The rest of 2023 I hope I can play all the PPA events I committed to this year and also the MLP events. But I would not be surprised if some PPA players choose not to play, which may require a redraft for MLP. I think everyone will get paid by the PPA for 2023. In 2024 the MLP contracts start. 28:45 Fake it till you make it On tournament days, I tried to project total confidence in my decision, even when I didn't feel it. I wanted others who were unsure to look at me and think they would feel peaceful too if they chose MLP. I told myself out loud during matches to stay focused. It was hard, but I was happy with how I played. 31:20 BANG When James hits a good winner, he yells "Bang!" now. I think it's hilarious and so does Tyson McGuffin. I saw Riley was a little bit off this weekend, probably due to the distractions. I hope that contributed to his loss with Tyson. 32:30 Women The PPA player pool is very thin on the women's side right now. I saw this as an opportunity for MLP once we got the Kawamoto sisters. The women are the limiting factor right now, so their decisions carry a lot of weight. 34:00 The future of the sport I hope 2023 continues as planned with players competing in both tours. For the future, I'm excited pickleball is now a professional sport where players can make a living. Shout out to MLP for making this happen. It's unfortunate when the top players don't face each other, but depth will improve over time. Fans will still see some of the best face the best. 36:10 What about the fans? I know fans want to see the top players competing. But the level of play will still be extremely high. And Ben and Anna Leigh will likely continue dominating in the events they play in. I'm motivated to keep improving whether I play against the benchmark player like Anna Leigh or not. 41:30 AL/Ben signing If Ben Johns or Anna Leigh Waters signed with MLP, it would be truly massive. But they may have already signed contracts, not just letters of intent, with the PPA at this point. 46:00 Jack Sock Landing Jack Sock was a huge signing for the PPA. I'll be very interested to see if Anna Leigh partners with him now instead of Ben, and who plays mixed with Jack. He has unbelievable upside if he focuses on pickleball. His athleticism can compensate for less refined fundamentals. 48:15 Conclusion

I'm grateful I got into pro pickleball when I did. I feel lucky. While unfortunate for fans to miss top players facing off, the quality of play will remain extremely high. I'm excited about all the new players attracted to the sport now that it's a profitable profession. I'm proud to support an organization like MLP that has shown how much they care about bettering the lives of the players. I remain hopeful the tours can someday reconcile for the good of the fans and sport overall.

Claude Time Code List

1. 0:02 - Intro, Dylan not on podcast today
2. 0:30 - Upcoming announcement on Which Way podcast
3. 0:57 - Questions about Dylan and Johnsons, doesn't have answers
4. 1:16 - Chaotic weekend in Kansas City with constant phone calls
5. 2:20 - Everyone on their phones all the time checking announcements
6. 2:36 - Saw a lot of players like Deco constantly on phone
7. 3:01 - Hard to focus on playing with everything going on
8. 4:04 - MLP contracts start in 2024, no impact on 2023 play
9. 4:55 - Anna and James were early MLP signings based on team format
10. 5:33 - Philosophical differences between MLP and PPA
11. 6:11 - PPA rewards individual success more
12. 7:23 - MLP format means dominance not guaranteed
13. 8:19 - Speculation of discord between MLP and PPA
14. 9:00 - PPA beat APP tour in 2022
15. 10:42 - Anna discusses learning from Annalee's shots
16. 11:16 - Ben's experience explains his mastery
17. 12:32 - Chose MLP based on vision, money not main factor
18. 13:34 - Respect for what MLP has done for Anna
19. 14:51 - Good relationship with PPA in 2022
20. 15:46 - But some unfulfilled promises in past
21. 16:07 - PPA made some "cutthroat" decisions
22. 17:23 - Draw questions and preferential treatment rumors
23. 18:00 - Pay and comp differences for unsigned players
24. 18:46 - Taking points away from unsigned players
25. 19:24 - Decisions may have hurt PPA now in hindsight
26. 21:12 - Chaotic weekend with pressure to decide quickly
27. 22:26 - Relief seeing other top players join MLP
28. 23:50 - Tried to project confidence in her MLP decision
29. 24:02 - Got email saying decide that night at 7pm
30. 26:03 - Hopes 2023 season continues as planned
31. 27:19 - If PPA doesn't allow players, may need roster redrafts
32. 28:47 - Tried to project confidence to influence other players
33. 30:17 - Focused on playing amidst chaos
34. 31:44 - Thinks some upsets had asterisk due to mental state
35. 32:31 - Speculates Riley was "off" when Anna watched him play
36. 33:15 - Felt MLP in good spot after Kawamoto signing
37. 33:33 - Hopes JW/Dylan/Georgia go MLP but ok either way
38. 34:04 - Hopes 2023 continues as planned
39. 36:11 - Empathizes with fans missing top players together
40. 36:24 - What MLP did is amazing for players
41. 37:46 - Shout out to MLP for caring and taking steps
42. 38:55 - Doesn't think choosing MLP hurts development
43. 40:10 - Motivation for improvement is intrinsic
44. 41:18 - Choosing MLP not about dodging top players
45. 42:20 - Answers questions about PPA payments, merger
46. 43:45 - Would be happy with MLP-APP partnership
47. 44:16 - Full merger unlikely due to philosophy differences
48. 45:52 - Hopes for Dylan announcement/perspective soon
49. 46:05 - Jack Sock a huge signing for PPA
50. 47:11 - Jack's power could overcome pickleball gaps
51. 48:16 - Conclusion, tried to give insider perspective
52. 48:38 - Happy for all players with new opportunities
53. 49:48 - Hopes leagues can reconcile but ok if not