Is the Tour War Finally Over? Ft. Lea Jansen

 

Tour Wars Shake Up Pickleball Lea Jansen Speaks Out on Controversial Merger Between Rival Tours The world of professional pickleball has been turned upside down in recent days amidst a shocking merger between rival tours Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA). Appearing on The NML Pickleball Podcast this week, pro player Lea Jansen gave her unique insider's perspective on the controversial deal. At the 0:27 mark, Jansen explained her thought process in originally signing with MLP over PPA at the Kansas City Open. "It was all a whirlwind like I look back to that weekend and it was insane," she said. "Everything just went down that Thursday." Jansen cited the rally scoring format and fewer events as main draws to MLP's model. "This is my dream come true - this is what I've been wishing for," she recalled feeling at the time. But the landscape dramatically shifted when PPA began luring players with massive contracts exceeding $1 million. Jansen admitted feeling naive initially dismissing those deals as unrealistic. "You're like there's no way they will ever see any of that," she said at the 8:10 mark. Hosts Chris Ross and Jeremy Comazzetto highlighted how PPA Commissioner Connor Pardoe aggressively drove up the market. As more stars defected, Jansen's trust in MLP wavered. "It's hard to trust Brooks [Wiley] at this point," she said, referring to the MLP executive who signed her, at the 11:08 mark. Yet Jansen maintained faith in the MLP owners to make things right with slighted early signees left in the lurch. "I really do think they will make it right," she said. Responding to speculation about a possible player strike at the 21:39 mark, Jansen appeared skeptical. "I don't think so," she said, citing self-interest and backdoor deals as obstacles to unity. "We're so many years away from a union." At the 25:10 mark, Jansen cautiously welcomed the new joint MLP-PPA leadership structure. But she emphasized the need for player representatives as well as transparency around rules and policies. "There needs to be a player handbook," Jansen urged. "I'll sit down with somebody and someone can watch me." Shifting gears, Jansen slammed inflated contracts for unproven players at the 32:22 mark. "Some people are just stepping in and getting money that they just haven't been proven like that," she said. "It's just insane to me." Jansen argued established veterans deserve more respect. "I have been grinding for about three years now hardcore," she said. Ross pushed back that owners want upside, even if it means overpaying inexperienced phenoms. "I'd rather pay somebody who I think had the upside," he contended. At the 38:26 mark, Jansen revealed fellow pro Rafa Hewett suggested underpaid bench players should provide child care during events. "His proposals [are] they have to watch them during the events," she said. "I actually think that's awesome." As sponsors pony up more money, Jansen warned player salaries could spiral out of control. "There needs to be some kind of market set," she urged at the 40:42 mark. Jansen reiterated her call for a rational pay scale at 49:50 while previewing next month's MLP Atlanta Open. "People are going to bankrupt each other," she warned. "The two tours need to come together and set a market because you guys are bankrupting each other." In the end, Jansen hopes the messy merger will lead to positive reforms. "It's kind of given a lot of people a kick in the ass," she reflected at the 57:13 mark. "Let's stop being divas, we're getting paid, let's go out there, let's do what we're supposed to do." The shocking merger of the PPA and MLP tours has left many players feeling betrayed and uncertain about the future. Jansen's candid insights provide a unique window into how pros are coping with this period of upheaval. Her calls for transparency, fairness and financial responsibility offer a constructive path forward during this transitional time for the sport.