With the foremost information that Samin Odhwani is leaving as Commissioner of Main League Pickleball (MLP), there may be an apparent subsequent query:
Who will his successor be?
There are a myriad of choices.
Does the board go along with somebody who has media rights offers already underneath their belt?
Perhaps somebody who has been nice at governance and participant relations?
Somebody inner who is aware of the ins and outs of the enterprise and already has an excellent working relationship with the CEO, Connor Pardoe?
An up-and-coming digital advertising and marketing whiz who will help steer the league into the following part {of professional} sports activities?
MLP Commissioner Samin Odhwani Set to Be part of Apollo Sports activities Capital
Samin Odhwani is about to affix Apollo Sports activities Capital, which led a $225 million funding in Pickleball Inc., to assist form professional pickleball’s subsequent chapter
My Opinion on the Subsequent MLP Commissioner: Two Individuals are Wanted
In fascinated about what MLP wants subsequent, I’ve come to a reasonably easy conclusion:
The league ought to rent for 2 management positions: a Commissioner and a Deputy Commissioner.
MLP remains to be a growing skilled league, and that creates way more shifting components than a longtime sports activities property.
Asking one individual to supervise long-term technique whereas additionally managing the day-to-day particulars of competitors, gamers, homeowners and operations is rather a lot.
The commissioner ought to give attention to the big-picture priorities that may transfer each MLP {and professional} pickleball ahead: securing a significant media-rights deal, increasing internationally, constructing and buying priceless belongings, bettering league-wide operations, rising social and digital attain, growing alternatives round sports activities betting and sustaining high-level relationships with group homeowners.
The Deputy Commissioner — or no matter title MLP finally chooses — ought to personal the day-to-day operation of the league. That features guidelines and enforcement, participant relations, relationships with normal managers and minority homeowners, competitors construction and the detailed implementation of the commissioner’s broader technique.
The 2 might even arrive as a package deal deal. Maybe MLP hires a commissioner with in depth media-rights and sports-business expertise who brings alongside a trusted operator they’ve labored with earlier than.
Or maybe the higher mannequin is pairing an out of doors commissioner with an current UPA government who already understands the league’s inner operations, gamers, groups and decision-making construction.
There are many combos that would work.
The essential half, in my opinion, is recognizing that MLP might have reached the purpose the place one individual shouldn’t be anticipated to do each jobs.
My High 10 Checklist of Potential Candidates
In researching potential replacements for Odhwani, I narrowed a big record right down to a high 10 record.
My High 10 Checklist
- George Killebrew
- Chris Patrick
- Stacey Allaster
- Brian Levine
- Laurel Richie
- Oliver Luck
- Katrina Adams
- Chris Cantino
- Taylor Loomis
- Mike Whan
Creator’s Notice: As a reminder, I’m the Normal Supervisor of the California Black Bears, along with my position in pickleball as a journalist. The next record of candidates was constituted of my very own ideas and I’ve not obtained any “insider” info from the league a few potential new Commissioner. These are merely my opinions primarily based on my data of the sport presently, and the in depth analysis I put into this text – I’ve not mentioned the position with anybody talked about on this article or any MLP/PPA/UPA insiders.
There isn’t a scarcity of intriguing choices for the following commissioner of Main League Pickleball. Some already work inside skilled pickleball, whereas others convey the kind of tv, sponsorship and league-building expertise MLP might have for its subsequent stage.
To be clear, these are speculative candidates—not reported finalists. But when MLP have been constructing a search record, these 10 names would make sense.
Every Candidate in Element
1. George Killebrew
Killebrew can be essentially the most logical selection.
The present UPA Chief Income Officer has already achieved nearly this actual job earlier than, serving as Commissioner of Main League Rugby from 2019 by way of 2023. Below Killebrew, MLR secured a nationwide FOX Sports activities settlement that put video games on FS1 and FS2 and its championship on FOX. Earlier than that, he spent 20 years as considered one of Mark Cuban’s senior enterprise executives with the Dallas Mavericks.
Energy: No candidate combines pickleball familiarity, income experience, proprietor administration and former commissioner expertise as effectively.
Weak point: Killebrew could also be extra priceless to Pickleball Inc. focusing completely on income technology, sponsorships and business partnerships.
2. Chris Patrick
Patrick might have the broadest understanding {of professional} pickleball’s inner equipment.
The previous NBA agent turned PPA Deputy Commissioner in 2023 and has dealt with participant contracts, authorized issues and league points. He has since change into Pickleball Inc.’s Chief Enterprise Officer and President of Worldwide, the place he’s main a worldwide enterprise anticipated to generate practically $10 million in 2026 income.
Energy: Patrick understands gamers, brokers, contracts, the PPA, MLP and Pickleball Inc. higher than nearly any believable candidate. He could also be an outstanding candidate for the Deputy Commissioner position I discussed earlier.
Weak point: His resume lacks the foremost nationwide television-rights expertise MLP might prioritize in its subsequent commissioner.
3. Stacey Allaster
If MLP needs a transformational exterior rent, Allaster ought to get a cellphone name.
As WTA Chairman and CEO, Allaster helped negotiate a 10-year media-rights settlement with PERFORM, value greater than $525 million, practically doubling assured annual worldwide rights funds whereas dramatically increasing manufacturing of ladies’s tennis. She not too long ago transitioned from her USTA government position right into a strategic-advisor place.
Energy: She understands racquet sports activities, athletes, broadcasters and—most significantly—the best way to flip fragmented match stock into priceless media rights.
Weak point: After many years on the highest ranges of tennis, would she really wish to tackle one other demanding league-building job?
4. Brian Levine
Levine would provide MLP stability and quick credibility with possession.
The previous Goldman Sachs accomplice beforehand served as MLP’s interim CEO throughout a important interval of enlargement and presently sits on the five-member Pickleball Inc. board.
Energy: Few folks perceive MLP’s funds, possession construction, buyers and historical past higher. If the seek for a brand new commissioner takes longer than anticipated, Levine can be excessive on my record for an interim commissioner place.
Weak point: His background is way stronger in finance and governance than tv, sports activities media or fan improvement. Levine would possibly make extra sense as an interim stabilizer than the long-term public face of the league.
5. Laurel J. Richie
Laurel J. Richie would convey one thing few candidates on this record can match: expertise really working a significant skilled sports activities league.
Richie served as President of the WNBA from 2011 by way of 2015, turning into the primary Black individual to steer a significant U.S. skilled sports activities league. Throughout her tenure, the WNBA prolonged its tv partnership with ESPN by way of 2025, negotiated an eight-year collective bargaining settlement with its gamers and considerably expanded team-level sponsorship participation.
She additionally dealt instantly with franchise possession and league stability. Throughout her time in cost, the Los Angeles Sparks have been offered to an possession group led by Guggenheim Companions and Magic Johnson Enterprises, whereas the Tulsa Shock finally relocated to the Dallas market. That have managing homeowners, franchise economics and league-wide pursuits would translate on to Main League Pickleball.
Earlier than becoming a member of the WNBA, Richie constructed her profession in advertising and marketing and model technique. She served as Chief Advertising Officer of Woman Scouts of the USA and beforehand held senior promoting roles, giving her a background rooted not solely in sports activities administration but in addition in shopper branding and viewers improvement.
Since leaving the WNBA, Richie has remained lively in enterprise and sports activities management, serving on company boards and advising senior executives.
Energy: Richie combines skilled league management, player-relations expertise, sponsorship progress, franchise governance and a robust advertising and marketing background. She has already handled most of the identical challenges MLP’s subsequent commissioner would face.
Weak point: She has been out of day-to-day skilled league administration for greater than a decade, and her latest work has been extra targeted on board service and government advisory roles than working a sports activities property.
Nonetheless, if MLP wished an skilled operator who understands the best way to steadiness gamers, homeowners, sponsors and broadcasters, Richie can be one of the credible exterior candidates obtainable.
6. Oliver Luck
Luck is the traditional exterior sports-executive candidate.
As commissioner of the XFL, he helped launch a distribution technique that put the league weekly on ABC, FOX, ESPN and FS1, giving a startup league extraordinary nationwide publicity from Day One.
Energy: Luck has immediate credibility with networks, homeowners and conventional sports activities executives and is aware of what it takes to launch and govern an rising league.
Weak point: He has no current connection to skilled pickleball, and recruiting an government of his stature could possibly be tough.
7. Katrina Adams
Katrina Adams would convey one of the well-rounded racquet-sports résumés of anybody on this record.
Adams served as President, Chairman and CEO of the USTA from 2015 by way of 2018, turning into the primary African American and first former skilled participant to carry the group’s high management place. She additionally served as Chair of the US Open throughout that interval and spent eight years as a Vice President of the Worldwide Tennis Federation.
Earlier than shifting into sports activities administration, Adams had a profitable enjoying profession of her personal. She competed for 12 years on the WTA Tour, gained 20 doubles titles, reached the doubles quarterfinals or higher in any respect 4 Grand Slams and climbed as excessive as No. 8 on the earth in doubles. She was additionally an NCAA doubles champion at Northwestern.
Her expertise goes effectively past merely working a nationwide governing physique. Adams served on the WTA Gamers’ Affiliation board throughout her enjoying profession, later labored as a USTA nationwide coach and has been concerned in participant improvement and grassroots tennis by way of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Schooling Program. She additionally spent years as a Tennis Channel broadcaster, giving her direct expertise on the media facet of the game.
Internationally, Adams served as an ITF Vice President from 2015 by way of 2023 and helped lead the group’s Benefit All initiative, which targeted on gender equality, management improvement and equal alternative all through international tennis.
Energy: Adams understands skilled athletes, racquet sports activities, governing our bodies, worldwide enlargement, media and large-scale occasion operations. Only a few candidates might stroll into MLP with that mixture of credibility.
Weak point: Her resume is stronger in governance and administration than in negotiating main business media-rights packages. Not like George Killebrew or Stacey Allaster, there may be much less proof that her main power is constructing and monetizing a tv property.
Nonetheless, if MLP wished an skilled sports activities government who already understands the distinctive relationship between particular person athletes, tournaments, governing our bodies and team-style competitors, Adams can be a compelling exterior candidate.
8. Chris Cantino
Cantino represents a very totally different kind of commissioner candidate.
The entrepreneur and investor presently serves as GM and Chief Participant Officer of the Los Angeles Mad Drops and has additionally labored with the UPA on digital transformation and fan expertise. His background consists of constructing shopper manufacturers, enterprise investing and growing know-how merchandise round pickleball. And let’s face it – in case you are fascinated with professional pickleball (and you’re as a result of you might have learn this text up till this level) – you both have already got the MATCHDAY app, otherwise you ought to have the app.
Energy: Cantino understands fashionable customers, digital merchandise, gamers and MLP groups. He might strategy MLP extra like a next-generation sports-and-entertainment firm than a standard league.
Weak point: He has by no means run a sports activities league or negotiated a significant nationwide media-rights settlement, and his Mad Drops pursuits would create conflicts that might must be resolved.
9. Taylor Loomis
Loomis could also be one of the intriguing inner candidates hiding in plain sight.
He presently serves as COO at Pickleball Inc. His background earlier than becoming a member of skilled pickleball was constructed round gross sales, nationwide retail accounts and consumer-business technique, together with expertise working with main retailers akin to Walmart, Sam’s Membership and Goal.
Below Loomis, Pickleball Central has expanded by way of partnerships with organizations together with DUPR and Dill Dinkers whereas additionally pursuing worldwide distribution alternatives.
Energy: Loomis understands the business facet of pickleball exceptionally effectively—shopper habits, retail, partnerships, distribution and income. He’s additionally already a part of Pickleball Inc.’s senior management ecosystem, making him a way more real looking candidate than most exterior executives.
Weak point: He doesn’t have the normal commissioner résumé. There may be little proof of main media-rights negotiations, skilled league governance or managing competing franchise homeowners.
If Pickleball Inc. needs MLP’s subsequent commissioner to be a standard sports activities government, there are stronger decisions. If it needs an inner operator who understands the best way to flip pickleball’s huge participation base right into a broader shopper enterprise, Loomis turns into significantly extra fascinating.
10. Mike Whan
Whan is likely to be the very best candidate on paper—and the toughest to truly rent.
Throughout his 11 years as LPGA Commissioner, tournaments elevated from 24 to 34, purses grew from $41.4 million to $76.5 million and annual tv protection exploded from roughly 125 hours to greater than 500. He now serves as CEO of the USGA, the place he not too long ago helped lengthen the group’s NBCUniversal media settlement by way of 2032.
Energy: Whan has already reworked an under-monetized particular person sport right into a dramatically stronger tv and sponsorship property.
Weak point: Why depart one of the prestigious positions in golf to run MLP?
He is most likely the least real looking candidate on this record—however maybe the very best mannequin for the kind of government MLP ought to be looking for.
Whomever is called the following (and third ever) commissioner of Main League Pickleball, they’ve their palms full. A complete media rights deal remains to be within the works. The homeowners of groups are divided on how the league ought to be structured in 2027 and past, with a wage cap and flooring on the desk. There will probably be strain from group homeowners, the UPA government group, the board, the followers, and the gamers, to search out the correct match to assist information the league sooner or later.
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