PHOENIX – Major League Pickleball’s AZ Drive announced Thursday that an ownership group—highlighted by Charles Darling and Tim Fyke of Proton Sports; former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer; and financial professional Jeff Tsao—has bought a controlling stake in the franchise at a valuation of more than $10 million.
The Drive’s ownership has been led by former NFL receiver Larry Fitzgerald; the stake came from an unnamed portion of the ownership group.
Major League Pickleball drove $50 million in revenue in 2024, but that figure doesn’t include the revenues generated by individual teams, which each have an equity stake in the league.
Proton Sports, a pickleball paddle manufacturer, is the latest brand to invest in MLP at the ownership level, joining Anheuser-Busch with the Atlanta Bouncers and Lotto with the Brooklyn Aces, a similar model to Formula 1.
The MLP season features 10 tournaments around the country, a Mid-Season Tournament and a two-week playoff event. The league’s opening event will be held in Orlando from April 24-27.
“This ownership-level investment by Proton continues to showcase some of the innovative strategies MLP has been able to implement around brands integrating with our teams,” Samin Odhwani, UPA Chief Strategy Officer, said via email.
“From Anheuser-Busch with the Atlanta Bouncers to Lotto with the Brooklyn Aces, we are seeing a ton of interest around brands partnering with MLP teams at the highest levels. The fit between Proton and the AZ Drive is perfect, given the local ties in the Arizona community.”
Major League Pickleball features more than 100 professional pickleball players across 22 franchises. The league boasts at least 75 celebrities as part of their ownership groups.
Proton Sports is a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company that produces paddles, softball bats and bags, among other equipment. The company launched Proton Pickleball in 2024 and now is investing all levels of the sport from MLP to the United Pickleball Association.
(This story has been updated in the headline.)
