We are now six years removed from pickleball’s pandemic-fueled boom, and 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most consequential periods in the sport’s history. The initial stardust of rapid growth has settled. Pickleball is now entering its next phase, transitioning from a moment of cultural acceleration into a durable, mainstream force.

A few months ago, an internal debate began at The Kitchen headquarters: Who is the most powerful person in pickleball?

To answer that question, we began speaking with dozens of industry insiders and experts across every corner of the sport. As names surfaced repeatedly, a clear pattern emerged. 

That process led to the creation of the Pickleball Power 50, our ranking of the 50 most influential people shaping the sport today, including investors, CEOs, players, league executives, team owners, creators, podcasters, operators and more. 

To build the list, we evaluated candidates across the following six factors:

REACH: How many people are in their ecosystem, how many impressions they generate, and how substantial their influence is.

AUTHENTICITY: How genuine their reach is, including the quality and legitimacy of their audience. (Who has real vs. fake followers).

EXISTING GROWTH: Who has driven the sport’s growth and brought in the most new players and attention.

RELATIONSHIPS: Who has partnerships with the most influential people and brands, and the ability to activate those relationships when it matters.

REVENUE: How much money they generate and reinvest across the sport’s ecosystem.

FUTURE GROWTH: Who is best positioned to help take pickleball to the Olympics and beyond.

The most powerful people in pickleball

1. Tom Dundon – The largest investor in pickleball, Tom holds majority ownership of the PPA, Major League Pickleball, Pickleball Central, PickleballTournaments.com, and other core assets. Through capital deployment, strategic relationships, and direct mentorship of PPA founder Connor Pardoe, he has played a central role in professionalizing and scaling the sport.

2. Connor Pardoe – The CEO of Pickleball Inc. and original founder of the PPA Tour, he built the first scalable professional pickleball tour. Connor’s vision and leadership helped transform the sport from a recreational pastime into a credible professional product, elevating media production, commercial scale, and institutional investor interest.

3. Anna Leigh Waters – The No. 1 women’s pickleball player in the world, she is the most dominant force of the modern era, holding the top ranking across singles, doubles, and mixed. A record-setting champion and teenage prodigy, Anna Leigh has become the face of professional pickleball and a primary voice for national media coverage.

4. Ben Johns – The No. 1 men’s pickleball player in the world, Ben has been a foundational supporter of the PPA Tour and a decisive factor in its success during the Tour Wars. Widely regarded as the most dominant player in the sport’s history, he has redefined the modern pro game while elevating equipment standards through his JOOLA partnership.

5. Richard Lee – The CEO of JOOLA, Richard leveraged the brand’s dominance in table tennis to enter pickleball and build the sport’s most influential equipment company. By signing Ben Johns, alongside aggressive player recruitment, product innovation, and global scale, he reshaped how pickleball is played, marketed, and commercialized.

6. Adam Franklin – President of Franklin Sports, he oversees one of the longest-standing and most trusted equipment brands in pickleball. Under his leadership, Franklin has driven paddle and ball adoption at both the grassroots and professional levels, combining mass-market distribution, product consistency, and brand credibility. Recently, Franklin elevated its pro presence by signing world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters to a long-term deal. Franklin sells roughly 80% of pickleballs on the market.

7. Mike Nealy – CEO of USA Pickleball, Mike leads the sport’s amateur governing body, overseeing rulemaking and equipment certification. As paddle technology has rapidly evolved, his role has grown increasingly influential in shaping national standards, equipment compliance, and the future direction of how the game is regulated at scale.

8. Rob and Mike Barnes – Co-founders of Selkirk, the brothers built the company into one of pickleball’s most influential equipment brands. Through American manufacturing, aggressive pro sponsorship, premium positioning, and continued reinvention via campaigns like Selkirk Labs, Rob and Mike have set the modern standard for performance paddles and brand-building in the sport.

9. Chris Patrick – General Counsel & COO for Pickleball Inc. and Deputy Commissioner for the United Pickleball Association, he oversees the league’s legal framework and player relations. Chris plays a central role in negotiating pro player contracts, resolving disputes, and managing the legal complexities that underpin roster construction, league operations, and competitive integrity.

10. Bob Whyley – SVP of Production at Tennis Channel, Bob was a driving force behind the creation of PickleballTV in 2023. The network now broadcasts every PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball event while producing original pickleball programming, playing a central role in the sport’s national media exposure and professional presentation.

11. David Kass - Founder of Pickle & Chill and owner-chairman of MLP’s Columbus Sliders, David is a key investor and operator in professional pickleball. In 2024, he also led a consortium that acquired a controlling interest in DUPR, placing him at the intersection of league ownership, media, and data-driven competitive infrastructure.

12. Samin Odhwani – Commissioner of Major League Pickleball, Samin oversees league governance and competitive integrity. He holds authority over rule changes, fines, trade approvals, and scheduling, while guiding the structure, consistency, and evolution of MLP’s on-court product and long-term competitive framework.

13. Gilberto (Tito) Machado – The CEO of DUPR, Tito is a central figure behind pickleball’s first widely adopted, data-driven global rating system. Under his leadership, DUPR has become the industry standard for competitive measurement, reshaping how players are ranked, matched, recruited, evaluated, and integrated across both amateur and professional levels.

14. Conner Ogden – The Chief Operating Officer for both Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour (and one of Connor Pardoe’s best friends), Conner oversees league operations while also leading sales and sponsorship strategy for the PPA Tour. His role sits at the intersection of competition, commercial growth, and partner execution across professional pickleball’s two largest properties.

15. Ken Herrmann – Founder of the Association of Pickleball Professionals, he leads a professional tour focused on expanding competitive opportunities in the sport. Ken has been instrumental in developing “Next Gen” tournaments, creating a clear pathway to the pro ranks for emerging players and juniors entering the professional pickleball pipeline.

16. Jason Aspes – President of the United Pickleball Association of America, he oversees the governing body for the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. Jason is responsible for player safety, competitive fairness, and managing the paddle approval process, playing a central role in standards enforcement at the highest level of professional pickleball.

17. Al Tylis – Co-founder of the D.C. Pickleball Team, formerly the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, he was a major investor in the merger of Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour. Al also serves as a board member of the UPA, influencing league governance, ownership alignment, and the long-term commercial structure of professional pickleball.

18. Jason Stein – Co-founder and Managing Partner of SC Holdings, Jason is one of the largest investors in Major League Pickleball. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the UPA, playing an active role in ownership strategy, league governance, and the long-term commercial direction of professional pickleball.

19. Ryan Harwood – Co-Owner and General Manager of the New Jersey 5s and manager and agent for Anna Leigh Waters, Ryan is widely regarded as one of the most influential operators in Major League Pickleball. He helped bring Gary Vee into the sport, built the 5s into a consistent title contender with one of the league’s most engaged fanbases, and led the negotiations behind Anna Leigh’s Franklin and Nike deals.

20. Charles Darling – Founder of Proton Pickleball, he launched the brand in 2024 and quickly scaled it into an international operation. Now an MLP team owner and top PPA and MLP sponsor, Charles has signed dozens of pro athletes, launched a pickleball academy abroad, and donates returned paddles to help expand access to the sport worldwide.

21. Richard Chaifetz – Owner of the St. Louis Shock, Richard brings institutional-scale leadership to Major League Pickleball. A prominent business leader and philanthropist, he applies long-term capital, professional operations, and civic credibility to franchise ownership, helping position the Shock as one of MLP’s most stable, ambitious, and well-run organizations.

22. Leigh Waters – Mom and coach of Anna Leigh Waters, she has been a central figure in developing the sport’s most dominant player. A former top-level competitor herself, Leigh has also coached other elite players and remains heavily involved in contract negotiations and brand partnerships, shaping how top pickleball talent is developed, represented, and managed at the highest level.

23. Ryan DeVos – Owner and General Manager of the Orlando Squeeze, Ryan oversees one of the most heavily invested franchises in Major League Pickleball. A private investor and entrepreneur, he brings institutional discipline and long-term capital to team ownership, positioning the Squeeze as a serious contender while raising operational standards across the league.

24. Bryce Morgan – President of the PPA Tour, he plays a central role in shaping the tour’s competitive calendar and selecting host sites for major events. Bryce is also involved in broader growth initiatives, including the introduction of regulated sports gambling, helping expand the commercial footprint, fan engagement, and long-term monetization of professional pickleball.

25. Mark Molthan – Owner of the Dallas Flash, he has been one of the earliest and most committed owners in Major League Pickleball. Mark has prioritized elite talent and continuity, helping the Flash remain a consistent title contender amid league expansion, roster turnover, and the evolving economics of professional pickleball. He also owns the underground pickleball club Fight Club in Dallas.

26. Anna Bright – The No. 2 ranked women’s pickleball player in the world, Anna is one of the sport’s most outspoken and influential pros. She is a frequent doubles partner of Anna Leigh Waters and a leading voice on social media, shaping player discourse, fan engagement, and the broader cultural conversation around professional pickleball.

26. Ron Saslow – Founder and Managing Partner of Thirty-Five Capital, Ron leads the firm behind pickleball brands including Paddletek and ProXR, and also owns MLP’s Chicago Slice. He serves as General Manager of the Slice, with his son Joe actively involved across the firm’s pickleball investments, contributing to brand strategy and hands-on execution within the portfolio.

28. Chris Olson – Founder of Pickleball Studio, he has become one of the most influential independent voices in pickleball equipment. Through in-depth paddle reviews, testing, and podcasting, Chris’ opinions routinely shape consumer behavior and purchasing decisions, giving him outsized influence over how new paddles are received, evaluated, and adopted across the market.

29. Bahram Akradi – Founder of Life Time, Bahram built a nationwide athletic club chain that has become deeply involved in pickleball. Life Time has invested heavily in courts, events, and programming, playing a meaningful role in the sport’s growth at the recreational and competitive levels. He also created the official pickleball used by the PPA Tour.

30. Gordon Kaye – Chief Experience Officer for JOOLA Pickleball, Gordon plays a central role in evaluating and signing pro athletes while also overseeing the brand’s on-site presence at major events. His responsibilities span roster decisions, athlete activation, and fan experience, shaping how JOOLA presents itself across the professional pickleball calendar.

31. Tyson McGuffin – One of pickleball’s biggest stars, Tyson is a true OG of the game and was famously dubbed “the most electrifying man in sports” by Barstool Sports. A fan favorite at every event, he is deeply involved in growing the game through nationwide clinics, instructional content, coaching, and constant promotion of pickleball at every level of play.

32. Brian Levine – Former CEO of Major League Pickleball and current member of the UPA Board of Directors, Brian brings institutional finance experience as a former Goldman Sachs partner. He is now developing a major new pickleball venue in South Florida and continues to influence league governance through board-level insight and hands-on operating experience.

33. Mike Brown – President of Pickleball Play Solutions, Mike leads the tournament software platform used by thousands of events each year, including the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. His technology underpins scheduling, scoring, and operations across the sport, making him a behind-the-scenes force in how competitive pickleball is organized and executed at scale.

34. Taylor Loomis - The President of Consumer Goods at Pickleball, Inc., and CEO of Pickleball Central, Taylor oversees the largest online retailer in the sport. Under his leadership, Pickleball Central has scaled into one of pickleball’s most significant consumer businesses, shaping how equipment is sold, distributed, and monetized globally.

35. Justin Maloof –  Chief Operating Officer at USA Pickleball, he became the organization’s first full-time employee in 2013, serving as Executive Director during a period of rapid national growth. Justin oversees competitive structure, officiating standards, and major national events. Justin also helped to form Global Pickleball Federation (GPF), one of the international governing bodies.

36. Drew Brees – Co-owner of MLP’s Los Angeles Mad Drops, investor in The Picklr & Pickle N Pins, and founder of NOLA Pickle Fest, Drew is more than a Super Bowl–winning quarterback – he has become a true force in pickleball, standing out not just as a celebrity investor but as the most involved elite athlete in the sport, firmly establishing himself as a high-impact operator and capital partner in pickleball’s commercial growth.

37. Curtis Smith – President of Paddletek, he leads one of pickleball’s longest-standing paddle brands, active since 2010. Widely regarded as one of the sport’s most knowledgeable figures on paddle technology, Curtis oversaw Paddletek’s long partnership with Anna Leigh Waters and its acquisition by ProXR, while maintaining credibility at the highest level of play.

38. Garrett Gosselin – Co-founder of CRBN, Garrett is a leading force in modern paddle innovation. He helped pioneer thermoformed carbon-fiber paddles and co-created the first foam-core pickleball paddle, developments that reshaped performance standards and materially influenced how pickleball is played and regulated at the highest levels. CRBN is one of the top selling paddles in the pro space. 

39. Kimberly Koh – Managing Director of PPA Tour Asia, Kimberly leads the league’s international expansion following its 2025 launch. She oversees tour development, partnerships, and regional strategy as PPA Tour Asia rapidly scales into one of the most significant professional pickleball organizations outside the United States, shaping the sport’s global competitive footprint.

40. Dave Fleming – Voice of the PPA Tour, he is one of pickleball’s most recognizable and trusted figures. Instrumental in the tour’s early growth, Dave served as a key connector between Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe while helping define the PPA’s broadcast identity. A highly skilled player himself, his influence spans media, credibility, and on-court understanding.

41. Steve Kuhn – Founder of Major League Pickleball and DUPR, he was a central architect of the modern pro game and a key figure in the 2023 “Tour Wars.” Steve also founded DUPR, which became the sport’s first widely adopted global rating system, and Dreamland, a now-closed facility that helped set the early standard for professional pickleball training.

42. John Kew – YouTube paddle reviewer, John is widely respected for his technical knowledge of paddle performance. Known for maintaining one of the sport’s most comprehensive paddle statistics databases, his data-driven reviews and testing methodology strongly influence consumer perception, purchasing decisions, and how new paddles are received across the market.

43.  Zane Navratil – Pro player and podcaster, Zane serves as president of the newly formed UPA Pro Player Committee, the first official player representation body formally recognized by the UPA. In this role, he sits at the center of player advocacy, governance dialogue, and collective input on issues impacting contracts, competition structure, and the future of professional pickleball.

44. Tim and Ashley Owens – Co-founders of Court Reserve, a leading platform powering pickleball facilities worldwide. They have helped professionalize the sport’s infrastructure by enabling clubs, tournaments, and communities to operate and scale more efficiently, positioning the Owenses as key behind-the-scenes figures in pickleball’s continued growth and commercialization.

45. Jorge Barragan – Co-founder and CEO of The Picklr, Jorge leads the largest indoor pickleball facility chain in the United States. He is also an investor in STACK Athletics and Vulcan Sporting Goods, and a part-owner of MLP’s California Black Bears, placing him squarely at the intersection of facilities, equipment, and league ownership within the pickleball ecosystem.

46. Robert Elliott – Founder and CEO of Engage Pickleball, he is one of the earliest architects of high-performance pickleball equipment. Robert helped define modern paddle innovation well before the sport’s commercial explosion, particularly around spin, feel, and competitive design, playing a meaningful role in transitioning pickleball paddles from recreational gear into serious performance equipment.

47. Seymour Rifkind – President of the World Pickleball Federation, he played a central role in expanding pickleball into dozens of new countries and establishing the sport’s early global governance framework. Seymour also founded the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association to establish professional standards for pickleball instruction.

48. Roscoe Bellamy – Pro player and co-host of the Pickleballers Podcast, he is one of pickleball’s top content producers and digital influencers. Currently ranked No. 9 in singles, Roscoe combines elite-level competition with media reach, using storytelling and access to shape fan engagement and amplify the sport’s biggest voices.

49. Jimmy Miller – Podcaster and General Manager of MLP’s California Black Bears, Jimmy is one of the few figures willing to openly address the politics, disputes, and behind-the-scenes drama shaping professional pickleball. Through candid commentary and team leadership, he influences both league conversation and competitive strategy.

50. Courtney Johnson – Director of Team Competition for the United Pickleball Association, Courtney oversees competitive structure across Major League Pickleball. Previously serving as Head of Competition and Director of Officiating, she has been central to shaping match formats, officiating standards, and on-court consistency.