MLP & PPA: Player Pay Cuts & Leadership Changes

On Tuesday, November 28, pro Jill Braverman sounded off regarding pickleball player compensation within Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the PPA Tour (PPA).

The tweet left all of us collectively asking: "What?"

But soon after, we spoke to a number of key figures and eventually came into possession of an email from MLP to its roster of talent. It became clear that Braverman was referencing this email, but even she was unclear on some of the details around this latest shakeup in pro pickleball.

So, let's lay out the key takeaways:

• PPA & MLP are requesting that players consent to compensation reductions (it turns out $15m per year in salaries isn't exactly sustainable for either organization)
• Ben Johns & Anna Leigh Waters have both agreed to six-figure pay cuts, and other PPA-contracted pros have agreed to lesser pay cuts
• The proposed MLP pay reduction is 40% and will reduce work obligations proportionally. Current MLP contracts stipulate 200 days of work (ex. player salary is $100k, new salary would be $60k with 120 work days).
• MLP players who consent to the pay reduction will be guaranteed 10 "slots" in PPA events
• MLP players who don't consent will not be allowed to participate in PPA events and will instead be placed in a 'development program', which consists of clinics, camp and appearance requirements that will count toward their work day obligations (no competition outside of MLP events)
• MLP has parted ways with Commissioner Brooks Wiley

Leadership Change

The doozy of an email delivered to MLP-contracted talent via the League's executive committee was packed with new information regarding pro pickleball's path forward.

One of the most surprising pieces of information:

We have parted ways with Brooks Wiley, MLP Commissioner, effective today. We appreciate Brooks’ contribution to MLP and the sport of pickleball and wish him success in the future.

No additional details are available yet regarding the change in leadership.

Wiley has been instrumental in MLP's growth since its inception two years ago. His departure, along with Steve Kuhn's recent resignation, signals the end of an era for the no longer nascent league.

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Pickleball Player Compensation Cuts: MLP's Options, PPA Players Accept

The email suggests that officials from both sides have been working to close the ongoing merger between MLP and PPA, citing the "considerable time...spent analyzing and discussing the best way to move forward."

The MLP execs say they have determined that certain changes need to be made to ensure a sustainable business after studying the economics of the business:

The most immediate and pressing change is to adjust MLP's (and PPA's) expense structure, including (but not limited to) player compensation.

Here's what they propose: your 200 annual days get reduced to 120 days and your guaranteed annual compensation is proportionately reduced by 40%.

This proposal, not a mandate, suggests that if a player's current agreement provides for 200 days and compensation of $200,000 annually, it would be modified to 120 days for $120,000 annually, if the player agrees.

Players who accept the proposed reduction will be guaranteed a minimum of 10 slots in PPA events in each year of the contract. What is a slot, exactly? Not quite sure.

Again, MLP contracts are based on work days. Each MLP player is committed to 200 days of work, whether that consists of competition or otherwise. A 40% reduction would shrink the obligation to 120 days.

If players don't accept the pay cut, they'll be placed in a development program. That means they'll spend their work days in camps, clinics, event appearances and MLP events. They won't be able to play in PPA Tour events.

The Dink spoke with multiple decision makers and pros and has learned that some PPA players have already accepted pay cuts after three days of negotiations.

Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters, the top two players on the PPA Tour, have agreed to six-figure pay cuts. It is unclear what other PPA-contracted players have agreed to a reduction in pickleball player compensation.

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Pickleball Player Compensation: Why $15M Wasn't Sustainable

As reported by CNBC, MLP pay ranges from $30,000 to $2 million a year, and players felt significant pressure from league leadership to accept the proposed cuts.

After both sides entered a spending war to sign players earlier this year, it's no surprise that the financial burden needs to be lessened.

This was always a situation that was going to require correction. Experts and observers both inside and outside the game had flagged the issue long before this moment.

Zane Navratil & Thomas Shields of the PicklePod Podcast frequently speculated that both the PPA & MLP would ultimately seek to renegotiate pickleball player compensation heading into the new year.

But that speculation wasn't unique to PicklePod. It doesn't take a financial guru to recognize that allocating $15 million per year for extremely inflated, well above-market salaries isn't the most fiscally conservative strategy for a startup that's burning cash.

The financial math simply didn't work. And those closest to the league knew it.

Theoretically, this move paves the way for a more sustainable model and makes the organizations less reliant on raising more capital. As highlighted in this overview of the financial pressures facing pro pickleball, the issue of inflated contracts had been building for some time.

But how will the players respond?

What This Means for the PPA-MLP Merger

This shakeup in pickleball player compensation arrives at a pivotal moment for the sport. The MLP-PPA merger process has been one of the defining stories of the professional pickleball landscape, and changes like this one are a direct result of the financial scrutiny that comes with combining two leagues.

The leadership shakeup at Major League Pickleball adds another layer of uncertainty to an already complex situation.

As CBS Sports has covered, the league has attracted massive outside investment and celebrity ownership. Reconciling those lofty expectations with the economic reality of a startup league was always going to be a challenge.

Meanwhile, pro pickleball players had previously been out-earning WNBA and NWSL stars, which only underscores how dramatically inflated the original contracts were.

Looking forward, MLP's 2026 format changes suggest the league is committed to structural evolution. And the post-merger growth MLP has reported provides at least some optimism that the financial restructuring is working.

The formation of a new players' association is also worth watching. If players begin to organize in a meaningful way, the dynamic between the leagues and their talent could shift considerably.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposed pickleball player compensation reduction for MLP players?

MLP proposed a 40% reduction in annual guaranteed compensation. Under the proposal, a player earning $100,000 annually for 200 work days would see their pay reduced to $60,000 for 120 work days.

What happens to MLP players who don't accept the pickleball player compensation cut?

Players who decline the pay reduction will be placed in a development program. This means their work days will consist of camps, clinics, and event appearances rather than competitive play, and they will not be eligible to participate in PPA Tour events.

Why are MLP and PPA reducing pickleball player compensation now?

Both organizations have determined that $15 million per year in player salaries is not financially sustainable. After a spending war to sign players, both leagues are restructuring their expense base in an effort to build a model that doesn't rely on continually raising outside capital.

Have any top players already agreed to pickleball player compensation cuts?

Yes, Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters have both agreed to six-figure reductions in their pickleball player compensation. Several other PPA-contracted pros have also accepted lesser pay cuts following three days of negotiations.

Who is running MLP following Brooks Wiley's departure?

No official replacement for Brooks Wiley has been announced. His departure was communicated to MLP-contracted talent via the League's executive committee, with no additional details provided about the future leadership structure.