By Joe James
What's the story?
Pickleball.com is on a mission to become the leading unbiased news source for the rapidly growing sport of pickleball, aiming to be the “ESPN of pickleball”.
These ambitions come at a time of significant growth and change in the sport, with increased professionalisation, new leagues and rapidly evolving technology.
On their website, Pickleball.com state that they aim to provide trustworthy, authentic, and timely news coverage, positioning itself as a reliable source for pickleball enthusiasts.
Despite being under the same ownership as the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP), Pickleball.com operates as a legally separate entity under Pickleball Incorporated.
This distinction allows it to function independently and provide coverage that is not solely promotional, but also analytical, engaging and critical in a way that is free from the pressure to be strictly positive about the sport’s major leagues.
Pickleball is growing substantially in the US, as well as internationally which means having a media platform dedicated to delivering comprehensive and unbiased coverage is an essential step in the sport’s professionalization.
The Recap
Pickleball.com’s commitment to unbiased reporting is a cornerstone of its mission and the site is aiming to treat each player and tour equally.
This means that there will be fair coverage of national and international events, whilst delving into all kinds of newsworthy stories in the pickleball world.
By recognising that publishing content that may be considered controversial, there is more of a likelihood that greater discussion and engagement within the community will be generated.
Like any unbiased organisation, the goal is to present the facts as they are and then allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
The site’s editorial team is composed of writers Will Daughton, Victoria Radnothy, Matthew Cudzinowski, Jim Kloss, who’s opinions and takes have led him to gather a reputation of being bold and controversial, and Jim Ramsey, who focuses on stats-driven content.
The editorial team are led by Senior Chief Editor Hannah Johns, who oversees the team, manages content and helps to drive the unbiased approach.
Johns is a court reporter with considerable experience in the pickleball world including PR and social media which has now culminated in her senior role - Johns is also the sister of pro players Ben and Collin Johns.
Pickleball.com’s dedication to unbiased reporting will be key given its ties to the PPA and MLP.
The website is focused on independence, criticism and balance within its coverage of the sport and having Johns at the helm with her wealth of knowledge and experiences will be vital in following through on these aims
The PKLBull Verdict
Pickleball.com’s positioning as an unbiased news source in the fast-growing world of professional pickleball is a significant development.
The ambition of wanting to be the “ESPN of pickleball” is to be commended, and the site’s strong editorial team and operational structure seem well set up to achieve this goal.
Being under the same ownership of the PPA and MLP is sure to raise eyebrows and leave some unconvinced at the prospect of a truly unbiased publication becoming a reality.
Allowing for coverage that is not exclusively positive and promoting unbiased reporting are vital to maintain journalistic integrity and to further help grow pickleball.
It remains to be seen if the aspiration to be the definitive, unbiased news source for pickleball is possible, but under the leadership of Hannah Johns, alongside her team of talented writers, the website is likely to succeed.